Mûhelytanulmány

Work on the doctoral thesis (DLA) by Mariann Marczi discussing György Ligeti's piano etudes started in the spring of 2005 and ended in 2008. The central part of the thesis includes analyses of the three books of Ligeti's etudes, altogether 18 pieces. This number of the magazine features the chapter dealing with the ars poe­tica of Ligeti's etudes (the Hungarian translation of three Ligeti texts), and the chapter summing up the results of the analyses. The latter discusses the message of Ligeti's etudes, the influence of his childhood experiences on his compositional methods, and the importance of the sources of inspiration frequently mentioned by Ligeti himself. The author considered it important to highlight the following influences among the many: the works of Chopin, Schumann, Brahms, Liszt, De­bussy and the folk music of the Balkans, from the European tradition; Central African, Javan, Sumatran, Gamelan, Cuban and jazz music, from non-European musical traditions; Conlon Nancarrow's etudes for mechanical piano, from contemporary music literature; Maurits Escher's graphics, from fine arts; the structure of mathematical fractals from science; and the works of D. R. Hofstadter from philosophy. (Analyses of two etudes will appear in the next number of Magyar Zene.)

The Heavenly Length of Short Novels
Interpretative Possibilities of Intertextuality in Schumann’s Works
Yusuke Nakahara

The study deals with the interpretational possibility of some early piano works by Robert Schumann. His attitude both as critic and composer may allow us to use imagination on his work and therefore we can find „heavenly length” in his works as well as in the novels by Jean Paul. The study is primarily concerned with intertextuality, which Schumann often used, and tries to analyze the strategy of its usage. It is important to know where these intertextualities are localized within the composition and in what way they are different from the original. Differences in tonality and/or melodic structure, or the lack of difference can be equally telling. By concerning ourselves with these points, we can read deeply his works and thus become a „secret listener” of him.