THE ELECTRONIC WORKS OF GYÖRGY LIGETI AND THEIR ...

and very clear dynamic gestures–crescendi and diminuendi, as well as two types of spatial
motion. Beginning with a sharp attack and rich, closely-spaced partials, G’s first event
makes a striking entrance; this sharp attack also allows focus on a dynamic gesture--the
diminuendo of the partials dying out. Event 4, which enters at 1'19", stands out for a
number of reasons and makes a similar distinction in dynamic quality. While the two
intervening events have come in at discretely different dynamic levels, Event 4 answers the
decay of Event 1's attack with a dramatic crescendo. The wide spacing of its formant
strands and relatively uncluttered texture allow the clear perception of this single event’s
crescendo, as opposed to a crescendo brought about by the accumulation of many
different events. These two events seem particularly designed to call attention to smooth
changes in dynamics, an analogous situation to the more familiar distinction between a
glissing pitch and two steady pitches.
The intervening events (Events 2 and 3) are clearly identifiable as events of Region
G; like Event 1, both have “bell-tone” sounds with clear attacks and non-harmonic
partials. These events use this clearly consistent character traits to ensure a sense of
continuity, despite the idiosyncratic spatial location of Event 2, which occurs in the left
channel (see Figure 3.15). This change in location foreshadows a more significant move
later in the region, and highlights a distinction in types of motion–while the level spectra of
Events 1 and 2 move discretely back and forth between channels, later events will move in
a more smooth, continuous way.
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