György Ligeti, Requiem

György Ligeti
Requiem
Makeda Monnet, soprano / Victoire Bunel, mezzo-soprano
Chœur National Hongrois / Csaba Somos, Chef de chœur
Orchestre du Conservatoire de Paris / Ensemble intercontemporain
Matthias Pintscher, direction
Enregistré en direct le 07.12.2018 à la Philharmonie de Paris
Un bâtiment conçu par les Ateliers Jean Nouvel
(c) 2018 Heliox Films - Ensemble intercontemporain

[@slateflash]

Props to the audience for attending this concert even though they're dying of tuberculosis

[@kudesai08]

Fuck!! Terrible audience!!

[@Zofmui]

Public concerts should not be recorded. Only studio performances! No respect for the music.

[@Zofmui]

I think they brought in the audience from a PDQ Bach recording.

[@HerrNox]

To be fair, they probably attended this requiem thinking it was for them.

[@podbay]

Imagine how many times the conductor, the singers, and the musicians wanted to kill those coughers. Still, what a fucking brilliant performance.

[@flibflob2785]

What strikes me as especially fascinating about this requiem is how he utilized the dying audiences coughing

[@carlosluis1970]

LOL

[@brournemouth]

At least the hackers were overrun by the later louder section.

[@jean-francoisranck6629]

I think this work was registered in an hospital.

[@andrewsherman3893]

There is a LOT of coughing!

[@saidtoshimaru1832]

Your comment rules.

[@youcantleavethisempty8872]

Vocalists: "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" *turns page in song book* "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"

[@prodbydanielsan]

timestamp?

[@sebastianzaczek]

@@prodbydanielsan throughout nearly the entire Kyrie... since the lyrics to that are literally just "Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison"...

[@godzillalover3445]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[@davidwright8432]

Well, the score just gives a reality check! Every one knew it was 'EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE'!

[@Trombonist_Georgiy_Bach]

kyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[@nickturner4150]

Before you scroll down, 90% of the comments are about the audience coughing. There, just saved you 10 minutes.

[@kolos2006]

Thank you!

[@4stringsbetter]

I came here for the comments. Thank you for assuring me it wasn't in vain.

[@mervagattami6935]

Hahaha so true

[@sebastianardila7263]

Thank you!

[@user-nb4ex5zk3w]

​@@4stringsbetter I came for the coughing but the music spoiled it.

[@juliustheillustrious7727]

"I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that...."

[@ondinehd6889]

2001...

[@CarlosHenriqueXavierEndo]

Ooooaaahhhh... Oooooooooaaaaaaaaaahhhhh... Ooooooaaaahhhhhhhhh...!

[@bagre298]

Genius

[@MuAlexJS]

imagine going to your first concert and its this

[@JarmezGD]

💀

[@kambiztaghavi]

Lol :D

[@jschnei3]

Please edit the video description to give credit to the audience as guest vocalists

[@mixolydian2010]

11:02 lady hits her head with tuning fork. Some amazing expressions in the choir must be wonderful to perform.

[@sebastianzaczek]

I assume entering on the correct pitch without perfect pitch or a reference tone would be near impossible in this giant flurry of voices... though i was also confused the first time i saw it

[@educostanzo]

Nice catch!

[@hannahmorse9330]

and I be like......another youtube joke/metaphor *sigh.......clicks reference* OMG lol......she really does.....!!!

[@riparia2702]

Well it's actually quite common, because it does not hurt at the head because of the bones and the tuning fork can resonate loudly due to the hard impact. Other common places would be the knee, or the hand, though both hurt more and and further away from the ear.

[@voiceover2191]

Yeah, used to sing in a choir and we were going to perform it, the score was just amazing. We managed to get through the Kyrie ok, but later parts proved too difficult (we were amateurs) and yes a lot of head banging with tuning forks lol. We did sing Lux Aeterna in a later concert and that went pretty well, also an amazing piece and also used in 2001 (the trip with the shuttle over the moon towards the monolith).

[@rightchordleadership]

This was my wedding song! My wife and I danced to this as new husband and wife!

[@ravelian]

couple goals tbh

[@cubycube9924]

I pray that you guys will last longer than a year

[@user-il5oq5df6l]

Dave Bowman, commander, starship USS Discovery: "Open the pod bay doors, please, Hal."

[@lpadron13]

Lol😊😊😊

[@carlotta4th]

Ha. xD I love the joke even if many others are getting wooshed.

[@WelshIron]

In all my years attending and playing concerts I have never heard such a consumptive audience!!

[@InstazomeASMR]

lol! it somehow fits tho

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

It shows that some people have lost concentration or were not concentrating from the word go. I wish these people would stay at home.

[@The_Establishment_Is_Satanic]

@@InstazomeASMR 🤡

[@rickzhang2288]

Legend has it that all the members of the audience actually came in with hrwlthy lungs but Ligetis music was so haunting that they began spontaneously infected with terminal tuberculosis

[@ThomasvanDun]

00:33 - I. Introitus 07:52 - II. Kyrie 14:53 - III. Dies Irae 23:34 - IV. Lacrimosa

[@locksh]

Dies Irae is actually insane. I am shocked someone could write something like this, what unbridled geniusity.

[@dielotosblume1205]

Really appreciate your timestamps :)

[@user-es1oo6ug4q]

СПАСИБО.

[@user-il5oq5df6l]

Rest in peace, George Ligeti.

[@deadheadronin1392]

the feeling of dread, hopelessness, fear, death, evil but all of it is so damn beautiful.

[@jkoblivion4175]

well said.

[@Prometheus_666]

When I listen to this piece, I'm always thinking for what reason should one want this piece to be played at their loved ones funeral. Even more, if they are religious. It's like hell and damnation are ensured and Satan is laughing at your face, black metal before it was even invented. It's indeed awesome, though, one of my favourites in this style of music.

[@timmundorff2354]

As kids we had the album for 2OO1. We tried to see how long we could play this piece with the lights off without getting scared to death.

[@davidwright8432]

... and the record time was?

[@prometheanevent]

I used to blast it for tricker-treaters on Halloween.

[@jkoblivion4175]

I did that as well Tim. I still bear the scars. :)

[@alexandrestrawinski7581]

that's the kind of thing I would have like to try 😅

[@MrAquilina420]

Meanwhile I fall asleep to this on loop. 😊

[@erictripton]

7:50 - The Monolith 9:00 - Approaching the Monolith 9:50 - Fear and Reckoning 10:12 - Terror 10:59 - Subsides

[@randomaccessfemale]

I would also like to see the cough timeline.

[@minemoul2136]

I though yall was joking bout the extent the audience is coughting. I was mistaken. And gosh what a mistake it was

[@toddrandolph24]

The added coughing brilliantly underscores the frailty and uncontrolled nature of human existence... I've never heard it in the studio recording but it adds so much. Bravo

[@voiceover2191]

Yeah, there really was no audience, just another professional choir and they practiced on their part for weeks, some actually did get a cold from all the rehearsing and you gotta admire Ligeti for getting it all on paper.

[@Galbex21]

lol

[@jkoblivion4175]

@@voiceover2191 ROFL

[@willyrobertlegendre4662]

recorded in a sanatorium if you ask me...

[@karolyerdelyi1675]

Proud. My nations composer and choir. Great conductor. I didn't know about any hospital with such concert hall....

[@MrKeithterrett]

Only a brilliant mind can compose sounds like these, Kudos to you György Ligeti! Love the Kyrie with its extended polyphony which Ligeti called micropolyphony. Some of the sounds are almost like the dead speaking, scary music influenced by Ligeti's family history of being sent to concentration camps. His brother died in one, only his mother survived. Even Ligeti was sent to a labour camp, when you know this you can understand the sounds he creates much more and the closeness he has been to death during his life! The Kyrie influenced by the Renaissance composer Ockeghem is wondrous, listen to the 20 part polyphony. It's almost like people mourning the dead during a funeral to me, or even the dead souls seeking redemption? The horrors of war are horrendous, which in this 20th Century masterpiece Ligeti totally encapsulates.

[@oenoen7794]

This comment describes it all, well done.

[@henrybrowne7248]

I learned about this piece from the great movie, of course. I thought it too avant garde at first, but as I listen to it, it's just fantastic and moving. Human voice is so special, I feel. Thanks for your post, it seems to give still greater depth to my experience.

[@raskullsshako]

Literally I feel like I’m hearing the cries of long-lost, angered spirits. It’s super spooky and it gets even more real when you hear Ligeti’s backstory.

[@stompinknowledge3968]

Keith, would you regard yourself as capable of putting intelligent questions to a student of Ligeti's? You sound as though you are capable... what would you ask them? What would you want to know about having learned directly from Ligeti? Please spare no time replying if possible.

[@carlosluis1970]

yes!

[@InstazomeASMR]

the impact this song has had on cinema

[@andremeIIo]

This is the soundtrack for COVID-19 ☠️👩‍🚀😷

this audience has covid for sure... :/

[@me_is_hobo]

@ But this was made in April 2019. COVID didn’t exist back then

[@nicolasferraiolo4746]

@@me_is_hobo All this is covid saying "prepare! I´m coming!"

[@georgeofhamilton]

Accurate.

[@SouloftheTroll]

Makeda Monnet is amazing! Her pitch and control are dead nuts on!! Actually both gals were. Wow. Despite the tuberculosis brigade the performance is masterful all around. Ligeti absolutely visionary and so patient in his notation ascriptions.

[@robertocaruana1948]

Smoking a really nice joint and listen to this great music. Love it!!

[@yvesgerard1308]

Roberto / Try music without drugs ... The music is a suficient drug to listen correctly !

[@dominicstokes4424]

@@yvesgerard1308 try both it makes it better

[@TheOddWorldOfJonas]

@@yvesgerard1308 I always find that a funny thing to hear, since the person listening to music while doing drugs obviously has also listened to music while sober, but the person giving the "advice" that listening to music sober is better and the other should try it most likely has never tried listening to music while high, so they're the one who doesn't know what they're missing out on to begin with, and not the other way around.

[@cianrussell6517]

If I listened to this on the ganja i’d be skitzing out

[@itsburntm16]

@Kelly Fis6her what the fuck kelly

[@Talkingaboutfeetpersecond]

If i would wittness this live I don’t know if I would cry or be shaking

[@seanwolcottmusic]

Both

[@Forestier1]

Statistically speaking, you’d be coughing.

[@hazyorange]

When you die: What your family feels: Mozart - Requiem What you actually feel: Ligeti - Requiem

[@rloomis3]

What kind of genius does it take to imagine such sounds, and then figure out how to notate all of it? Incredible stuff. And this was the same genius who, many years later, gave us the _Etudes for Piano_ and the _Horn Trio..._

[@tomorronow]

the audacity not just to notate but to *ask* a group of professionals to perform this is startling

[@diallobanksmusic]

tomorronow Don’t tell me you’re one of those people and you’re going to rant to us about how Boulez, Ligeti, Stockhausen and Berio aren’t real music.

[@gauloises5843]

@tomorrow just does not have good taste imo

[@prometheanevent]

This is definitely one of the greatest works of the 20th century.

[@olliepurdue3268]

You must be joking mate

[@delko000]

I think i agree, i listen to all genres, that piece triggers an emotion in me that i cannot find anywhere else. Its visceral music.

[@prometheanevent]

@@delko000 - Because it’s so radically different than most pieces it’s easy for many people to write it off but after several attentive listenings a person adjusts to its unique vocabulary.

[@Checobeep]

There's no way to remove the coughing and other ambient noises from the audience, simply because of the techniques necessary to correctly mic this orchestra. With a choral section like this, very sensitive mics are used. You can pick up the creak of chairs, the click of a bow on a cello neck as the musician turns a page, even sometimes the gurgle of a stomach. The coughing of this audience in the beginning is very infuriating, however. /Audio engineer

[@tomorronow]

ligeti knew

[@Checobeep]

@Tom Somhairle sure there are, but they aren't the mics you use for a concert hall recording because you actually want the room reverb and ambience, otherwise it doesn't sound natural. Might as well record in a studio if we go that way, but then the orchestra doesn't have the effervescence that comes from performing live. On further thought there *might be* ways of removing the coughs that I neglected to mention, but they require tricky things like miking the audience, adding it into the mix and reversing polarity, thereby removing the extraneous noise due to phase cancellation. I have no idea if that would actually work, and you also actually do want the audience ambient noise and applause. So, in short, it sucks.

[@ZODAK2]

​@Kelly Fis6her Maybe you should re-read the comment. The natural sound of the music, and the infuriation caused by the coughing audience are very different in context. I'll follow your example and give you an analogy, but one that makes sense: Imagine you want to record the sound of a needle falling on your desk, but everytime you record a truck drives by your house, making the recording somewhat unusable and thus you're getting frustrated. Doesn't have anything to do with being a douche, just with appreciating a good recording and being a little appalled by the noisy audience. TL/DR: you're a douche

[@ZODAK2]

Kelly Fis6her they way you throw with douches around you one begins to wonders why you had all of them in the first place. anyways, i hope your rectum is all clean now and that you find something in life that brings you joy, except commenting douche on youtube.

[@MegaFREAK313]

@Kelly Fis6her "This shouldn't have been performed live" okay weirdo

[@whoeverthisguyis0826]

So cool how Godzilla 2014 used this song during the HALO jump scene. God meets man

[@user-wc8od1nm8p]

Unparalleled, unprecedented, ultimate masterpiece. I dare to say this music is the greatest one written in 20th century. Probably still now.

[@prometheanevent]

Agreed.

[@diegosepulveda2222]

The worst*

[@InstazomeASMR]

the best

[@diegosepulveda2222]

@@InstazomeASMR The worst ×2

[@es_ist_unmoeglich]

@@diegosepulveda2222 The best ×3

[@educostanzo]

8:50 when Kubrick himself is part of the choir. Oh, and selling cough drops at this venue would be a fantastic business venture.

[@eaty7dhu]

And at 2:06 there's Anders Breivik (Norwegian terrorist) himself in front of Kubrick. What a choir!

[@simonkawasaki4229]

It is a piece that demands your attention from start to finish, and remains completely memorable, unforgettable. Like Penderecki’s St. Luke Passion, this work shows is the “other side” to music, one we never knew existed.

[@prometheanevent]

I’m so glad there are others who “get” this amazing piece of music. It’s admittedly not an “easy” piece but once affording it the proper time and attention one can’t help but be mesmerized.

[@gemalain]

Bravo et merci à Pintscher d'avoir persévéré malgré l'ajout impromptu des notes discordantes du tousseur, car cette prestation est sublime. L'étrangeté, l'inquiétude, l'angoisse et le désarroi de cette pièce y sont parfaitement interprétés et facilement ressentis. Mais moins d'un an plus tard, c'est le tousseur qui dirige l'orchestre.

[@vouspartezenvoyagenoncarje1972]

c'est à dire ?

[@timmundorff2354]

Love the choir member checking the tuning fork at 11:02.

[@voiceover2191]

Not that uncommon, I used to be in an amateur choir for contemporary music and with some pieces chords could be so complex that you regularly checked to get the right note, I remember it distinctly with pretty much every Morton Feldman piece we did, but yeah it looks rather odd of course.

[@JavierGaspar65]

Also 12:07

[@henrijs1733]

this was probably the most impressive thing in the whole movie. incredible atmosphere and mood set by these sounds. especially the thrilling vocal part.

[@cescorosa61]

Composed 1961 - 1963. We still hear something on the expressionist side but all the composition Is wounded by Second World War with all its atrocities

[@philipthomas7918]

A wonderful performance of a twentieth century masterpiece. Shame about the noisy audience.

[@marcellmagyari]

Audience noise is part of a live performance, but in this recording it really sounds like they had microphones dedicated for the audience too.

[@TheMikkis100]

Much more shame about the noisy music.

[@marcellmagyari]

@@TheMikkis100 Is that a comment on the particular performance or on the written music itself?

[@TheMikkis100]

@@marcellmagyari The music itself.

[@marcellmagyari]

@@TheMikkis100 Well, I think that's a personal problem, and I hope you overcome it! Don't forget that every piece of art is preceded by a historical necessity.

[@bloodepic]

Listening to this while I write something truly mad.

[@erictripton]

This performance had me entranced! To hear this piece performed live is just a stroke of genius by the composer and the artists... Well done you all!!!!!!

[@eatshitgoogle]

I firmly believe that everyone else inside this room had the moral duty of beating the coughers into mush. Nobody who goes to watch something like this and is unable to keep quiet can possibly have a valid reason to exist.

[@hmoy24677]

The phrasings written by Ligeti in this Requiem and how well achieved they are in this peformance are memorable.

[@Gamespflow]

Seems like an emotional and deep piece I would love to listen to *non stop coughing in the background*

[@stefanobaruffetti155]

Most terrific coral work of XX century, but superb

[@christmas3920]

Stefano Baruffetti choral*

[@voiceover2191]

The only requiem in existence that does not ascend towards heaven in the end, but to the grave. The greatest oratorium of the 20th century imo I assume most people know about the usage of the Kyrie in 2001, A Space Odyssey? If you want to go all out, after this listen to Giacinto Scelsi's "Uaxuctum" about the downfall of an ancient Aztec city.

[@paulee4927]

What is this? A requiem for the coughers?

[@philipchek]

Conclusion: do not make a public recording in winter.

[@noahfreeman9420]

Interesting choice on the part of the audio tech to mic the audience

[@olliepurdue3268]

2:41 when you put your head against the bus window while it’s moving

[@godzillalover3445]

Relatable!

[@tuttt99]

7:52 The Monolith appears 12:43 The Monolith vanishes and the Stargate opens

[@MrFailicious]

I was in the audience. Beautiful and haunting moment (I hate coughing people too)

[@marcossidoruk8033]

Are you ok?? How are you doing with the TB?

[@wordscapes5690]

Requiem for Covid. Placement of microphones in or near the audience always results in a hospital ward soundtrack. Very wonderful music. Thank you.

[@sonicsnap1173]

I love what the Ensemble Intercontemporain does. Once again it offers us a superb version of a masterwork of contemporary music. Thank you for all these emotions!

[@lucasgiacomo7002]

i love seeing things as the woman in 12:08 during performance

[@giasharie274]

Also at 11:04

[@jonathanmosebach2921]

This piece befuddles me. I have the full score, and have listened to it well over a hundred times, and still I feel I have barely started to understand much less ''track'' with the piece. I will probably have to listen to it probably closer to a thousand times, before it makes sense...AND I LOVE, AND ADORE SUCH CHALLENGES!

[@nemo8525]

Quelle magnifique exécution et surtout quelle profondeur d'âme et de vérité dans cette musique ü Je l'écoute souvent chez moi et l'adore. Merci pour ce partage.

[@alejov923]

Just listen to the basses at 1:54. Absolutely impressive.

[@composer318]

Didgeridoo

[@oscargill423]

Me in the morning trying out that morning lower register

[@stevematthews4489]

Listening to Ligeti I couldn't help thinking this piece must be incredibly difficult to perform, so I googled and found an account by a singer in the Seattle philharmonic. Bottom line is, yes, it takes months of rehearsal and is extremely difficult to perform. Hats off to these performers

[@carlotta4th]

Dissonance is hard to pull off! Choirs can go flat or sharp all the time, but they're usually doing it together. Not singing a note right next to it's neighbor and staying in tune.

[@BR-hi6yt]

Magic music, spine tingling - THANKYOU

[@damirbabic7403]

2001 space odissey, 2014 godzilla The most terryfing ,epic,amazing masterpiece of the music... love the female voices of angels dante,s inferno

[@EdmonDantes-dj3ux]

Absolutely fantastic work and performance! Brings to mind another contemporary Requiem - by Eli Tamar.

[@jpadicecoffee9812]

Wanting to see this Ligeti piece performed. Awesome directing and to see so many people and instruments involved.

[@voiceover2191]

It's rarely performed for obvious reasons, it's a very difficult piece to perform. I once sang in a choir that rehearsed it, managed to do the Kyrie as well as the Introiitus. The Dies Irae proved too difficult technically (we were amateurs).

[@dvra2203]

You better go home when you're sick unless if you want your own requiem

[@conorcorrigan765]

This aged well.

[@lifeontheledgerlines8394]

Social distance yo

[@ondinehd6889]

How prophetic!

[@rollo5878]

The usuel brat-pack, want to be seen and heard because they earn it in greens.

[@rollo5878]

By the way, the music is fantastic!

[@draigporffor3288]

10 minutes in I felt like crying from fear. Dear god....

[@DavitPivazyan]

L'œuvre centrale de l'un des géants du ciècle précédent avec une magnifique interprétation ! Merci ensemble intercontemporaine et Matthias Pintscher!!!

[@jacquesgrodos5099]

Public infect. Oeuvre magistrale

[@55gargoyle]

Beautiful. Simply beautiful. Thank you for posting.

[@Zofmui]

Technically difficult piece, well done!

[@SeventiesVet]

Darkly beautiful.

[@colins7771]

this is my wedding song

[@chicosayans]

29:27 cough signaled the end of the concert wtf

[@smilinghorse4069]

LOL

[@agustinurbina5231]

Hahahaha

[@feodorovich18stravinsky60]

Morí de risa.

[@ProductofNZ]

Haunting piece.

[@godzillalover3445]

Indeed.

[@PalumboComposer]

Masterpiece that comes from infinity and goes to the infinity. Amazing performance.

[@catherineinta6380]

Tragique et prenant. Une musique de timbre et de sons... Superbe interprétation toute en tension

[@lucassism6726]

biblically accurate requiem

[@AmatriceBand]

The dynamics of this piece is incredible.

[@HarDiMonPetit]

Dark beyond horror, when all that remains is this supplication: "Dona eis requiem".

[@oscargill423]

A lot of people are complaining about the audience's intrusiveness in the recording, and I can sympathise. However, for me it highlights one of the distinctive upsides of Western Formal Music (classical music, for the layman): there are expectations about which sounds are intended by the composer to be perceived by the listener. Because of the history of live performance central to the genre, one can quite easily guess that the coughs are not intentional in regards to the music, and can therefore look beyond them to the intentional sounds, something you can't easily do with other styles of music. While I absolutely do notice the coughs, making me wish I could find a studio recording, I can quite easily look past them in favour of being mesmerised by the music itself.

[@leo47443]

Splendida esecuzione, grande direzione, grazie.

[@sandrotrois6959]

La potenza di quest'opera e' tale che i musicisti hanno assunto delle espressioni "funerale " così tanto potere ha 'questa musica da coinvolgerli completamente .

[@FilipeBorgesVet87]

That's INSANE! 🥵😵‍💫🤩🥰💖💖💖

[@jenarega83]

Excellent version!!! 👌🏻

[@user-gk5wo4ns1d]

Beautifully scored for the gagging, choking and hawking chorus.

[@jamesfrench7299]

This is my kind of concert.

[@vonnaletmykham1718]

Thanks to the audience, I could not finish this masterpiece. 10/10

[@marcellodantedealmeidanune9445]

Uma obra prima incontestável!!!! Ligeti maravilhoso!!! Sobreviveremos à hecatombe final, à sombra dos grandes Mestres e Artistas do mundo!!!

[@andrearnaud2190]

this is pure, visceral music output from a lot of pain.

[@marcellodantedealmeidanune9445]

Simplesmente fantástica a interpretação dessa obra prima!!!!!! Mathias Pintscher em sua melhor forma.

[@markpowers5907]

That was amazing !!

[@nathanielfisher1432]

Wonderful, yet misunderstood music.

[@nathalydavilajara-mezzo5323]

wow.... felicitaciones.... en general.. gran orquesta y coro... ni se diga las solistas, no solo suena complicadísimo, sino que la interpretación y voces son magnificas.

[@gerdklingele1229]

Fantastic!

[@eivinstens6091]

This is truly awsome. 🤩

[@musiqueetsonstrasbourg]

Such an emotional and impressive work.

[@fred241049]

Magnifique.

[@daveguettler4509]

Wow! 5 minutes in, I feel better already!

[@emanuelcusto5524]

FANTASTIC!

[@rollo5878]

Beautifull!

[@davidmayhew8083]

The first movement is one of the greatest works in all music.

[@drone2778]

Stunning. Wow.

[@OmarFernandesAly]

Quelle merveille. Merci beaucoup.

[@laszloandriska5829]

Music full of genius as Ligeti himself was.