THE ELECTRONIC WORKS OF GYÖRGY LIGETI AND THEIR ...

higher in register, extending up to nearly 12000 Hz, whereas the bulk of 1a is between 145
and 3333 Hz, with only occasional pitches reaching 8530 Hz. This is one of the last clear
moments of such complete contrast.
When Event 2 enters, it has a very different effect from Event 1b, although it
initially overlaps and contrasts with the continuation of 1a. Event 2 contains a mixture of
spectra, sine tones, and impulses, covering a range closer to that of Event 1a, centered
from 46 Hz, to around 2923 Hz, but with isolated elements occurring as high as 5767 Hz
and later, 7442 Hz. Event 2 also begins wet–another connection with Event 1a. These
initial connections are counteracted by more pronounced attacks than anything in Event
1a–attacks being a feature more associated with 1b. By 2'47", the contrasts increase as
Event 2 has transformed into much drier noisier sounds. However at this point Event 1
has completely vanished and these contrasts are no longer contrapuntal, but could be
interpreted as a transformation across channel and sound type.
In the left channel, this move from pitch to noisier sounds, and from wet to dry, is
reversed in the third event. Event 3b begins as very dry noise, and 3c reintroduces pitches
and reverberation. The level of attacks is held fairly constant throughout, however.
Meanwhile in the right channel’s 3a and 3d, the more gradual dynamic envelope
(crescendo, decrescendo) still pervades, despite some more perceptible attacks, yet the
same relationship between dry noise in 3a and wet pitch in 3d exists.
Thus there are several connections through Region L which preserve channel
distinctions and several which encourage the perception of coordinated events between the
channels. Most prominently dividing the channels is the use of gradual crescendo-
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