Piano Concerto (Ligeti)
Encyclopedia
György Ligeti
's Piano Concerto was written from 1985-1988. The work has five movements:
The concerto is a prime example of the composer's exploration of polyrhythms. Ligeti has said that he considers it to be his most complex and technically demanding score. The work is scored for a reduced orchestra with many unusual instruments such as a harmonica
, slide whistle
s, and an ocarina
.
The first and fifth movements have some minimalist
elements and explore the extreme register
s of the piano. The second movement starts slow and mysterious, similar to Béla Bartók
's "night music
". After a whip crack which marks a climax, the woodwind play a dissonant passage in their highest registers, accompanied by descending chromatic chords from the piano and the xylophone. The movement ends with an almost silent harmonica passage.
György Ligeti
György Sándor Ligeti was a composer of contemporary classical music. Born in a Hungarian Jewish family in Transylvania, Romania, he briefly lived in Hungary before becoming an Austrian citizen.-Early life:...
's Piano Concerto was written from 1985-1988. The work has five movements:
- VivaceTempoIn musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
molto ritmico e preciso - Attacca subito: - Lento e deserto
- Vivace cantabile
- Allegro risoluto, molto ritmico - Attacca subito:
- Presto luminoso: Fluido, costante, sempre molto ritmico
The concerto is a prime example of the composer's exploration of polyrhythms. Ligeti has said that he considers it to be his most complex and technically demanding score. The work is scored for a reduced orchestra with many unusual instruments such as a harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, slide whistle
Slide whistle
A slide whistle is a wind instrument consisting of a fipple like a recorder's and a tube with a piston in it. Thus it has an air reed like some woodwinds, but varies the pitch with a slide. The construction is rather like a bicycle pump...
s, and an ocarina
Ocarina
The ocarina is an ancient flute-like wind instrument. Variations do exist, but a typical ocarina is an enclosed space with four to twelve finger holes and a mouthpiece that projects from the body...
.
The first and fifth movements have some minimalist
Minimalism
Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts...
elements and explore the extreme register
Register (music)
In music, a register is the relative "height" or range of a note, set of pitches or pitch classes, melody, part, instrument or group of instruments...
s of the piano. The second movement starts slow and mysterious, similar to Béla Bartók
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
's "night music
Night music (Bartók)
Night Music is a musical style of the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók which he used mostly in slow movements of multi-movement ensemble or orchestra compositions in his mature period...
". After a whip crack which marks a climax, the woodwind play a dissonant passage in their highest registers, accompanied by descending chromatic chords from the piano and the xylophone. The movement ends with an almost silent harmonica passage.