Boulez Notation 4

[samjiyon23]

It says "Rythmique"... but there doesn't seem to be either a time signature or a set number of beats per measure ... How do I keep everything in time?

Thanks in advance 

[kujiraya]

"Rhythmique" describes the driving mechanical movement of the piece, with the repeated, repeated and repeated yet again motives in each hand. There is no time signature because there are not a regular number of beats per bar. The beats are more internally set, between the staccato semiquaver motive and the long note in the left hand. The bar lines are there just to aid you visually so you can see when your right hand is supposed to hit the accented crushing notes, in relation to what you're playing with your left hand. Note that this relationship between the right hand and the left hand gets closer and closer until they overlap and crash "brusquely". As for the tempo, it's certainly not a slow piece (otherwise he'd have written quavers or even crotchets instead of semiquavers in the left hand), so play it fast, but without blurring/losing any of the expressive markings on any of the notes.