György Ligeti
Kállai kettős (Ligeti)
Kállai kettős, also referred to in English as Double-Dance from Kálló, Kálló Two-Step, Two Folksongs, or its French form Kálló's pas de deux, is an early vocal composition by Hungarian composer
Composition#
Kállai kettős was written in 1950, when Ligeti was still living in Hungary. It was never given a formal premiere, though it was published by Schott Music in 1952. It was written during a repressive Stalinist era in Hungary, and Ligeti later commented on one of the early performances of the piece: Some of Ligeti’s other early vocal compositions are also based on Hungarian folksongs, such as Bujdosó and Mátraszentimrei dalok. He was very interested in adapting and arranging Hungarian traditional music in his own style, as Béla Bartók had also been.
Analysis#
This two-movement composition, about three minutes long altogether, is an arrangement of two traditional dancing songs from the Kálló area in Hungary, scored for a mixed choir of sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses. Ligeti directs that there be no break between the movements, which are: * 1. Felülről fúj az őszi szél Andante * 2. Eb fél, kutya fél Allegro molto The text has been translated into English by Laurie Anne McGowan as an adaptation, that is, not for performance.
See also#
- List of compositions by György Ligeti
External links#
- A preview of the score
- Composer
- György Ligeti