What areas of technique do Ligeti’s études develop?

[ryguillian]

Was just reading the topic “[W]hat are the technique-bases of the legendary virtuosos?”---there was a lot of discussion about what a pianist gains from playing Bach and what a pianist gains from playing Chopin...

Ligeti’s études are often referred to as the “best since Debussy’s” and are almost universally considered an important contribution to the piano repertoire. What areas of technique (physical and mental) do Ligeti’s études develop? Does Ligeti develop any new areas of technique?

—Ryan

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[nanabush]

Just by looking at the sheets, alot of his etudes seem to exercise a great deal of coordination and finger independence, and on a level that alot of common etudes do not reach.

[ramseytheii]

Just by looking at the sheets, alot of his etudes seem to exercise a great deal of coordination and finger independence, and on a level that alot of common etudes do not reach.

They are definitely etudes in polyphony.  The pianist has to highlight often several voices at one time, and in such irregular, overlapping rhythms that you cant find in other concert piano music.  They ar etudes in piano sonority, looking for new but not necessarily bizarre ways to expand the piano sound.  Ligeti described them as etudes for the improvement of his own personal technique.

Walter Ramsey