"(...)There′s no predicting his musical orbit. Yet within each piece the pattern is established quite early. He sets his own rules and follows them assidously. Most delightful are his three books of Etudes, written between 1985 and 2001. Pianist Erika Haase interprets their impish cross rhythms and winding themes with grace, subtlety, and sardonic creativity. Her interpretation of the erratic No.2 ("Cordes Vites"), with its hypnotic trailing off, is marvelous. The rumbling No. 14 (Columna Infinita), followed by the elegiac and almost sentimental No.15 (Pour Irina) are feats of staggering technique and control. I hesitate to use the term, but nearly all of these pieces showcase Ligeti at his most accessible. You probably couldn′t come up with a better introduction."
Peter Bates

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