François-Xavier Roth explains why he chose to tackle Ligeti’s work with Les Siècles, an ensemble best-known for playing works on period-appropriate instruments:

There is a great desire within Les Siècles to play the music that interests us, music from the past and from the present, music that captivates us: both for myself as conductor and for the musicians. What fascinates us all in Ligeti’s music is this polarisation of colour. It is one of the basic principles of our work. Changing instrument to suit the music being played is not solely whimsical: it is about research, coherence and honouring the work. For Les Siècles, playing Ligeti means taking this exploration further and making it more consistent with the notion of colour.

From my own point of view, my work as a conductor has had a great connection to the composer. I had the chance to work with the SWR Sinfonieorchester of Baden-Baden and Freiburg, an orchestra that worked with Ligeti himself and that has conserved something of his heritage within their own history. Playing Ligeti’s work with them was a unique and fascinating experience. His music, especially the language of later works, like Lontano (1967), Kammerkonzert and his Cello Concerto (1966), is extraordinarily modern. It’s like it was written yesterday. It fascinates me, and I wanted to share this fascination with Les Siècles.

Artists

François-Xavier Roth and Les Siècles, Les Siècles, François-Xavier Roth, Marion Ralincourt, Christian Laborie, Michaël Rolland, Pierre Rougerie and Hélène Mourot, Pierre Rougerie, Michaël Rolland and Hélène Mourot, Hélène Mourot and Christian Laborie, Hélène Mourot, Michaël Rolland and Pierre Rougerie, Christian Laborie and Hélène Mourot, Christian Laborie and Michaël Rolland, Hélène Mourot and Michaël Rolland, Christian Laborie and Pierre Rougerie