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A Ligeti Odyssey

György Ligeti Invention (1948) Six Bagatelles for wind quintet (1953) Volumina for organ (1961–62-66)
Lux aeterna (1966) Ten Pieces for wind quintet (1968)
Sonata for Solo Viola (1991–94) 3 Études pour piano (1985–2001)

Nobuko Imai, viola Fredrik Ullén, piano Hans-Ola Ericsson, organ Schola Heidelberg, choir Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet, wind ensemble

BIS-1503 TT: 81'25

A rich compilation, mainly of Ligeti's chamber music, with both sets smaller pieces for wind quintet and solos for piano, viola and organ and one work for 16 voice choir.

It is good to have all sixteen little wind pieces brought together, with their mordant wit and sometimes off-beat humour. The graphic score for organ is brought vividly to life, with two assistants to control the registrations.

The piano pieces make you want Fredrik Ullén's complete set [BIS CD-98365] : - - Ullén also has a recent Ph.D. in neuroscience, which he continues to research. This achievement makes the perfection of his playing even more monstrous! (Classical Net).

Ligeti is unique, his own man right through. He avoids the pitfalls of the '80s and moved "from fractured 'atonality' to rich lyrical modality" [Arnold Whittall, whose notes put the selection in perspective]. The recordings (1991-2004) are of BIS quality; enough said.

Recommended; it'll make you want to explore György Ligeti more thoroughly.

Peter Grahame Woolf