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Gy枚rgy Kurt谩g: Brevity, intensity and the past

Kate Molleson and Gillian Moore shine new light on the 'modern' music of the 20th century. This week, Kate explores the intense, shadow-forms created in the music of Gy枚rgy Kurt谩g.

Kate Molleson and Gillian Moore present 麻豆社 Radio 3's series exploring the pivotal 'modern' musical works of the 20th century, the groundbreaking composers who created them, and the radical cultural and artistic movements which gave rise to them. In this episode, Kate explores the intense, short-form musical shadows created by Gy枚rgy Kurt谩g, leading to full performance of his setting of Samuel Beckett鈥檚 What is the Word 鈥� a work in which language itself is broken down into tiny parts. On the way, we鈥檒l find out what B茅la Bart贸k referred to as his 鈥渕other tongue鈥�, explore the tragedy inherent in the works of L谩szl贸 Vidovszky, and discover a Hungarian visual artist whose paintings often feature tombstone motifs, a mirroring of the frequent musical memorials Kurt谩g himself makes for lost friends and colleagues.

Produced by Sam Phillips
A Reduced Listening production for 麻豆社 Radio 3

To listen on most smart speakers just say, 鈥渁sk 麻豆社 Sounds to play 20th Century Radicals鈥�

59 minutes

Last on

Sun 5 Oct 2025 21:00
麻豆社 Radio 3

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Luigi Nono: Revolutionary song, and the retreat into sound

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Gy枚rgy Ligeti: Complexity, alienation, horror

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Music Played

  • Gy枚rgy Kurt谩g

    12 Microludes for string quartet, Op.13 "Hommage a Andras Mihaly" - V.

    Performer: Casals Quartet.
    • Metamorphosis.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Depeche Mode

    Enjoy the Silence

    • Enjoy the Silence.
    • Mute.

  • Gy枚rgy Kurt谩g

    Stele, Op. 33 - I.

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker.
    • Stockhausen: Gruppen, etc..
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • B茅la Bart贸k

    Cantata profana, Sz.94 - I.

    Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Pierre Boulez. Choir: Chicago Symphony Chorus.
    • Cantata Profana Sz 94 / The Wooden Prince Sz 60 (Op. 13).
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Gy枚rgy Kurt谩g

    Flowers we are, mere flowers

    Performer: Pierre鈥怢aurent Aimard.
    • Kurt谩g: J谩t茅kok.
    • PENTATONE.

  • Gy枚rgy Kurt谩g

    Quartetto per archi, Op.1 - VI Adagio

    Ensemble: Keller Quartet.
    • Kurtag - Musik fur Streichinstrumente.
    • ECM.

  • Anton Webern

    Concerto for 9 Instruments, Op. 24

    Performer: David Fedele. Performer: Stephen Taylor. Performer: Charles Neidich. Performer: Chris Gekker. Performer: William Purvis. Performer: Jim Pugh. Performer: Stephen Gosling. Performer: Richard O'Neill. Performer: Sunghae Anna Lim.
    • Webern: Symphony, Six Pieces, Concerto for 9 Instruments.
    • NAXOS.

  • L谩szl贸 Vidovszky

    12 duos - no 11

    Performer: Zolt谩n G谩l. Performer: Andr谩s Keller.
    • L谩szl贸 Vidovszky: Zw枚lf Streichquartette - Twelve duos.
    • BMC.

  • Gy枚rgy Kurt谩g

    Hommage a Vidovszky

    Performer: Pierre鈥怢aurent Aimard.
    • Kurt谩g: J谩t茅kok.
    • PENTATONE.

  • Myriam Marbe

    Ritual for the thirst of the earth

    Choir: Corul Madrigal. Conductor: Marin Constantin.
    • Marbe: Ritual, Serenata, Trommelbass & Requiem.

  • B茅la Bart贸k

    Violin Concerto no 2 - II.

    Performer: Christian Tetzlaff. Orchestra: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.
    • Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 (C. Tetzlaff, Finnish Radio Symphony, Lintu).
    • Ondine.

  • Gy枚rgy Kurt谩g

    What is the Word, Op.30b

    Singer: Gerrie de Vries. Ensemble: Asko|Sch枚nberg. Conductor: Reinbert de Leeuw.
    • Kurt谩g: Complete Works for Ensemble and Choir.
    • ECM.

  • Scott Fields Ensemble

    Ghost Trio

    Ensemble: Scott Fields Ensemble.
    • Scott Fields: Samuel.
    • New World Records.

Broadcast

  • Sun 5 Oct 2025 21:00
    麻豆社 Radio 3