Three Bagatelles (Ligeti)

2 Analysis
The three bagatelles should take around a minute to perform and should not be performed by heart, as a copy of
the score is necessary for it to be performed. The movement list is as follows:[3]
1. = 4048
2. L'istesso tempo
3. Pi lento
The composition consists exclusively of one long C1
whole note played in the rst movement.[4] Following
that, the movement changes are marked by the turning
of each page (one page is left blank between the rst
bagatelle and the second bagatelle). The piece ends when
the pianist stands up and bows towards the audience. It
has a certain humorous purpose. The second tacet movement is marked Molto espressivo. Moreover, the score
also includes a fourth bagatelle as an encore of the piece
to be performed if the pianist wishes, which is marked
Tempo primo and only includes a sixteenth rest.[3]

3 Reception
Gyrgy Ligeti

This composition was poorly received by the public. In

a public performance of the piece by Karl-Erin Welin in
Stockholm, the audience was very disappointed, as they
Three Bagatelles, for David Tudor, better known by its were expecting something dierent. Ligeti, who was not
original French title Trois bagatelles, is a 1961 solo piano present, stated that he was very satised with the reaction.
composition by Austrian composer Gyrgy Ligeti. The John Cage, to whom the work is very related because of 4'
33'', is said to have been deeply oended by this friendly
composition is well known for its tacet movements.
jibe.[5]

4 See also
1

List of compositions by Gyrgy Ligeti

Composition

List of solo piano compositions by Gyrgy Ligeti

List of silent musical compositions

Ligeti nished the bagatelles in 1961, as part of his collaboration with neo-dadaist group Fluxus.[1] The original manuscript is kept in Basel, in the Sacher Stiftung,
as part of the Nordwall Collection, and is indeed dedicated to David Tudor. The piece was rst performed in
Wiesbaden by Karl-Erik Welin and was published in 1965
in New York City by Schott Music.[2]

5 References
[1] Melia, Nicholas (December 2011).
Stille Musik
Wandelweiser and the Voices of Ontological Si-

lence. Contemporary Music Review. 30 (6): 471495.

doi:10.1080/07494467.2011.676897. Retrieved 1 March
2014.
[2] Three Bagatelles composer: Gyrgy Ligeti. Schott Music. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
[3] Ligeti, Gyrgy (1965). Three Bagatelles. New York:
Schott Music. ISMN 979-0-001-11903-0.
[4] Kania, Andrew (November 2010). Silent Music. The
Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism. 68 (4): 343
353. doi:10.1111/j.1540-6245.2010.01429.x. Retrieved
1 March 2014.
[5] Nordwall, Ove (1995). Gyrgy Ligeti The Complete Piano Music Fredrik Ulln, piano (liner notes). kersberga: BIS Records (published 2006). p. 6. BIS-CD1683/84.

External links
A preview of the score
A performance of the composition in Valencia,
Spain

EXTERNAL LINKS

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

7.1

Text

Three Bagatelles (Ligeti) Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Bagatelles_(Ligeti)?oldid=752386143 Contributors: JackofOz,

BD2412, Nikkimaria, Hmains, Ron Oliver, Cydebot, Magioladitis, Jerome Kohl, Carriearchdale, AnomieBOT, LittleWink, Jonesey95,
Gerda Arendt, Deskford, Jfmantis, Toccata quarta, EagerToddler39, Bender the Bot and Anonymous: 2

7.2

Images

File:Gyrgy_Ligeti_(1984).jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Gy%C3%B6rgy_Ligeti_%281984%

29.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 nl Contributors: Nationaal Archief Original artist: Marcel Antonisse / Anefo
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7.3

Content license

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