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György Ligeti

Masterpieces from the 20th century

in season 23-24

In the 20th century, an enormous amount of beautiful, compelling and exciting music was written. Composers turned out to be true pioneers and embarked on uncharted paths. The possibilities of the tonal system proved to be limited and all kinds of new systems emerged.

This versatility is reflected in our new season. It’s our pleasure to present to you some of the iconic works that have been instrumental in shaping the musical developments of the past century. You can hear them in our Grote Zaal during the 2023-2024 season.

Simeon ten Holt - Canto Ostinato

Canto Ostinato by Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt is deemed the most popular Dutch work in minimal music. April 11 in the Muziekgebouw.
Articles

Charles Ives - Concord Sonata

For his monumental sonata, Ives drew on the ideas of four writers who lived in Concord, Massachusetts.

George Enescu – Octet op. 7

Enescu struggled to compose this work. ‘An engineer launching his first suspension bridge over a river, could not feel more anxiety than I felt’.

Frank Martin - Mass for double choir

One of the most beautiful mass compositions of the last century. It was not until 1963 that Martin finally dared to share the score, and that was the start of an international tour de force.

György Ligeti - Kammerkonzert

Ligeti developed a completely unique style, which he called micropolyphony. He also used this technique in his Kammerkonzert for 13 equal soloists.

Olivier Messiaen - Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus

In his composing, Messiaen considered freedom crucial. He let himself be guided by Catholic faith, his love of nature, and his awe of the cosmos.