THE WORLD OF
GYöRGY LIGETI
March 17-18, 2017

Noe Valley Ministry
1021 Sanchez St. (at 23rd)
San Francisco

A thrilling sonic exploration into the eclectic music and influences of the brilliant Hungarian composer whose revolutionary works became famous through the films of Stanley Kubrick. Audiences encountered Transylvanian folk music, absurdist theater, an audience-participatory piece, mesmerizing choral works, a world premiere, and some of Ligeti’s most stunning compositions, including his dazzling piano études. Three programs and a talk featured over 30 world class artists from the Bay Area and around the world.

Musical tradition is a game that stretches over centuries. Every composer changes the rules of the game somewhat. . . . One begins to see connections which had been hidden.

—György Ligeti

"...transcendent"
"a rich inaugural season"
—San Francisco Classical Voice

2017 Videos from the Festival

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2017 Photo Gallery

2017 Programs

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7:30pm, Friday March 17
Program One: Hungarian Roots

György Ligeti: Musica ricercata for solo piano
Transylvanian folk music
Béla Bartók: String Quartet No. 2, Sz. 67
Ligeti: Cello Sonata
Sierra: Songs from the Diaspora for soprano, piano, and string quartet

3pm, Saturday March 18
Meet the Composer

Preconcert talk by Francesco Spagnolo and interview with
Bard Music West's first composer in residence, Luna Pearl Woolf

4pm, Saturday March 18
Modern Times: Dreams of the Absurd

Schumann: Märchenerzählungen (Fairy tales) for clarinet, viola, and piano
Ligeti: Mysteries of the Macabre—Three arias from Le grande macabre
Ligeti: Continuum for solo harpsichord
Beckett: Act Without Words I (world-premiere by Woolf for solo clarinet)
Ligeti: Études for Piano (selections)

8pm, Saturday March 18
Musical Eternity

Ockeghem: Marian Motets for a cappella chorus
György Ligeti: Sonata for Viola
Ligeti: Poéme Symphonique, adapted for mobile phone metronomes
Lukas Ligeti: Excerpts from Time for violin and piano
Riley: Keyboard Study No. 2 for solo piano
György Ligeti: Lux aeterna for a cappella chorus