Magány
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Magány, sometimes translated into English as Solitude{{cite book|last=Ligeti|first=György|title=Mágany / Einsamkeit / Solitude|date=1946|publisher=Schott Music|location=Mainz|url=http://www.notafina.de/noten/Magany/11704|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140225234848/http://www.notafina.de/noten/Magany/11704|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-02-25}} or Loneliness, is an early vocal composition by Hungarian composer György Ligeti to a text by Sándor Weöres.[https://de.karstenwitt.com/werk/mag%C3%A1ny "György Ligeti: Magány"], de.karstenwitt.com (in German) It was finished in 1946 and, as most of Ligeti's early compositions, has followed the musical style of Béla Bartók.{{cite book|last=Toop|first=Richard|author-link=Richard Toop|title=György Ligeti|date=1999|publisher=Phaidon Press|location=London|isbn=0-7148-3795-4|edition=1st}}
Composition
Ligeti wrote this composition when he was still a student in the Franz Liszt Academy, in November 1946.{{cite book|last=Steinitz|first=Richard|title=György Ligeti: Music of the Imagination|date=2003|publisher=Faber and Faber|location=London|isbn=0-571-17631-3}} Due to its shortness, it has never received a formal premiere, but it was rather broadcast in the Hungarian Radio and was performed together with other vocal pieces. However, it has been published by both {{ill|Editio Musica Budapest|hu|Editio Musica Budapest Zeneműkiadó}}{{cite web|title=Magány (Solitude) based on a text by Sándor Weöres for three voiced mixed choir a capella (Hung.; engl.: Desmond Clayton)|url=http://www.gyorgy-ligeti.com/home.php?page=repertoire,9,1,00,46,00,00,2,47&work_ids=0&work=1|access-date=25 February 2014|archive-date=28 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140428160730/http://www.gyorgy-ligeti.com/home.php?page=repertoire,9,1,00,46,00,00,2,47&work_ids=0&work=1|url-status=dead}} and Schott Music{{cite web|title=Magány composer: György Ligeti author of original text: Sándor Weoeres English version: Desmond Clayton German edition: Hilger Schallehn|url=http://www.schott-music.com/shop/Sheet_Music/show,91325.html|publisher=Schott Music|access-date=25 February 2014}} and has been recorded by some relevant choirs, such as the London Sinfonietta Voices.{{AllMusic|class=album|title=Artemis Quartett / Guy Reibel: Ligeti: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2; Lux Aeterna; Ramifications|id=release/ligeti-string-quartets-nos-1-amp-2-lux-aeterna-ramifications-mr0002990933}}{{AllMusic|class=album|title=London Sinfonietta Voices – Ligeti: A Cappella Choral Works|id=release/ligeti-a-cappella-choral-works-mr0002103557}}
Analysis
Magany takes approximately two and a half minutes to perform. It consists of only one movement, even though double bars and different tempos are used. The text, as many of Ligeti's early vocal compositions, is extracted from a work by Hungarian poet Sándor Weöres, but has also been officially translated into English by Desmond Clayton. This was the first time Ligeti took a text from Weöres.
This three-part composition is scored for mixed choir, which should consist of sopranos, altos and baritones. The score is marked Molto moderato, poco rubato at the beginning, and starts with a gloomy tune, which is followed by a joyful and fast second segment, which is marked Più mosso, non rubato and Subito: ancora più mosso, con slancio later on. The final segment, marked Subito: Quasi Tempo I comes back to the general mood of the first segment. All segment are separated by double bars.
References
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External links
- [https://archive.today/20140225234848/http://www.notafina.de/noten/Magany/11704 A preview of the score]
- {{YouTube|2fdnAB6RD0s|Animated score with text in Hungarian, German, English}}, London Sinfonietta Voices
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Category:Compositions by György Ligeti
Category:Contemporary classical compositions
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