Gyorgy Ligeti (20th Century Composers) [Paperback]

Richard Toop (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 7, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0714837954 | ISBN-13: 978-0714837956

The Hungarian Gyorgy Ligeti (b. 1923) is one of the most highly regarded and influential of living composers. Having survived persecution as a Jew during World War II, he fled to West Germany during the Hungarian Revolution, where his early musical development was shaped by his work in the Cologne electronic studios and by the influence of Stockhausen. Rather than becoming too closely identified with any single school or movement, Ligeti's music has drawn on a divers range of sources, from the folk music of his native Hungary to African and South American World music. In works such as his Requiem, used in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, he has proved that contemporary classical music can be accessible to a wide audience. This stimulating biography discusses Ligeti within the context of the political and cultural history of postwar Europe, and places him firmly at the forefront of musical change and innovation over the past four decades.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This biography discusses Gyorgy Ligeti's work within the context of the political and cultural history of post-war Europe and places him at the forefront of musical change and innovation during this period.

Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press (October 7, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714837954
• ISBN-13: 978-0714837956
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,983,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ligeti Lite, March 9, 2003

By 

Christopher Forbes "weirdears" (Brooklyn,, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gyorgy Ligeti (20th Century Composers) (Paperback)

Gyorg Ligeti is perhaps the most interesting, and chameleonlike member of the European avant-garde. Not bounded by ideology, Ligeti's music has morphed through nationalism, colorism, avant-garde 60s dadism, minimalism and post modernism without ever loosing it's essential identity. Ligeti is a composer who knows who to control his style, not let his style control him. And his life is as compelling reading as any composer in recent history.

Toop based his book on extensive interviews with Ligeti himself. As Toop admitted, the composer was fairly open about his early years and the chapters on life under first National Socialism and then Communism are harrowing...really compelling reading. WWII is widely believed to have had a fairly strong effect on the post war serialists, but none more than Ligeti, both as a jew and then as an avant-garde composer in communist Hungary. This horrific early life can be heard reflected in the composer's works particularly in the Requiem...and in his distrust of ideology, whether political of musical.

The Toop book is a good introduction to the life of Ligeti the man and a decent descriptive survey of his music, but to me it falls behind on two points...one is not the fault of the author but the other I believe is. The author states in his introduction that Ligeti essentially clammed up in interviews about the composer's later life. Toop didn't pry, so the vivid portrait that we get of Ligeti's early years...up till about the 60s, drys up later in the book. Except for a few tantalizing hints of a personal life, you see nothing of Ligeti the person. This would bother me less if it weren't for the other larger flaw. The author is quite descriptive in his writings about Ligeti's music, but not really meaty. The musical portions of the book read like program notes, not real analysis. In fact, there is not a single musical example in the book. I don't think this is a problem for the general reader. If you just want to know more about Ligeti and a quick introduction to his complete works, this book is fine, in fact, it is probably perfect. But for the serious student who wants to understand Ligeti's style, this is a bit of a disappointment.

All in all, this is a good book as a layman's introduction to the composer. It is better than all current competition. But there is a new Ligeti book in the works which looks more scholarly. I will eager await that one as a supplement to this.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "the least messianic of the post-war avant-garde...", November 5, 2001

By 

R. Hutchinson "autonomeus" (a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gyorgy Ligeti (20th Century Composers) (Paperback)

"...he distrusts all systems and ideologies." So says Toop of Ligeti, and at this point it seems that Ligeti is likely to be seen retrospectively as the greatest composer of the so-called "Darmstadt Circle" that included Boulez, Stockhausen, Xenakis, Nono and others. This is an excellent book on Ligeti's music -- don't expect much on his personal life, and you won't be disappointed, although there is some on his days in Hungary and early days in Germany following the October 1956 revolution, and Ligeti's flight with girlfriend and baby boy from Budapest to Vienna. The graphic design is excellent, and the thick art-quality pages facilitate loads of great photos.

Ligeti's participation in the revolutionary fervor of the avant-garde of the late 40s and early 50s, his breakthrough to micropolyphony of the late 50s and 60s ("Apparitions," "Atmospheres," "Lux Aeterna," "Aventures," and other compositions, several made famous by their use on the film "2001"), and his later turn to a postmodern incorporation of classical elements as well as non-Western musics, are all covered thoroughly by Toop. Ligeti is one of the most creative composers of the late 20th century, and one of the wittiest. Like Beckett, his work is somehow simultaneously bleak and hilarious. Toop has written a great introduction.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars gripping, March 30, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Gyorgy Ligeti (20th Century Composers) (Paperback)

For a good while this book is very difficult to put down. It sags a bit toward the middle, then picks up again. Sounds as if I'm describing a novel, I know, but much of this book does seem like one. On the other hand, I appreciate the author's deep professional knowledge of music and his telling descriptions of Ligeti's music. Ligeti lovers will also want to read GYORGY LIGETI IN CONVERSATION.