Castello Consort, Rik Kuppen + Menno van Delft

The Castello Consort is an ensemble for music from the Renaissance and early Baroque. With each project, the ensemble seeks out new timbres and avenues for artistic expression. For this performance, they draw inspiration from György Ligeti’s Musica Ricercata. In this homage to Renaissance composer Frescobaldi, Ligeti wove together two completely different musical styles. Together with pianist Rik Kuppen and harpsichordist Menno van Delft, the Castello Consort sheds new light on both Ligeti and Frescobaldi.

In 1953, György Ligeti completed one of his most famous and beloved works, Musica Ricercata. He was inspired by music from the distant past. Ligeti’s fascination with early music is also evident in his works for solo harpsichord, a cross-pollination of new music for an old instrument. The Castello Consort, specialists in early music, combine the two different musical cultures with the sounds of a modern grand piano.