Many of Ligeti's early choral works were folk song arrangements, partly due to commissions from Hungarian radio and the Béla Bartók Association, which promoted such music for popular education.
Historical Context
From 1948 onwards, the Soviet occupation of Hungary led to censorship of new music, with works deemed 'bourgeois' or 'decadent' forbidden, forcing Ligeti to 'hide' behind classical Hungarian texts and folk song arrangements.
Composer Biography
Ligeti's practical experience singing in various choirs, including a professional chamber choir in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, directly informed his compositional approach.
Recording & Production
This album marks Yuval Weinberg's first recording as chief conductor of the SWR Vokalensemble, featuring the complete a cappella choral works of György Ligeti.
Historical Context
After World War II, a younger generation of Hungarian composers, including Ligeti, sought to move away from the strict atonality of the Viennese School towards simpler, more accessible music, much like Bartók had done in his later works.
Composer Biography
Ligeti, like many composers of his generation, was greatly influenced by Béla Bartók, describing a 'new Hungarian school' built upon Bartók's nationalistic approach to music.
Composer's Artistic Vision
György Ligeti, the composer, stated that he always thought in 'sensorial instrumental or vocal parts' rather than abstract concepts, adapting his approach based on whether he was writing for soloists, choir with instruments, or a cappella choir.
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