Pietro Molteni (Managing Director, NY Music Dialogues):
Dear Luigi, you’ve pioneered a new art form that merges the highest level of artist bookmaking with music. But before this, you were already known as one of the world’s most renowned bookbinders. What makes bookbinding such a complex art?

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Luigi Castiglioni (Bookbinder and Book Artist):
Like literature, which is one of the highest forms of art, and artist bookmaking, which is a true visual art, bookbinding itself is an art form. It carries a deep technical complexity that only a few can truly master. For example, each binding I created for my artist’s books dedicated to Gavin Bryars—or those I made to contain original lithographs by Picasso—took me around 40 days of work. But beyond technique, bookbinding is a form of interpretation. It is an expression of the book’s content, a visual embodiment of its soul. That’s why it requires not only craftsmanship but also a profound understanding of the text and the author behind it.

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PM:
So in that sense, the Boulez–Hommages binding is not just a cover, but a reflection of the subject’s personality. How did you conceive it?

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LC:
Exactly. The two dominant colors of the Boulez book are black and aluminum. I’ve always associated aluminum with Boulez. It’s cold, rigid, precise, yet malleable—capable of being transformed. I could never have used copper for Boulez, because copper is warm, and to me, it has always felt more connected to György Ligeti. The black leather was chosen deliberately to highlight and contrast with the aluminum.

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PM:
And what kind of leather did you use for the binding? I’m referring to that soft black material covering the book.

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LC:
It’s veal leather, chrome-tanned, known as Box Calf. It’s treated to achieve a fine, elegant finish. The silver bands are applied by hand using a transfer of silver foil, pressed and fixed with a traditional gilder’s tool.

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PM: That’s truly remarkable. So, each copy is entirely unique?

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LC: Absolutely. It’s not just a matter of will—it's physically impossible for any two copies to be identical. Every binding is done by hand, personally by me, and that process naturally resists repetition. On top of that, it wouldn’t be fair. Each Boulez-Hommages copy features silver stripes that vary in design, subtle differences in texture, placement, and density make every book visually unique. These tiny details, along with the unique set of signatures and the natural imperfections in the  paper, make each copy one-of-a-kind.

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PM: Speaking of paper, that’s the detail that tends to impress readers the most at first glance. What can you tell us about it?

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LC: The paper is made of 100% cotton, the most prized and expensive produced by Fabriano—the historic papermaking town in central Italy. Fabriano has been producing paper since the 13th century. In fact, cotton paper was invented there in 1264, 300 years before Shakespeare was born. Thanks to this invention, centuries of knowledge could be preserved and shared through books. That same paper tradition continues in Boulez-Hommages, connecting the reader to an ancient lineage of craftsmanship and cultural transmission.

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PM: Now I understand why creating 150 copies is such an incredible commitment. Have you already completed them all?

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LC: Not at all—it would be impossible. The work is still in progress. In the coming months, only a few dozen Boulez-Hommages books will be ready for those who secure a reservation in time.

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PM: So, someone placing a reservation today is technically ordering something that doesn’t yet exist?

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LC: Let’s say it exists in a deconstructed form. The pages are printed, signed, and in order, stacked in my atelier. The veal leather—ready to be worked—is waiting. But the book still needs to be assembled and bound, by hand. That takes time. And yes, in today’s world, we’re not used to waiting for a book. But that’s fine. Amazon is full of books you can get overnight. Boulez-Hommages is not for the impatient—it’s for those who understand that something rare and valuable takes time.

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PM: Do you think this time investment creates a kind of connection between you and the person who will eventually own the book?

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LC: Of course. When you work on such a small number of copies, and you dedicate so much time to each one, a connection becomes inevitable. I know the name of the person who ordered it. I know where they live, what city, what part of the world. When we speak of a “family” united by something precious, we’re not exaggerating. The owners of these books truly form a community—one that includes people like Daniel Barenboim, Renzo Piano, and Susanna Mälkki. A family anyone who loves music and art would be proud to be part of.

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PM: And what do you think the future holds for this family?

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LC: This family is growing, copy by copy. Each new owner brings their own story, their own reason for loving this work. And in the end, they don’t just acquire a book—they acquire a piece of time, of thought, of intention. That’s something no algorithm or next-day delivery can replace.

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July, 2025