Oooh a Ligeti thread. My tuppence for what it's worth -
His early work is very Bartok derivative and probably not worth the effort, although his 1st String Quartet might be worth a listen if you like the Bartok quartets - it could almost be a long lost 7th or something. Also I tend to avoid the later stuff post 'Double Concerto for Flute and Oboe' (piano etudes being the exception) where it all seems to get a bit congested and confused. However his middle period, where he truly discovers his own voice, is just pure gold, and the canon of work from Apparitions through to the Double Concerto has to go down as some of the greatest art of the 20TH C. Particular faves of mine are Lux Aeterna - Lontano - Cello Concerto - 2 Organ studies - 2nd String Quartet - ach sod it they're all great.
Interesting point re. Ligeti and 2001 - I read somewhere (sorry no link) that, rather than the unlicenced use of his work, he was actually more annoyed by the misconstruing of the ideas behind his music, (the exploration of space from an artistic/sculpturalpoint point of view), with the 'scifi space' synonymity it's developed as a result of it's (artistically) relatively minor (only 2 pieces used) association with 2001. To me though this is a sign of the power of his music, and I like to think of it this way - 2001 is synonomous with the music of Ligeti, not the other way 'round. I find listening to his music (Xenakis and the spectralists are the same) a very 'sculptural' experience - it conjures visions of vast diaphanous clouds of mutating textures and colors suspended, gloriously unresolved in space. It also makes me think of space ships and mars though he he
Yes Lontano is used at some point along with a deluge of Penderecki nastiness and some scored electronic biz. The Shining wouldn't be half the film it is (possible exaggeration) without the Adagio 3rd movement of Bartoks 'Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta' which is used quite brilliantly (and fairly extensively) towards the beginning to gently ratchet up the tension before things really go belly up. Along with Lux Aeterna probably my favourite piece of classical music - just so eerily beautiful.
Also @ petergunn if you're not already familiar with his work, you might like Witold Lutoslawski, who's sound (to these ears at least) straddles the Bartok - Ligeti gap nicely while maintaining a distinct voice.
Oh, I should probably say hello, this being my first post n' all
thank you, this was the post i was waiting for!