György Ligeti (1923-2006)

[karlhenning]

Allan, thanks for the great post-concert comments, and you can hear the excitement in your writing.  It's a fantastic thing to hear live, eh!  I heard it last October with the NY Phil with Jonathan Nott conducting -- was excellent -- but it must have been great to hear it with Cleveland. 

You're absolutely right about all the staggered entrances.  I haven't seen the score, but I'd bet that each section (i.e., the strings) is divided into at least three or four parts

Yes, Bruce; it's a while since I saw the score, and it was not a conducting score, but a 'study score' (still large-ish pages, though) and there were so many staves that I should have needed spectacles, even in my sprier days then, to make out the notes . . . .

[greg]

Originally, I had planned to go to Symphony tonight, for the following program:

Ligeti, Atmosphères
Wagner, Prelude to Act I of Lohengrin
Bartók, Piano Concerto No. 2
Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 4 in F Minor

you missed that concert?
man, that must really suck......

[Don Giovanni]

I love some of the polyrhythms Ligeti uses in the Piano Concerto.

[toledobass]

  Sweeeeeeeeet......



Saturday, July 14, 2007 at 8:00 PM

Blossom Music Center

The Cleveland Orchestra
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Ligeti: Atmosphères
Debussy: Ibéria
Mahler: Symphony No. 1

Allan

[bhodges]

Sweeeeeeeeet......



Saturday, July 14, 2007 at 8:00 PM

Blossom Music Center

The Cleveland Orchestra
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Ligeti: Atmosphères
Debussy: Ibéria
Mahler: Symphony No. 1

Allan

Wow, is that going to be a great concert, or what...

--Bruce

[S709]

After hearing enormous amounts of modern and contemporary music, my appreciation for Ligeti has only grown. His music is so unique and innovative and also highly communicative and powerful.

Lux Aeterna is one of the most beautiful pieces ever written, and yet it is so unusual and otherworldly!

The 3 concertos for piano, violin and cello are the some of the best highlights in each genre of the whole 20th century.

Ligeti is really brilliant. One could go on forever... anyway I think this recent 4CD set from DG is perfect for anyone wanting to get a good overview of Ligeti (but of course it is far from a complete set):



Opinions about this set?

[not edward]

It's definitely a good set, with some great recordings on it (Abbado's Lontano and Atherton's Melodien being two particular highlights). If I didn't have about two thirds of it already, I would buy it.

Fortunately, Ligeti fans have multiple good in-print recordings to choose from in many of the composer's most important works. Long may this remain the case!

[val]

I heard recently the string quartets. The first seems under the influence of Berg but is a remarkable work, deeply inspired and personal. It's structure reminds a suite.

The second string quartet is much more balanced, powerful and in the 2nd movement, Sostenuto, it is as if Ligeti wanted to compose his own "Night music", the kind of music that appears so frequently in Bartok's works.

These are two masterpieces, showing a very strong personality and a wonderful inspiration.

[Don Giovanni]

I'm planning on getting Ligeti's Quartets along with some of his other works. Any suggestions?

[not edward]

The Ardittis on Sony are a very safe recommendation for the quartets.
The other other chamber music disc you'll need would be the Sony disc with the Horn Trio (IMO Ligeti's finest chamber work), the music for wind quintet and the viola sonata.

[Don Giovanni]

Thanks a lot, edward.

[George]

The Ardittis on Sony are a very safe recommendation for the quartets.

Seconded, I also like the piano etudes by Aimard form the same series.

[Benji]

The thing I find fascinating about Ligeti is what Bruce mentioned, the textures. It's so interesting the sounds that he produces through such massed orchestral forces.

It is indeed, though it must be said he doesn't even need a mass of force - listen to his 2nd string quartet and at times you could be convinced it was any instrument except the strings. 

[Benji]

And it is fantastic to see that Atmospheres is becoming something of a repertoire piece. I can't wait for an opportunity to hear it live.

[greg]

"The Notorious MOG?"
makes me think of a rapping moogle (a pink little creature from Final Fantasy, almost looks like a Pikachu)

[Benji]

That's just too cute...

[Harvested Sorrow]

I'm planning on getting Ligeti's Quartets along with some of his other works. Any suggestions?

I'll second the recommendation for the Chamber Music disc on Sony.  I love horn trios...

[greg]

That's just too cute...

now, look real closely..... he doesn't like that you called him cute

[bhodges]

And it is fantastic to see that Atmospheres is becoming something of a repertoire piece. I can't wait for an opportunity to hear it live.

Quite true.  And I wish you a live performance of it sooner, rather than later!  You will be totally delighted when it happens.

PS, just a hearty "second" for the Ardittis in the quartets, and for anything in the Sony/Teldec Ligeti series.  All of those discs are interesting, well-performed and very beautifully recorded.

--Bruce

[not edward]

-boulez disc on DG with the 3 concertos: piano, cello & violin.
-boulez disc on DG with the Chamber Concerto and Lux Auterna

These two discs can now be found in their entirety on the DG Clear or Cloudy box set, plus various desirable bonuses such as the Kontarsky brothers playing the three pieces for two pianos and the outstanding Atherton recording of Melodien.