György Ligeti (1923–2006), born in Romania, grew up in a Hungarian-speaking Jewish family. As a teenager, he composed his first piano pieces. In 1942, he enrolled at the conservatory, majoring in theory and organ. A year later, his family was arrested by the Germans. He survived prison camps, but most of his family was murdered.

His early compositions were initially compared to the music of Bartók (1833–1897). Ligeti would become one of the leading avant-garde composers of his time. He worked with microsounds and soundscapes. People sometimes refer to them as "soundscapes."

Ligeti's music inspired filmmakers to use his work for film scores. In 2001, the film Space Odyssey was released, featuring music by Ligeti, among others.

Ligeti completed his Violin Concerto in 1993. His works intertwine Hungarian, Bulgarian, and otherworldly sounds: ancient compositional techniques, folk melodies, free jazz, African music, and heartbreaking dissonances. The composer of so-called soundscapes transforms his Violin Concerto into a creative chaos.