Hungarians in the World - Ligeti and Africa / Matinée Concerts

Hungarians in the World
Ligeti and Africa
Matinée Concerts

Program:
Steve Reich: Music for Pieces of Wood
Ligeti: Poème symphonique - for one hundred metronomes
Ligeti: Études (Book I) - No. 6: Automne à Varsovie
Ligeti: Études (Book I) - No. 5: Arc-en-ciel
Ligeti: Études (Book I) - No. 1: Désordre
African traditional music

What's the connection between the ticking of a hundred metronomes, the percussion music of African tribes and unplayable, difficult piano études? One of the most important composers of the 20th century, György Ligeti, was born 100 years ago. On account of his elementary curiosity and thirst for knowledge, almost everything had an impact on his musical thinking: the workings of complex structures, physical discoveries, linguistic phenomena and even African percussion music. All of these will be touched upon at the concert.

György Ligeti was born in Diciosânmartin, Romania, once part of Hungary, studied in Cluj-Napoca, attended the Academy of Music in Budapest, and after the 1956 revolution emigrated to Vienna and lived in Germany and Austria, but also worked in Sweden and America. He was a true citizen of the world. Never having been to Africa, he learned about the music of sub-Saharan peoples (many of whom use percussion instruments exclusively) from recordings and the writings of folk music researchers, and was fascinated by what he heard. Rightly so. At the concert, moderated by Szilveszter Szélpál and with expert assistance from musicologist Gergely Fazekas, we reflect on what it was that enchanted Ligeti in the intricate pulsations and overwhelming energies of this music. We also take a detour to American composer Steve Reich, who was no less fond of African music, and find out what was on Ligeti's mind when he composed music for 100 mechanical metronomes. The concert features one of the most important Ligeti performers of our time, pianist Zoltán Fejérvári, the young percussion ensemble Trio Dakoda and one hundred metronomes.

Featuring:
piano - Zoltán Fejérvári
Trio Dakoda (Dániel Láposi, Dávid Burcsik, Kornél Hencz)
expert: Gergely Fazekas
moderator: Szilveszter Szélpál

Age: 9-16 year
Presented by: Müpa Budapest