Edgard Varese

By Alan Clayson

(Omnibus Press). One of the most influential, innovative, and inspiring composers of the 20th Century, Edgard Varese responded to advances in modern science in a climate of global conflict to create music that broke down the fragile remnants of diatonic tonality and embraced 'noise'. His intellectual shift from the dominance of melodic progression to a more textural approach to composition would see him revered by such cultural figureheads as Igor Stravinsky, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Frank Zappa, and others. His 'Poem Electronique' was one of the first examples of a purely artificial, studio-made composition, and would act as a blueprint for later electroacoustic explorations. The work Ionisation for percussion ensemble included air-raid sirens and was described by the New York Times as a 'terrible and marvelous work'. The 1954 premier of Deserts caused an uproar comparable to the infamous response to The Rite Of Spring some fifty years earlier. Edgard Varese analyses the life and work of this giant of the avant-garde, and delves deeply into his mysterious and eclectic world.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1860743986
• ISBN13: 9781860743986
• Release Date: July 2002
• Publisher: Omnibus Press
• Length: 218 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.3" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

good read on a boring life

Composer's lives are not ALL they are cracked up to be,most live in squalor,neglect and un-recognition most of their lives, the ones that begin by winning prizes are easily corruptible and will prostitute their art if the $$$ is right.We have numerous "composer-hookers" around,no need to worry, great abundances, but knowing some minutae, (mine U-Shah)on a composer's boring uneventful life may serve to shed light on his primary works. In that Varese sought a truth, truth of sound or timbre of construction unpretenciously in his aesthetic, one that should conform with the burgeoning vigours of the modern, the metropolis, flat surfaces, and electronic imports into music, all point toward a fascinating subject. There is no doubt on Varese's influence WAS, in the PAST tense, I do not know what his influence may be right now, Composers of any philosophic stripe seem to be drawn to the power of his music, the unrelenting-ness of it, the innovative experimental side, all things quickly forgotten, and now with the "comfort zone" of years, Varese is fairly a safe predictable subject.When he began all his works he was largely ignored and thought insignificant, inconsequential. In retrospect we can glibly see all this now, everyone knows everything about everybody, there are no more mysteries or paradigms in the Neo-Liberal order colonizing the hearts and minds of today's populace. Writing about all this has indeed become problematic for if you do not have an academic perspective of analysis pummeling a work into the ground, tracing evolutions,differences, continuities, paradigms, dead-ends, densities, and complexities what's left??. Pure writing and that's where Clayson falls here, an aspect overlooked by those who find nothing of inherent value herein. The revolution is over, Mickey Mouse and Bill Gates won it, so the vigours of modernity is merely now today something to be practiced,and thought about,Creators are isolated, marginalized,censored through neglect( like Spinoza who ground Lens for a supportive means)while his philosophic visions were largely ignored in his time ,Varese had always more ideas than he could practically realize,so he was fortunate to hear his primary works during his lifetime largely with gifted conductors as Ralph Shapey. Clayson's work here is not academic by any means but remains a good read.We need more literary excursions on music;You will never be invited to a seminar of the American Musicological Society to present it, but who cares? all we want is our writers to satisfy the "knowledge" card bringing "16 Wheeler" Tone-Pitch analysis and technical detail to their work, this is their one productive value that makes them part of the working class I suppose,"knowledge (You read Lacan's "Four Discourses") so when it is missing or avoided because others have so vigourously covered the subject we find fault. Poor Mr. Clayson doesn't get no Respect ! !. Any interest generated in Varese I think is a positive move,He changed co