BACKSTAGE WITH…
Your upcoming concert in Perth focuses on Ligeti’s Etudes. What draws you to him as a composer?
Ligeti’s music isn’t just part of the western tradition but is influenced by the sounds of East Asia, African tribal music, jazz and salsa – every corner of the world, in fact. The Etudes are right on the edge of what might be considered to be humanly possible: there’s an uncoupling required in the music between each hand because left and right hands have to concern themselves with very different material. But there’s great humanity in these studies, so I never want them to be seen as just a technical spectacle.
Why have you interspersed the Etudes with a Bach Partita?
I’ve combined the Etudes with Debussy’s Images before, and the juxtaposition not only yields its own interesting artistic comparison, but also acts as a bit of relief, sharpening the image of the Etudes. Ligeti and Bach were obviously worlds apart, yet they had something in common – they were both mathematicians. Their soundworlds move a little closer when played alongside one another.
What have you planned for the Ligeti series at Wigmore Hall?
There will be three concerts focusing on his instrumental and chamber music. The Etudes will play a big part, but we’ll also maybe feature some related music from other periods. Very few composers today could escape the influence of Ligeti.