György Kurtág: Three Interviews and Ligeti Homages (Eastman Studies in Music) (Volume 67)

Gy�rgy Kurt�g (b. 1926) is widely regarded as one of the foremost composers in the second half of the twentieth century and the early twenty-first. Born in Romania, he received crucial training in Paris from Olivier Messiaen and Marianne Stein. He was also shaped by his broadening contact there with the music of Webern and such challenging literary works as the plays of Samuel Beckett. After many years in Hungary, teaching at the Budapest Academy of Music, Kurt�g settled near Bordeaux with his wife M�rta. The two regularly perform duo-recitals of his music. In 2006, his . . . concertante . . . (2003, for violin, viola and orchestra) won the coveted Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition. This unique set of interviews with Kurt�g, alone or with his wife, gives a fascinating insight into the composer's personality, which is marked by shyness but also an unquenchable thirst for impressions of every kind [artistic, natural and human]. The two speak with disarming openness about their lives -- the background against which masterpieces like Messages of the Late Miss R. V. Troussova (1976-80, for soprano and chamber orchestra) or Stele (1994, for orchestra) were written. The analysis of certain of Kurt�g's works, especially of . . . concertante . . ., shows the way that his mind works: no system, no dogma, no formulae -- rather, basic human emotions expressed through means that speak directly to the listener's innermost feelings. The Hungarian music publisher B�lint Andr�s Varga has spent nearly forty years working for and with composers. He has published several books, including extensive interviews with Lutoslawski, Berio, and Xenakis. Uniquely revealing interviews with one of the world's greatest living composers.György Kurtág (b. 1926) is widely regarded as one of the foremost composers in the second half of the twentieth century and the early twenty-first. Born in Romania, he received crucial training in Paris from Olivier Messiaen and Marianne Stein. He was also shaped by his broadening contact there with the music of Webern and such challenging literary works as the plays of Samuel Beckett. After many years in Hungary, teaching at the Budapest Academy of Music,Kurtág settled near Bordeaux with his wife Márta. The two regularly perform duo-recitals of his music. In 2006, his... concertante... (2003, for violin, viola and orchestra) won the coveted Grawemeyer Award for MusicComposition. This unique set of interviews with Kurtág, alone or with his wife, gives a fascinating insight into the composer's personality, which is marked by shyness but also an unquenchable thirst for impressions of every kind [artistic, natural and human]. The two speak with disarming openness about their lives -- the background against which masterpieces like Messages of the Late Miss R. V. Troussova (1976-80, for soprano and chamber orchestra) or Stele (1994, for orchestra) were written. The analysis of certain of Kurtág's works, especially of... concertante..., shows the way that his mind works: no system, no dogma, no formulae -- rather, basic human emotions expressed through means that speak directly to the listener's innermost feelings. The Hungarian music publisher Bálint András Varga has spent nearly forty years working for and with composers.He has published several books, including extensive interviews with Lutoslawski, Berio, and Xenakis. "This unique set of interviews with Kurtág, alone or with his wife, gives a fascinating insight into the composer's personality, which is marked by shyness but also an unquenchable thirst for impressions of every kind (artistic, natural and human). The two speak with disarming openness about their lives - the background against which masterpieces like Messages of the Late Miss R.V. Troussova (1976-80, for soprano and chamber orchestra) or Stele (1994, for orchestra) were written."--Jacket Contents 8 Preface 10 Note on Place Names 14 Introduction 16 1 Three Questions to György Kurtág (1982–1985) 19 2 The Three Questions Again (1996) 27 3 Key Words (2007–2008) 52 4 Mementos of a Friendship: György Kurtág on György Ligeti 104 5 A Brief Biography of György Kurtág 130 Personalia 132 List of Works 142 Discography 162 Notes 166 Bibliography 172 Index 176 György,Kurtág Three Questions To György Kurtág (1982-1985) -- The Three Questions Again (1996) -- Key Words (2007-2008) -- Mementos Of A Friendship : György Kurtág On György Ligeti -- A Brief Biography Of György Kurtág. Compiled And Edited By Bálint András Varga. Includes Bibliographical References, Works List, Discography And Index.