György Ligeti (1923-2006)

[brewski]

Not available for streaming yet, but this weekend the Dallas Symphony is also pairing Concert romanesc with the Bartok concerto (under Jaime Martín).

Oh cool! Glad to hear it, since Ligeti celebrations seem a bit absent in the U.S.—at least, on casual observation. Seems to be more enthusiasm for the centennial in Europe. 

-Bruce

[Atriod]

Oh cool! Glad to hear it, since Ligeti celebrations seem a bit absent in the U.S.—at least, on casual observation. Seems to be more enthusiasm for the centennial in Europe. 

-Bruce

I am interested in recordings too but there are a dearth of them for this anniversary. This year and Rachmaninoff has also been underwhelming.

[brewski]

This astonishing-looking Ligeti tribute concert—with two time-outs for Palestrina!— was recorded in March with Alain Altinoglu and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, and just uploaded yesterday. I hope to get to this later today or tomorrow.

Frankfurt Radio Symphony
Vocalconsort Berlin
Marion Lebègue, Alt
Kamil Ben Hsaïn Lachiri, Bariton
Sophia Körber, Sopran
Mahan Esfahani, Cembalo
Marc Gruber, Horn
Alain Altinoglu, Dirigent

Alte Oper Frankfurt, 31. März 2023

Poème symphonique
Atmosphères
Continuum
Volumina
Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli – Kyrie
Hamburgisches Konzert

Teil 2:
Clocks and Clouds
Artikulation
Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli – Gloria
Hungarian Rock (Chaconne)
Concert Românesc

Teil 3:
Éjszaka
Reggel
Aventures
Passacaglia ungherese
Lux aeterna

-Bruce

[Mandryka]

Do you have a link to it please @brewski ?

[brewski]

Do you have a link to it please @brewski ?

Oh sorry, in my excited haste I forgot! Edited the post to include it.

-Bruce

[Mandryka]

Has anyone here explored the piano etudes?  I've kind of contented myself with Fred Ullen's recording and I'm wondering whether there are interestingly different interpretations on record - there seems to be a plethora of CDs of them now.

[Iota]

That's a coincidence, I was just listening to Book 1 this morning after a long absence (as noted in WAYLTN thread), am still trying to find my way into them. Do you find Ullén persuasive in them?

[Mandryka]

That's a coincidence, I was just listening to Book 1 this morning after a long absence (as noted in WAYLTN thread), am still trying to find my way into them. Do you find Ullén persuasive in them?

Not entirely!  I can't say more.

[JBS]

I've long contented myself with having only the Aimard recording and stray individual etudes included as part of recital discs. The Devil's Staircase and Autumn in Warsaw seem the most popular among pianists.
I have to confess that I'm not often motivated to listen to them.
I suppose I will get the Han Chen recording, if only for the sake of completeness.
ETA
I just realized I have Danny Driver's recording.
Which obviously made no impression on me when I listened to it.

[Mandryka]

I've long contented myself with having only the Aimard recording and stray individual etudes included as part of recital discs. The Devil's Staircase and Autumn in Warsaw seem the most popular among pianists.
I have to confess that I'm not often motivated to listen to them.
I suppose I will get the Han Chen recording, if only for the sake of completeness.
ETA
I just realized I have Danny Driver's recording.
Which obviously made no impression on me when I listened to it.

Danny Driver is playing them in London in a few weeks, October some time,  and he's giving a masterclass after the concert  - I have a ticket for both.

[Atriod]

Danny Driver was anything but forgettable when I heard him play Ligeti's Etudes. Hearing him play those plus a masterclass would be a dream, I would have seriously thought about going to London for that October 7 concert had I known about it earlier.

[Mandryka]

Re the etudes, Volker Banfield recorded Book 1 for Wergo, streaming everywhere, I think it's worth hearing.

[brewski]

Just found out that the Wiener Staatsoper will livestream their production of Le Grand Macabre on Sunday, November 19, at 1:00 pm EST. Looks like there's no charge to watch.

https://play.wiener-staatsoper.at/event/27d55b80-8b1f-457b-ba6f-d7af92056e5b

-Bruce

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Just found out that the Wiener Staatsoper will livestream their production of Le Grand Macabre on Sunday, November 19, at 1:00 pm EST. Looks like there's no charge to watch.

https://play.wiener-staatsoper.at/event/27d55b80-8b1f-457b-ba6f-d7af92056e5b

-Bruce

Nice!  I don't know that work.  Are you familiar with it Bruce?

Somewhere around here, I have the password that I created to watch their performances....I think that I know where it is (fingers crossed).

PD

[T. D.]

Nice!  I don't know that work.  Are you familiar with it Bruce?

Somewhere around here, I have the password that I created to watch their performances....I think that I know where it is (fingers crossed).

PD

Back in the '90s when a recording [of Le Grand Macabre] was released (on Sony iirc), I purchased it, never warmed to it and sold the set...IMO opera is difficult, and great composers (overall) are not guaranteed to be great opera composers (I cite Shostakovich as an example, though many will disagree).

But I do recommend a free livestream! Subject to the caveat that big Euro productions may exhibit polarizing degrees of Regietheater. 

[brewski]

Nice!  I don't know that work.  Are you familiar with it Bruce?

Somewhere around here, I have the password that I created to watch their performances....I think that I know where it is (fingers crossed).

PD

Yes, I have seen it twice, in the same production by Doug Fitch, conducted by Alan Gilbert. Originally Gilbert did it about 15 years ago at the New York Philharmonic (to great acclaim), and then he gave it another spin when he became music director for the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. The latter production, from 2019, is on YouTube and well worth watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnScKIg791o&t=139s

-Bruce

[JBS]

Back in the '90s when a recording [of Le Grand Macabre] was released (on Sony iirc), I purchased it, never warmed to it and sold the set...IMO opera is difficult, and great composers (overall) are not guaranteed to be great opera composers (I cite Shostakovich as an example, though many will disagree).

But I do recommend a free livestream! Subject to the caveat that big Euro productions may exhibit polarizing degrees of Regietheater. 

Grand Macabre can look like Regietheater even if it just keeps to the literal libretto. I remember liking it, but it's not one to be heard on regular rotation.

The Salonen recording was included in Sony's Ligeti boxset.  But there's also a 1991 recording on Wergo.

There's also a Blu-ray from Barcelona that may be OOP.

[brewski]

And yet another chance to hear Le Grand Macabre (audio only), this time from Francis Xavier-Roth and l'Orchestre National de France, broadcast earlier today. No idea how long the link will be available, but it's here.

Including the Vienna State Opera production from a few weeks ago, and another from Oper Frankfurt that just ended, this is the third version in as many weeks. I guess is really IS everyone's holiday favorite. 

-Bruce

[brewski]

A day after I posted the previous audio link, Arte makes the video of Le Grand Macabre available (through May 2024):

https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/114846-006-A/gyoergy-ligeti-s-le-grand-macabre/

-Bruce

[Irons]

Up to yesterday I had not heard a note of Ligeti.

 

Far from my usual fare but didn't run from the room covering my ears. Insulting to a composer to comment on such complex music after a single listen, but I will anyway. Although without traditional musical signposts unable to comprehend what's going on, I found the piece undeniably dramatic and colourful.

Is Ligeti's Cello Concerto typical of him?