Composer Gyorgy Ligeti has died at the age of 83. Ligeti, probably most famous for creating music that was used in the film '2001: A Space Odyssey', was known for his avante garde compositions, which included 'Poeme Symphonique', which is played on 100 metronomes.
Ligeti was born in Romania, but to Hungarian parents, and later took Austrian citizenship. During the early years of World War II he studied music in Romania and in Budapest, but was arrested in 1943 because he was Jewish and was sentenced to forced labour for the rest of the conflict. At the end of the war, he returned to Hungary and taught music at the Liszt Academy. Unrest in that country led the composer to flee to Vienna, where he subsequently settled, and came into contact with avant garde music exponents such as Stockhausen and Koenig. In 2004 he was awarded Sweden's Polar Music Prize. He is survived by his wife, and one son.