Ligeti 6 Bagatelles For Wind Quintet Imslp Jun 2026

Ligeti arranged Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 from Musica ricercata for wind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon). By calling them "Bagatelles"—a light, classical term—he hoped to slip them past the musical authorities. It almost worked. But after the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and Ligeti’s defection to the West, the piece was unveiled as the masterpiece of controlled chaos it truly is.

Features a pastoral, almost mechanical charm, utilizing the distinct timbres of the woodwind quintet. ligeti 6 bagatelles for wind quintet imslp