Gy枚rgy Ligeti (1923-2006)
Kate Molleson explores the life of Gy枚rgy Ligeti with pianist, Danny Driver
Kate Molleson explores the life of Gy枚rgy Ligeti with pianist, Danny Driver
Known to millions through the film director Stanley Kubrick's use of his music in 2001: A Space Odyssey, Ligeti's music reflects the seismic events taking place in central Europe in the mid-twentieth century - shifting borders, war, totalitarianism and for many, exile. These harrowing experiences all made a deep imprint on him and his music. He was born in 1923 into a Jewish Hungarian family in an area that had become part of Romanian Transylvania. After years of state repression, in 1956 at the onset of the Hungarian revolution, Ligeti made a dramatic escape on foot to the West. Freed from state intervention, he was to remain artistically and personally independent from any particular orthodoxies for the rest of his life. He died in 2006 at the age of 83.
Ligeti regarded the whole world as the material for his music. He was fascinated by anything and everything: philosophy, science, the arts, literature - Alice in Wonderland was one of his favourite books. His music can be playful, at times wickedly macabre. He loved patterns, he loved rhythm, he dived into mathematical concepts of immense complexity but was equally curious about history, folklore, the cosmos and the natural world. From the piano, Danny Driver, a huge Ligeti enthusiast, opens up the magical universe Ligeti creates in his piano music, with a special focus on the three sets of piano studies.
Music Featured:
Musica ricercata (IV. Tempo de Valse (poco vivace - 脿 l'orgue de Barbarie)
Lux aeterna
Three Wedding Dances for two pianos (H脿rom lakodalmi t谩nc)
Romanian Concerto
Piano Concerto (1st, 2nd & 3rd mvts)
Musica ricercata (excerpt)
Cello Sonata (2nd mvt, Capriccio. Presto con slancio)
Apparitions (2n, mvt, Agitato)
Musica ricercata (excerpt)
Lontano
Three Pieces for Two Pianos
脡tudes, Book 1
Chamber Concerto for 13 instruments
Clocks and Clouds
Three Fantasies after Friedrich H枚lderlin
Capriccio 1; Invention Capriccio 2
脡tudes, Book 2
Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano (1st mvt, Andantino con tenerezza)
Sonata for solo viola (1st mvt, Hora lung膬)
Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano (2nd mvt, Vivacissimo molto r铆tmico)
Piano Concerto (4th mvt, Allegro risoluto - molto r铆tmico)
脡tudes Book 3
Melodien
Presented by Kate Molleson
Produced by Johannah Smith
For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Gy枚rgy Ligeti (1923-2006) /programmes/m001lzcn
And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we鈥檝e featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z
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