Repertoire

Bartók's influence is very well suggested in this strong youthful work of 1953. Tightly woven imitations, chromatic harmonies and of course folk-like dance themes are all part of this one movement quartet subtitled Métamorphoses nocturnes. The modern writing contrasts strongly with the traditional form of variations adopted by Ligeti in this work. The whole quartet is based on two figures of ascending major seconds at an interval of a minor second. The material contrasts greatly throughout the different variations and uses among others, the classic forms of the scherzo, the waltz and the fugue.