Metaphor, Narrative and Musical Analysis: György Ligeti's Compositions from 'Atmosphéres' to His Second String Quartet

Abstract

This study shows that understanding (appreciating) music can be enriched by formal analysis, as well as hermeneutical insight and experience. The motivation for such a study is derived from this author's experience as a former freelance professional musician and long-term music educator with an interest in research. The connections between analysis and hermeneutical insight have been so valuable over the years in exploring a multitude of traditions east and west, orchestral repertoires as a violist, medieval repertoires, and as an observer through rock and jazz. Whilst the main focus has been on education and viola playing, other experiences such as singing Gregorian chant and Ockeghem, playing sitar whilst working in India, teaching Javanese gamelan in the Netherlands, learning erhu and djembe have all been so enriching as experiences. Teaching year 12 students in Australia and some tertiary students in Indonesia were valuable in broadening this author's views on jazz and rock, traditional music and, interestingly, how non-western students perceive and relate to western musical traditions. This perspective has been emphasized by teaching in international schools in India, Indonesia, Singapore and the Netherlands, as well as 20 years of prior teaching in Australia. ... This study will examine the relationship between formalism and hermeneutics, using Ligeti's compositions from 'Atmosphéres' (1961) to the Second String Quartet (1968) as a case study. Each chapter heading will include the word 'balance', as balancing analysis with the personal and perceptual is the central theme of this study. Importantly, this study closely references Ligeti's analytical and personal statements bout his own music to better understand this balance.