I’ve heard a piano piece by Gyorgy Ligeti on the soundtrack to Eyes Wide Shut and the stunning “Lux Aeterna” on the 2001: A Space Odyssey soundtrack. I’m intrigued by this composer, who is one of the few minimalist composers I find myself extremely drawn to. Unfortunately, I hear performances of his works are rare, and that the expensive Sony compilations are the best way to go. But I’m a poor student. Are there any other performances of his works, especially choral ones, which may prove more affordable?
What do others on the board think of Ligeti?
UnuMondo
Definitely one of the greats, ranking with Penderecki and Xenakis. I have his autograph on a CD of his opera Le Grand Macabre. 
I dig Ligeti, too, but for a poor student I don’t have much to offer. You think the Sonys are expensive, but in comparison to the Wergos, they’re cheap (Wergo is a German record company that puts out wonderfully recorded CDs of modern classical music…they typically run 18 to 20 apiece).
There is a recent series of releases under the name ‘The Ligeti Project’ on a label whose name I cannot recall. I’m sure you’ve searched Amazon.com; I haven’t found a better place for modern classical music on the Web. Otherwise check out Ebay, though most stuff I see there is on LPs.
I used to download a lot of modern classical music from Napster. Napster had everything, lots of rare and out-of-print avant garde stuff. I wonder if any of the new music-sharing sites may be helpful.
Alternatively, you’re a student, I wonder if your school library might have something. Maybe consult the music department, too?
If you like Ligeti, you may want to check out Krystof (sp?)Penderecki, who is another fave of Kubrick’s, see ‘The Shining’, and even ‘2001’ (I swear there’s a clip of Penderecki in the stargate sequence, though it is not credited). Also Iannis Xenakis, Arvo Part, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Morton Feldman and John Cage. But their stuff doesn’t come cheap either.