"From the beginning of the 20th century, Edgard Varèse made an essential contribution towards expanding our understanding of what music can be. He was the first composer to write a piece exclusively for percussion ensemble to be performed in a traditional concert hall setting ('Ionisation'); and he explored and searched intensely for sounds. Varèse integrated first the world of sounds, then electronic instruments into traditional orchestras, thereby opening a door to a new awareness of listening. Besides their structural strictness - Varèse him-self referred to this new way of organizing rhythm and tone color as "organized sound" - his compositions also reveal great emotional richness and an amazing variety of expression. Edgard Varèse's work materially influenced those generations of composers that came after him: a link between the beautiful, the exciting and the musically unsettling. The 2009 Salzburg Festival dedicated its 'Kontinent' series to this brilliant New Music pioneer.
"'Ionisation' (1929-1931). When he wrote 'Ionisation,' Varese entered virgin territory as a composer: never before had a work been written for percussion instruments alone. Yet like his compositions for traditional instrumentation, 'Ionisation' is an exploration into the timbral possibilities of the instruments used.
"The premiere under Nicolas Slonimsky's direction (New York 1933) was the beginning of a success story. The same year, the composition was a triumphal success in Havana, was performed in San Francisco and, a year later, again in New York. Next was the release of a legendary recording of the work. 'Ionisation' triggered the creation of numerous works for percussion instruments by New Music composers such as e.g. John Cage.
"44 instruments are used: metallophones such as e.g. anvils, membraphones such as bongos, cord sounds like that of the snare drum, wooden sounds like that of the whip, multiple-sound instruments like the guiro, air friction sounds such as sirens, and keyboard instruments. The work is given a stable form by a framework of clearly defined components: a coda with clusters of tonal instruments, and an opening of bass drum impulses and siren curves that resembles a parable for a gong. Immediately following the opening, the field drum presents a long rhythm often referred to as the main theme. The other components are mostly short, signal-like cells derived directly from the natural properties of each instrument, such as e.g. the pentatonic motif produced by a light wood-block sound in the middle of the work, which is often regarded as a second theme due to its structural significance. Ionisation is a 'sound story' and at the same time appears like the organic development of a widely spread 'sound space', integrating phenomena as diverse as a single rustling of a jingle ring and the siren's long-drawn glissando curves.
"'Offrandes' (1921). 'Offrandes,' a work for soprano and chamber orchestra including a harp and nine percussion instruments, comprises two songs: 'Chanson de Là-haut,' dedicated to Louise, the composer's wife, and 'La Croix du Sud,' dedicated to his friend, harpist Carlos Salzedo. It was Varèse's first composition to be performed in America. Shortly after the successful world premiere under Carlos Salzedo in New York in 1922 it was also performed in Berlin. While a great number of elements and motifs have been adopted from 'Ameriques' and transformed, in line with the composer's typical modus operandi, there is a new clarity and transparency of notation foreshadowing his more mature works. The voice, at no time blanketed by instruments, is surrounded by orchestral atmospheres which create a palette of sounds encompassing the most tender of pianissimos as well as stormy expansions of sound. The typical way the musical instruments are grouped into 'blocks,' evident e.g. in the confrontation of concise wood-wind and string figures in the first song, is integrated into the coherence of a carefully balanced overall sound, whereby e.g. the drums so strongly present in the second song are linked with the tonal instruments through the gong.
"'Hyperprism' (1922-1923). This composition for nine wind instruments and seven percussion instruments, including a siren and, for the first time, a string drum also referred to as 'lion's roar,' was premiered under the direction of the composer himself in New York in 1923.
"In 'Hyperprism,' Varèse sheds all conventional stylistic elements still recognizable in earlier works, thus laying the foundations for his highly distinctive mature style. Melodic motifs or form-building themes are replaced by short cells often revolving around just one single pitch. The same will to a focused and concise, accurate expression becomes manifest in the short duration of the piece. The individual elements are not subjected to a thematic development but, like a prism, shown in an ever new light through the continuous creation of new variations. The richness of rhythmic variation is a fundamental aspect. Every action is thus given a precise function as a musical event to trigger, interrupt, stop, expand, condense or subside, in ever new combinations, or relative independence, of the different groups of sound.
"'Intégrales' (1924-1925). This is the last, and longest, composition among four pieces written for the International Composers' Guild (the first American society for New Music, founded by Varèse in 1921). 'Intégrales' was premiered under Leopold Stokowski in New York in 1925; at the audience's insistence the performance had to be repeated. Six years later it was first performed in Paris, and in 1934 Martha Graham choreographed it for New York In its use of precise motif cores this piece for eleven wind instruments (with the flutists all playing piccolo) and four percussionists playing a total of seventeen instruments (not induding the siren) is a direct sequel to 'Hyperprism.' The characteristic opening with a quickly rising figure of triton and whole tone ends in a repeated drone rhythmized ever anew. The principle of sound expansion is also typical of Varèse's works of this period: an ensemble sound is developed in numerous variations of the process upwards through the entire register, often similar to a sound explosion, to lead to an enormous fortissimo and be then brusquely broken off, or gradually reduced. The subtle variations of rhythm and sound in some of the core figures represent Varèse's ideal of working with 'transformations achieved through slight formal changes of a function.'
"'Ecuatorial' (1933-1934). 'Ecuatorial' is based on a prayer of supplication from the 'Popol Vuh,' the sacred book of the Mayas. In accordance with Varèse's intentions the performance should have some of the 'elementary, raw intensity' of Pre-Columbian sculptures. In the premiere under Nicolas Slonimsky's direction (New York 1934) the solo bass was in some parts blanketed by the ensemble. The work was not published until 1961, then with a bass choir. Though misjudged for a long time, this most ritualistic, most enigmatic of all of Varèse's works is now being increasingly recognized as one of his most important compositions.
"The block-like, sculptural quality of the music is due to the use of compact instrumental groups. The three blocks of four trumpets, four trombones and organ respectively are confronted with six percussionists. The piano (an unusual choice for Varèse) acts as a mediator between these polarities. Right at the beginning it establishes a motif of two descending half steps, which subsequently is taken up again and again. A remarkable feature is the use of two ondes Martenot. This pioneering electronic musical instrument enables finely regulated glissandi and extremely high tones that had been impossible to realize before. The nature of their sound, close to a pure tone, objectivizes the characteristic sound forms of the other instrumental groups. All of them together support the central bass voice, which is doubled in unison by each group in turn. Strictness, austerity, conciseness and precision: those were the maxims Varèse adhered to with implacable strictness throughout his life. 'Ecuatorial' was another landmark on his way towards a mode of expression purged from all embellishments.
"'Amériques' (1918-1921/1927). Only the works created after his emigration to the USA in late 1915 were recognized as parts of his oeuvre by Edgard Varèse (1883-1965) himself. Therefore, his official opus one is the orchestral piece Amériques: a symphonic composition entirely new in terms of form and language of sound, and severing all links with past traditions — arguably one of the most colorful, most contrasty and most vital New Music works. It was premiered as late as 1926 under Leopold Stokowski in Philadelphia and New York. A year after the premiere Varèse undertook a revision of the work to reduce the enormous and unconventional instrumentation, which originally included instruments like a boat whistle or a crow call. The new, reduced version was first performed in Paris in 1929.
"'Amériques' (1918-1921/1927). Only the works created after his emigration to the USA in late 1915 were recognized as parts of his oeuvre by Edgard Varèse (1883-1965) himself. Therefore, his official opus one is the orchestral piece Amériques: a symphonic composition entirely new in terms of form and language of sound, and severing all links with past traditions — arguably one of the most colorful, most contrasty and most vital New Music works. It was premiered as late as 1926 under Leopold Stokowski in Philadelphia and New York. A year after the premiere Varèse undertook a revision of the work to reduce the enormous and unconventional instrumentation, which originally included instruments like a boat whistle or a crow call. The new, reduced version was first performed in Paris in 1929.
"The title 'Ameriques,' the Americas, symbolizes 'new worlds on earth, in the sky, or in the minds of men.' However new the sound horizons may be, the score includes a multitude of compositional references to Debussy's orchestral works, Strauss' symphonic compositions, Schönberg's œuvre (in particular his 'Five Orchestral Pieces, op. 16') and Stravinsky's ballets. 'Ameriques' can therefore be regarded as a personal synthesis of all those elements that most strongly influenced Varèse, and as the starting point for the most creative period in his career as a composer." (Dieter A. Nanz. From the liner notes.)
Performers: The Percussive Planet Ensemble, Ensemble Modern Orchestra, ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Martin Grubinger, François-Xavier Roth, Bertrand de Billy, Julie Moffat, Jacques Tchamkerten, Thomas Bloch
1. Ionisation
2. Offrandes
3. Hyperprism
4. Intégrales
5. Ecuatorial
6. Amériques
7. Ionisation
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