György Ligeti (1923-2006) was one of the greatest composers of the latter half of the 20th century. Born in Hungary, he emigrated to the West after the Soviets rolled their tanks into Budapest in 1956. He is known for his use of “micropolyphony” (polyphony so dense that only musical textures are apparent) and rhythmic complexity in such pieces as Apparitions, Atmosphères, Lux Aeterna, and his opera Le Grand Macabre. Several of his pieces were used in Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey, giving them wider exposure.