In the (admittedly rather small) classical music world, 2013 is a big deal, anniversary-wise: last Wednesday was Richard Wagner’s 200th birthday, tomorrow is the centennial of the premiere of the Rite of Spring, October sees Verdi’s 200th birthday, Britten’s 100th falls on November 22nd, and – of course – Witold Lutoslawski kicked things off in January with his 100th. Today, though, is something of a primer for what should be a very exciting centennial in 2023: today would have been Gyorgy Ligeti’s 90th birthday. Ligeti, who died in 2006 at 83, is probably best known through his contributions to the movies of Stanley Kubrick (who borrowed some Ligeti recordings without asking for 2001: A Space Odyssey, and, after being sued by the composer, subsequently used Ligeti’s music more amicably – and legally – on other films including The Shining and Eyes Wide Shut). And, if film was your introduction to Ligeti’s sound world, that’s wonderful – but there’s plenty of great stuff of his that hasn’t made it to the silver screen (yet). I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the Hamburg Concerto, Ligeti’s last major work and one that shows a composer about to enter his ninth decade ever pushing the envelope. You can get a bit of an introduction and feel for the piece here. Of course, there’s probably no greater work in Ligeti’s canon (at least as far as his orchestral music is concerned) than 1972’s Clocks and Clouds, and what would a 90th birthday be without a performance (or at least a hearing) of it?
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