Published
Requiem
The work was first performed on 14 March 1965 in Stockholm, with the soloists Liliana Poli, Barbro Ericson and the Choir and Orchestra of Swedish Radio under Michael Gielen. During rehearsals, Ligeti was sent a telegram from the chorus master who entreated him to come at once to Stockholm as they were all “terrified” of the piece.
In Ligeti’s own words: “The Requiem is neither tonal nor atonal. The composition lies beyond and outside that historical opposition. One might say that this Requiem is an avant-garde reflection on the condition of music in the age of total chromaticism, while at the same time returning to the classical polyphony of the old masters.”
In general, the instruments are pushed outside their customary registers. Ligeti does this in order to achieve the greatest possible expressivity in the face of death.