Back to Bagatelles: Realizing the Remainder of Ligett's Musica Ricercata

György Ligeti completed Musica Ricercata in 1953, and shortly thereafter transcribed six of the movements into the 6 Bagatelles for wind quintet. Much of the scholarship surrounding Ligeti's transitional period discusses Musical Ricercata, a pivotal work for Ligeti marking divergence in compositional style from his early works. One persistent question frequently arises: why did Ligeti leave five movements out of the transcription? Through study of the history surrounding the composition of Musica Ricercata and analysis of Ligeti's approach to transcription, we can learn much about the Ligeti's priorities and ideas. Using Ligeti's own transcription as a stylistic template, this project suggests what could have been had Ligeti completed the transcription process. What results is Musica Ricercata for wind quintet-the remaining movements joining the original Bagatelles.