Opera

Ligetis 1977 opera Le grand macabre, set in a land derived from the paintings of Breughel, is an allusive work, drawing on a variety of sources, from Monteverdi to Beethoven and opening with a motor-horn prelude

Orchestral Music

It was with compositions such as Apparitions in 1959 and Atmosphres in 1961, the latter a 48-part mirror canon, that Ligeti began to win a wider reputation. Other orchestral works that aroused interest included a Chamber Concerto for thirteen instruments, the Cello Concerto and the Concerto for flute, oboe and strings. Lontano, written in 1967, has a place in contemporary repertoire, with Ramifications, for twelve strings and San Francisco Polyphony. He also wrote concertos for piano, for violin and for French horn.

Chamber Music

In the second of his string quartets, Ligeti made a strong impression, while his Ten Pieces for wind quintet allow a degree of individual virtuosity to the players.

Keyboard Music

Ligetis piano Etudes increased in number over the years, a product, he modestly explained, of the inadequacy of his own piano technique, works that he described as neither avant-garde nor traditional, drawing allusively on a wide variety of sources. Some of the Etudes make extreme technical demands on the performer.

Vocal Music

Aventures in 1962 and Nouvelles Aventures four years later, for three voices and a small ensemble, are examples of Ligetis blend of humour and seriousness. His Requiem, completed in 1965, makes considerable use of counterpoint and is a moving and colourful work. It was followed by Lux aeterna, a setting of the last part of the Requiem Mass, for sixteen solo voices, in which he again makes considerable use of the technique of canon. His Nonsense Madrigals include settings of words from Lewis Carroll.

(Keith Anderson)

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