György Ligeti (1923-2006)

Kate Molleson explores the life of György Ligeti with guest, 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 - à l'orgue de Barbarie) Lux aeterna Three Wedding Dances for two pianos (Hàrom lakodalmi tánc) 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 Études, Book 1 Chamber Concerto for 13 instruments Clocks and Clouds Three Fantasies after Friedrich Hölderlin Capriccio 1; Invention Capriccio 2 Études, Book 2 Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano (1st mvt, Andantino con tenerezza) Sonata for solo viola (1st mvt, Hora lungă) Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano (2nd mvt, Vivacissimo molto rítmico) Piano Concerto (4th mvt, Allegro risoluto - molto rítmico) Études 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 György Ligeti (1923-2006) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001lzcn

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z