György Ligeti

Musica ricercata

for piano

Solo Work
Klavier

23:00

1

1951

1969-11-18

Sundsvall (S) · Liisa Pohjola, piano

I Sostenuto · Misurato · Prestissimo
II Mesto, rigido e ceremoniale
III Allegro con spirito
IV Tempo di valse (poco vivace · “à l’orgue de Barbarie”)
V Rubato. Lamentoso
VI Allegro molto capriccioso
VII Cantabile, molto legato
VIII Vivace. Energico
IX (Béla Bartók in memoriam) Adagio. Mesto · Allegro maestoso
X Vivace. Capriccioso
XI (Omaggio a Girolamo Frescobaldi) Andante misurato e tranquillo

The authorities allowed the Cello Sonata (first movement 1948, second movement 1953) to be recorded for public radio. It was broadcast once. It could not, however, be performed in concert because of its “formalistic” second movement. The eleven piano pieces Musica ricercata (1950–53) were banned as well. Later, when I was already living in the West, the Paris accordionist Max Bonnay transcribed some of these pieces for bayan (a type of Russian accordion).

© 2001–2003 Teldec Classics & 2004 Warner Classics, Warner Music UK Ltd | Translation: Louise Duchesneau