“What does Ligeti mean to me?” asks Kurtág. “The sense that there is something higher, something more perfect than I can even imagine, that there are connections in art, science, and the universe that he can account for, and here the sentence breaks off.” If the works are truly capable of interacting with each other, if this dialogue can faithfully reflect the private conversation between the two composers, then the programme compiled from the compositions of György Kurtág and György Ligeti can give us a taste of how Ligeti guided Kurtág throughout his life, or, as Kurtág put it, how “I followed him, sometimes directly, sometimes with a delay of a few years or even decades. Yet – I call this my ‘Imitatio Christi’ syndrome – the early years of our friendship were not characterised solely by his intellectual guidance. Without directly influencing me, his example shaped my tastes and even the direction of my private life.” The concert will feature solo string works, songs, piano pieces, and a trio from each composer, all key works in the Kurtág and Ligeti oeuvre.

For the full festival programme and ticket purchases, visit: 100.kurtag.hu