A Stunning Revelation--The Harpsichord Continued
Recently got a recording of György Ligeti's Mechanical Music that has a surprising little piece for harpsichord called Continuum. It is vaguely reminiscent of Phillip Glass and Steve Reich and other minimalists, but all its own wonderful compostion. I am not a fan of modern music, but as soon as I say something like that, someone like Ligeti comes along and smacks me between the eyes. I don't think I've heard a single piece of music by him the I have disliked--some I find transcendant and beautiful beyond words (for example the pieces used in association with the Monolith in 2001) and some I find intriguing and fun. If you have a chance, you may want to give him a listen. He isn't everyone's cup of tea, as there is a certain discordant if not dissonant aspect to his compositions--but they are quite beautiful. Still aquiring the taste for his contemporary near compatriot Penderecki and as for Karlheinz Stockhausen--well, the less said, the better--particularly after his comments on 9/11.
