Fascinating Post on Ligeti by Eric Wahlfoss of SoundCloud

Ligeti’s maximal minimalism - Visuals by Kubrick - Eric Wahlfoss

Minimal

Musica Ricercata - “The first uses almost exclusively just one pitch class, A, heard in multiple octaves. Only at the very end of the piece is a second note, D, heard.”

Maximal

Atmosphères - “It opens with what must be one of the largest cluster chords ever written - every note in the chromatic scale over a range of five octaves is played at once. Out of the fifty-six string players ushering in the first chord, not one plays the same note.”

Fluxus

Poème Symphonique - “Each of the hundred metronomes is set up on the performance platform, and they are all then wound to their maximum extent and set to different speeds. Once they are all fully wound they are all started as simultaneously as possible. The performers then leave.”

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