taking sides: gyórgy ligeti vs steve reich

i swear that was an umlauted "o" i have been misrepresented

For listeninf pleasure it'd have to be Reich.

Ligetti's requiem (the thing in 2001 is the requiem isn't it) is great but I'm not sure I like his other stuff so much. I have a CD of his concertos which never grabbed me.

Reich on the other hand is the Steps of minimalism with his ear friendly stuff like Electric Counterpoint.

The Reich remix CD is very enjoyable too.

the reich remix cd is like being forced fed candyfloss!!! ligeti is THE MAN! grand macabre indeed -= one of the only living composers who can still get away with an opera! i used to love steve reich (and believe it or not - i still think "the cave" is great!) but the tunes are too easy to remember - i don't even need to play the records if i'm in the mood (glenn miller). whereas i can never remember the exact pattern of ligeti's nebulous squiggling so they remain fascinatingly alien for the time being. i think i even prefer scott joplin to reich these days

Steps good or Steps bad, tcs?

both much more interesting when they started: both do "accessible" fairly lamely => however my fave reich is TEHILLIM

Ligetti is the best.

As we all know, Ligetti's Requiem has been proved mathematically to the world's best album, and indeed the only one anyone needs to know.

It is excerpts from the Requiem but also Lux Aeterna and maybe even something else of Lig that is in 2001.

atmospheres

Don't forget that Pierre-Laurent Aimard disc of Etudes and Musica Ricercata--pretty vital, that.

I dunno, I like a lot of early Reich and don't imagine I'll ever stop responding to stuff like Music for 18 Musicians, but Ligeti offers music to chew on, you know? The fact that it isn't as immediately approachable while being just as intriguing indicates to me I'm probably going to be puzzling over and enjoying it for a long time to come.

i agree that you never rilly NEED reich once you get the trick, but it's so simple it always brings a smile. that said when i do play some to (usually delighted) others i get surprise just how well it works. there's always a different melody to follow

As much as I do love Reich's sampling and all, I agree with Bob Snoom on how I too can't completely remember a Ligeti passage--like hearing it new each time! I personally love Ligeti's organ stuff, as well as piano and Harpsichord stuff, but noting organly, the Two studies for Organ (esp. Harmonies) are completely astounding (Harmonies has this sound that carries me so sweet-sick, it's wonderful).