György Kurtág has barely written instrumental works for chamber ensemble, a formation otherwise favored by contemporary composers. Hence, the arrangements of the Swiss composer-conductor Olivier Cuendet from Kurtág’s emblematic collection for piano, Games, represent a significant enrichment of the repertoire. The sequence of 34 pieces can be performed consecutively as an inherent cycle or in different combinations. “The selection is highly subjective – writes Cuendet –, some pieces sounded orchestral already to me when I played them on the piano, others spoke to me through their simplicity or complexity.” These arrangements, authorized by Kurtág, use a flexible orchestration whose range reaches from 4-5 instruments up to a full ensemble of ca 15 musicians.

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