Biography of Edgar Varèse (1883-1965)
22.12.1883
Born in Paris (Father French, Mother Italian), perhaps he might be born on the 24.12.1885.
Studies of mathematics and natural sciences.
1907
Stays for six years in Berlin and makes acquaintance with Busoni.
1915
In December emigration to the USA, as cultural life in France broke down due to the war.
1919
Foundation of New York Philharmonics.
1921
Foundation of the International Composer´ Guild
1926
American citizenship
1930
He teaches, among his students was Jolivet, with whom he bacame friends, too
1934
Ending any work on compositions besides the big project Espaces which was never finished.
1936
Composition of Density 21.5 for Georges Barrere, who was a close friend
16.02.1936
Premiere of Density played by Barrère as part of a beneficial concert in the Carnegie Hall
1946
Revision of Density 21.5, probably attended by Leroy, with whom he was befriended. and first print publication
1951
Another revision of Density leads to the version published by Ricordi
06.11.1965
Dies in New York
1950
Tutor at the Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik in Darmstadt, where he met Boulez, Maderna and Stockhausen
Further information/Sources:
- → Edgar Varèse bei Wikipedia
- → CDs by/of Edgar Varèse bei JPC (mit Hörproben)
- → Music by/with Edgar Varèse at amazon.de
Sheet music for flute:
Density 21.5
(flute)
Colfranc Music Publishing Corporation, Col. 3
Rating: difficult
- Density 21.5
Written for the new flute of Geroges Barrere in 1946, made of platinum (which has a density of 21.5) . I will never forget the high D.
Anti-Syrinx called Pierre-Yves Artaud this music in his book "Die Flöte". The same description (anti-Syrinx) is also given by Nicolet. It is the first piece using the beats on the flute keys.
CDs with/from Edgar Varèse
Philippe Bernold, Alexandre Tharaud
- Pierre Boulez: Sonatine pour flûte et piano (12:19:00)
- Olivier Messiaen: Le Merle noir (05:51:00)
- pour accueillir le négociateurs - et que l´entrevue soit pacifique (02:19:00)
- pour que l´enfant qui va naître soit un fils (03:42:00)
- pour que la moisson soit richte qui naîtra des sillons que le laboureur trace (03:25:00)
- pour une communon sereine de l´être avec le monde (04:28:00)
- aux funérailles du chef - pour obtenir la protection de son âme (05:13:00)
- Henri Dutilleux: Sonatine (08:56:00)
- Edgar Varèse: Density 21.5 (04:00:00)
André Jolivet: Cinq Incantations:
Bei vielen Aufnahmen von Flöte solo stört mich der zu kirchenartige Raumhall. Hier ist das glücklicherweise nicht. Die Flatterzunge von Bernold ist absolut frappierend (wo nimmt er die Luft her?). Die Incantations von Jolivet leben von klarer Zweistimmigkeit und den klanglichen Schattierungen zwischen satter tiefer Lage, Flatterzunge und anderen Effekten. Ziemlich eindrucksvoll.
Bruno Canino, Severino Gazzelloni, Donato Renzetti, RTSI Orchestra - Orchestra della Radiotelevisione
- Allegro (02:23:00)
- Largo (02:55:00)
- Allegro (01:58:00)
- Allegro non molto (03:56:00)
- Largo cantabile (03:08:00)
- Allegro (01:32:00)
- Adagio (02:30:00)
- Allegro (01:46:00)
- Largo (01:12:00)
- Allegro vivo (01:17:00)
- Larghetto (02:51:00)
- Allegro (02:12:00)
- Larghetto (02:22:00)
- A tempo di Gavotti (01:20:00)
- Allegro (01:26:00)
- Entrata (Allegro) (05:06:00)
- Tempo die ordinario di Minuetto (03:42:00)
- Molto allegro (02:04:00)
- Andante con variazioni (05:45:00)
- Allegro scherzando e vivace (01:51:00)
- Adagio (01:40:00)
- Allegro vivace e disinvolto (03:37:00)
- Edgar Varèse: Density 21.5 for solo flute (04:00:00)
- Kazuo Fukushima: Ekagra for Flute and Piano (07:02:00)
- Goffredo Petrassi: Souffle for flute (09:03:00)
Antonio Vivaldi: Flute Concerto in G major Op. 10 No. 4 P.104:
Antonio Vivaldi: Flute Concerto in F major Op. 10 No. 5 P. 262:
Benedetto Marcello: Sonata in F major for flute and b.c. Op. 2 No. 1:
Georg Friedrich Händel: Sonata in C major for Flute and b.c. Op. 1 No. 7:
Ludwig van Beethoven: Serenade in D major for Flute and Piano Op. 41:
Werke für Flöte solo (1989)
- Allemande (03:32:00)
- Corrente (02:42:00)
- Sarabande (03:52:00)
- Bourrée anglaise (01:42:00)
- Marin Marais: Variationen über "Les Folies d'Espagne" (09:32:00)
- Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Solosonate a-moll (11:59:00)
- Sigfrid Karg-Elert: Sonata appassionata fis-moll (04:22:00)
- Tranquillo (03:34:00)
- Dialog (03:00:00)
- Lied (03:02:00)
- Allegro agitato (02:21:00)
- Edgar Varèse: Density 21.5 (04:26:00)
- Luciano Berio: Sequenza (06:40:00)
- Kazuo Fukushima: Mei (04:45:00)
Johann Sebastian Bach: Sonate a-moll:
Willy Burkhard: Suite op. 98:
Das sind die absoluten Standard-Solostücke, all die Werke, die jeder irgendwann mal spielen wird: beide Bachs, Sequenza, Fukushima, Marais. Gespielt von einem der ganz großen. War eine meiner allerersten Flöten-CDs überhaupt. Fast ein Stückchen Flötengeschichte und in jedem Fall ein würdiges Objekt für das CD-Regal jedes Flötisten.
Literature von/über Edgar Varèse
- Flöteninstrumente und ihre Baugeschichte - Spielpraxis - Komponisten und ihre Werke - Interpreten1. edition Laaber: Laaber-Verlag,2009. - ISBN: 978-3-89007-545-7
- Metzmacher, Ingo: Keine Angst vor neuen TönenEine Reise in die Welt der Musik1. edition Berlin: Rowohlt,2005. - ISBN: 3 87134 478 8
- Toff, Nancy: Monarch of the FluteThe Life of Georges BarrèreOxford: Oxford University Press,2005. - ISBN: 13-978-0-19-517016-0
Last edit 21.04.2014