Composer

:

György Kurtág

Genre

:

Chamber

Compose Date

:

1991

Average_duration

:

0:32

'Négy összefonódó test - Gerlóczy Sári kiállítására' is a chamber music piece composed by György Kurtág in 1995. The piece was premiered on October 22, 1995, at the Hungarian National Gallery in Budapest, as part of an exhibition of paintings by Gerlóczy Sári. The piece consists of four movements, each named after one of Sári's paintings: "A kis király" ("The Little King"), "A kis királynő" ("The Little Queen"), "A nagy király" ("The Great King"), and "A nagy királynő" ("The Great Queen"). Each movement is scored for a different combination of instruments: the first for violin and cimbalom, the second for viola and cimbalom, the third for cello and cimbalom, and the fourth for clarinet and cimbalom. Kurtág's music is characterized by its brevity, intensity, and economy of means. Each movement of 'Négy összefonódó test' is only a few minutes long, but packed with musical ideas and gestures. The cimbalom, a Hungarian folk instrument, is used in a variety of ways, from delicate arpeggios to percussive accents. The string instruments and clarinet are often used in unconventional ways, such as playing harmonics or producing multiphonics. The title of the piece, 'Négy összefonódó test', can be translated as "four intertwined bodies". This suggests a sense of unity and interdependence between the different instruments, as well as a connection to Sári's paintings, which often depict human figures in various states of entanglement. The music reflects this theme through its intricate counterpoint and overlapping rhythms, as well as its use of shared motifs and textures across the different movements. Overall, 'Négy összefonódó test - Gerlóczy Sári kiállítására' is a striking example of Kurtág's unique musical voice, as well as a testament to his ongoing engagement with the visual arts.

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