# Varèse by Boulez



## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

My reference:

Varèse/Boulez/Ensemble Intercontemporain
CBS LP 7464-39053-1 © and (P) 1984

containing:
Ecuatorial
Déserts
Integrales
Hyperprism
Octandre
Offrandes
Density 21.5

Amazon.com shows a CD by the same forces, dated 1991, containing this works plus a couple. Could be the same recordings. Link here:

http://www.amazon.com/Varese-Ameriq...=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1335797543&sr=1-2

The jacket notes for the LP are by Chou Wen-chung. He studied with Varèse, and at the time these notes were made was professor of music at Columbia University.

The works were composed between 1921-22 (Offrendes) and 1945-54 (Déserts). There is a distinct similarity in musical 'language' among all of these works, clean, delineated, and it seems to me closer to the 'modern' music of the later years of the century than to that of his contemporaries.

As is my wont, I listened to the music first without reading the jacket notes. I found it not unpleasant, but not 'easy' either. Professor Chou's notes provide the 'intentions' as Varèse explained them, and his own comments for Hyperprism, the composer having forgotten what he meant by the title. These guidelines are not elaborate nor specific for the most part, so don't really constitute 'programs'. Here are the notes for Integrales (1924):

... for woodwinds, brasses and percussion, was conceived for "spacial projection" Varèse explained. "Imagine the projection of a geometric figure on a plane with both figure and plane moving through space, each with its own arbitrary and varying speeds of onward motion and rotation". A composition about acoustic integration-interaction of all the sonic characteristics that can be practically isolated on conventional instruments-it anticipated electronic music. Varèse said: "I planned it for certain acoustical media not yet available, but which I knew could be built and would be available."

Density 21.5 (1936) is for solo flute, so doesn't have some of the similarities mentioned above. It "was composed for Georges Barrére, inaugurating the first platinum flute made especially for him." The title reflects the density of the element platinum.

If you can get your mind aligned with the composer's hints, his music may open up for you. I'm working on it.


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