Edgard Varèse | Artist
Edgard Varèse was a French Avant-garde composer born 1883 in Paris. He is known for his innovative and groundbreaking contributions to 20th-century electronic and experimental music. Varèse spent the greater part of his career in the United States composing and performing avant-garde classical music, which he described as "organised sound". His work has been highly influential on many modern artists such as John Zorn and Frank Zappa. Varèse's early studies in France provided him with a foundation in traditional harmony and counterpoint however his interests soon turned to new musical possibilities and he became deeply influenced by the revolutionary ideas of the futurist movement and the avant-garde artistic circles of Europe. After being invalided out of the French Army during World War I, he moved to the United States where he continued to develop his radical musical language. His music, characterised by its use of dissonance, complex rhythms, and exploration of timbre, departed significantly from the prevailing musical norms of the time. He conceived the elements of his music in terms of "sound-masses" likening their organization to the natural phenomenon of crystallization. He sought to create a "music of the future" that would break free from the constraints of tonality and embrace the full spectrum of sound available to the modern composer. One of Varèse's most significant works is "Ionisation" (1931), a composition for an ensemble of percussion instruments, which marked one of the earliest examples of a concert piece written solely for percussion. This groundbreaking work demonstrated Varèse's fascination with timbre and his innovative use of rhythm and texture, laying the groundwork for the development of percussion music as a distinct genre. Varèse's interest in electronic music and the potential of new sound sources, using new instruments such as the Ondes Martenot and the Theremin, led him to envision compositions that incorporated electronic and synthesized sounds. One of his most influential works in this realm is "Poème électronique" (1958), a groundbreaking piece created for the Philips Pavilion at the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. This composition, accompanied by a multimedia presentation designed by the architect Le Corbusier, showcased Varèse's pioneering use of electronic sound manipulation and spatialization, marking a pivotal moment in the history of electronic music. Throughout his career, Varèse also composed several orchestral works including "Amériques" (1921), "Arcana" (1927), and "Déserts" (1954). These compositions, characterized by their rich harmonic language, bold orchestration, and exploration of new sound combinations, solidified Varèse's reputation as a visionary composer who pushed the boundaries of traditional orchestral music. Given his importance as a composer, there exist very few recordings of Varese's music. Recommendations include Music of Edgar Varèse by the Columbia Symphony Orchestra (1960), and the boxed set Complete Works of Edgard Varèse Volume 1 (2018). His works also appear on various compilations such as the excellent OHM: The Early Gurus of Electronic Music: 1948-1980 (2000). Varese also played a significant role in fostering the development of electronic music and the integration of technology into musical composition. Frank Zappa was such a devotee of his that on his 15th birthday, Zappa's mother allowed him an expensive long-distance call to Varèse's home in New York City. At the time Varèse was away, so Zappa spoke to Varèse's wife Louise instead. Eventually Zappa and Varèse spoke on the phone, and they discussed the possibility of meeting. Although this meeting never took place, Zappa received a letter from Varèse which Zappa framed and kept it in his studio for the rest of his life.
Artist Website: wikipedia/Edgard_Varèse
Featured Albums: Edgard Varèse
Related Artists: Frank Zappa, John Zorn, Edgar Varese
