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Lukas Ligeti Interview
Posted on Thursday, August 09, 2007. © Copyright 2004-2008 David Bruce
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C:T talks to Composer-percussionist Lukas Ligeti, who is developing a style of music uniquely his own, drawing upon Downtown New York experimentalism, contemporary classical music, jazz, electronica, as well as world music, particularly from Africa.
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Lukas Ligeti
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You were a late starter in composing - did having a famous composer father [Gyorgy Ligeti] mean you steered clear of the subject?
Yes, probably. But on the other hand, had my father not been a composer, would I ever have had the idea that composing could be a profession in the first place? Hard to say. When I was a child, my father often told me he thought I was musically talented, but my parents didn't force me into music in any way, and I didn't really want to learn music. I had a few piano lessons at about 9 years old, but quit after 3 months or so. In high school, I was into math and science. But when I was done with high school and had to think about what to do with my life, I had to admit to myself that I was always hearing music in my head.
What drives your work, what are you passions?
I spend lots of time thinking about music, and certain questions arise. Aesthetic questions, questions about history, of cultural identity, of perception. I imagine sounds, melodies, rhythmic relationships, and these fantasies raise questions. And I feel compelled to do something with these thoughts, to structure them somehow and meld them into pieces, and answer some of my questions, which in turn generates new questions.
Which non-musical influences have affected your music most?
Since childhood, I've traveled a lot. I went to international schools and my friends came from all over the world. I don't feel rooted in any one particular culture; I feel rooted in interculturalism. Also, other art forms - especially architecture and visual art, also literature - influence me, as does science, particularly experimental mathematics, physics, astronomy, and computer science. Sociology and politics affect my thoughts, too.
What do you see as the role (intended and actual) of new music in the modern world?
I create music independently of its social role - to me, music exists, first and foremost, for its own sake, and I am not a populist. However, communication and exchange with other human beings is very important to me. I want my music to give people food for thought, to make them think differently and outside of the box. While musical languages are by necessity abstract, I do think that music can be "understood". Giving listeners structures they can understand, each in their own individual way, leading them to new, creative thoughts, is an interesting challenge. I'm not sure that the status quo, of seeing every piece of music as an isolated phenomenon with a grammar all its own, necessarily contributes to the social significance some composers would like to new music to attain. I work a lot on collaborations with musicians in Africa and the way music is always connected to other art forms or social functions in Africa is an interesting model for comparison with new music's role in the West. From which numerous conclusions can be drawn.
Who or what has inspired you the most?
Hard to say - there are so many things, and so many people. My parents, my friends. Girlfriends. Cats. Musician colleagues. I have never been good with "thank you" notices, as so many experiences and emotions come into the mix. My exposure to many different cultures, from childhood on, has played a significant role.
Interview by David Bruce © Copyright 2004-2008
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