- Born
- Died
- Birth nameGyorgy Sandor Ligeti
- 1941-43 he began his study of composition under Ferenc Farkas; 1945-49 he continued at the Budapest Music Academy under the same teacher and Sándor Veress. 1950-56 he was lecturer in Harmony and Counterpoint at the Academy at Budapest. Left Hungary toward the end of 1956. 1957-59 freelance work at the Studio for electronic music of the West German Radio (WDR) in Cologne. Since 1959, residence in Vienna, becoming an Austrian Citizen in 1967. In the 60s he was an annual lecturer at the Darmstadt Music Courses and also visiting professor at the Stockholm Music Academy. 1969-70 fellow of the German academic exchange organization in Berlin; 1972 Composer in residence at Stanford University, California. Since 1973 professor of Composition at the Hamburg Music Academy.
- IMDb mini biography by: <mb@zeus.gmd.de>
- SpouseVera Spitz(1957 - June 11, 2006) (his death, 1 child)
- ChildrenLukas Ligeti
- Sound-cluster-based atonal music
- Won a lawsuit against filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, who used three pieces of his music in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) without permission or copyrights. Ligeti requested damages in the amount of only one dollar, stating that it was not the money but the principle of the matter that bothered him.
- He composed a piece for one hundred metronomes.
- He spoke at least six languages, including his native Hungarian, German, French, and English.
- Renown contemporary music conductor premiered and recorded several of Ligeti's orchestral works, including "Atmosphères" and "Lontano," which were heard in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and The Shining (1980).
- Awarded the Frankfurt Music Prize in 2005.
- "My life in the Nazi era and under communist rule was full of risks, and I believe I still reflect this feeling." - from an Austria Press Agency interview.
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