György Ligeti: Portrait (1993) part 1/7

A documentary film directed by Michel Follin about great atheist composer György Ligeti.

(Uploaded with pure educational means)

"Hungarian-Jewish origin, Ligeti made his career in Hungary until 1956, when he escaped to Vienna, there to be influenced by contact with more experimental Western techniques of composition, notably with work at the electronic studios in Cologne. His music now achieved a wider international reputation, incorporating contemporary techniques and experiment in a musical idiom that has proved both influential and palatable.
Opera
Ligetis 1977 opera Le grand macabre, set in a land derived from the paintings of Breughel, is an allusive work, drawing on a variety of sources, from Monteverdi to Beethoven and opening with a motor-horn prelude
Orchestral Music
It was with compositions such as Apparitions in 1959 and Atmosphres in 1961, the latter a 48-part mirror canon, that Ligeti began to win a wider reputation. Other orchestral works that aroused interest included a Chamber Concerto for thirteen instruments, the Cello Concerto and the Concerto for flute, oboe and strings. Lontano, written in 1967, has a place in contemporary repertoire, with Ramifications, for twelve strings and San Francisco Polyphony. He also wrote concertos for piano, for violin and for French horn.
Chamber Music
In the second of his string quartets, Ligeti made a strong impression, while his Ten Pieces for wind quintet allow a degree of individual virtuosity to the players.
Keyboard Music
Ligetis piano Etudes increased in number over the years, a product, he modestly explained, of the inadequacy of his own piano technique, works that he described as neither avant-garde nor traditional, drawing allusively on a wide variety of sources. Some of the Etudes make extreme technical demands on the performer.
Vocal Music
Aventures in 1962 and Nouvelles Aventures four years later, for three voices and a small ensemble, are examples of Ligetis blend of humour and seriousness. His Requiem, completed in 1965, makes considerable use of counterpoint and is a moving and colourful work. It was followed by Lux aeterna, a setting of the last part of the Requiem Mass, for sixteen solo voices, in which he again makes considerable use of the technique of canon. His Nonsense Madrigals include settings of words from Lewis Carroll."

(Keith Anderson)

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• documentary
• biography
• composer
• music
• european
• classical
• opera
• atheist
• chamber music
• orchestral
• kubrick
• austria
• hungary
• france
• michel follin
• art
• films
• visionary
• gyorgy
• ligeti
• György
• potrait
• electronic
• harpsichord
• organ
• piano
• sonata
• film
• atheism
• musician
• the shining
• 2001
• score
• soundtrack

[amatorynumber]

bad translation

[tofuCKYOU]

@amatorynumber

Well, I'm afraid that's the only i could find... And since my french isn't good enough to do it myself, people that doesn't find it satisfactory will have to put up with it. But i'd say it's better than nothing and also would thank whoever went through the hassle of translating it so we grateful people could enjoy this extraordinary documentary about greatest Ligeti.

Shame you won't show the same gratitude and just enjoy this film! Or would you care to contribute subs yourself?

[LutenistDeMari]

@LutenistDeMari

in the last few seconds when he's talking about those voices he doesnt describe them as an electric sensation but as.. he says "ca donne... c'est comme une current continue" which translates as "that gives... it's like a continuous current (flow)" which isnt reealllyy the same as an electric sensation i suppose?

Thanks to my friend for these notes!

[LutenistDeMari]

First of all, thanks indeed for posting this amazing video.

Here are some minor corrections to your translation:

He mentions wolves, not foxes.

Second error, when he talks about his house he says it HASN'T changed.

Third.. when he's talking about his childhood and saying that he drew and read from 3 years old he also says 'i was very introverted'

[MrPaevo]

@tofuCKYOU Prickly you...

[camusandinternet]

I must thank you for uploading this. I recall finding this on YT a few years ago, without subtitles, so it thrills me to find them in place here. I do not know a word of French, so I don't know what I am missing. I felt very frustrated by the absence of sound in the second part, however.

[Jshaw1ful]

@amatorynumber Learn to speak french then?

[jdbrown371]

What is that beautiful music at 7:38?

[IAMLISZT]

@kiracore84 seriously....

[kiracore84]

great video, thanks for sharing. the english translation is actually quite bad, I'm glad I understand french!