Quotes By Gyorgy Ligeti

There is a wonderful Hungarian literature, especially in lyric poetry.

But I do not want to use Hungarian verses for British people.

I only want to give a metaphysic for my music.

People often thought Leopold Auer was Russian because he lived in St. Petersburg so long, almost fifty years.

I know already the music I will write. But the words? I have not yet decided.

I write bars, for the musicians, because they have to be together.

In my piano concerto I developed this polyphony to much higher complexity.

My grandfather was not a musician but he was an artist - a painter, a decorative painter.

Then, after the war it was impossible to travel, after so many years of Hitler and Stalin.

Once, in London, the BBC asked me what was my favorite English book. I said Alice in Wonderland.

I don't read such boring things. Life is too short.

New York is the dream world, the center of jazz and rock.

I lived under the Nazis and under the Communists.

First of all I listen to music. I like music.

But if you go from Moscow to Budapest you think you are in Paris.

Perhaps the better word is emotional yes, I am an emotional man.

I like to stay home and listen to recordings.

I listen to all kinds of music - new music, old music, music of my colleagues, everything.

When I was younger I was completely without money - when I was studying in Budapest, when I was a refugee.

Stravinsky used Mother Goose. He was influenced by Mother Goose, indirectly, but very beautifully.

Steinberg is great. I should like to meet him.

If you come from Paris to Budapest you think you are in Moscow.

Yes, fractals are what I want to find in my music.

For the past ten years I have had no financial problems.

Gesualdo was very important to me, I wanted to do something which corresponded to him.

I don't use old music.