Great Composers: Edgard Varèse

A look at "the stratospheric colossus of sound."
This was a request from Tyson Davis. See all current requests at www.lentovivace...
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Classical Nerd is a weekly video series covering music history, theoretical concepts, and techniques, hosted by composer, pianist, and music history aficionado Thomas Little.
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Music:
Edgard Varèse: Amériques, performed by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Chailly [original upload: 8zXaEwWFbnA]
Thomas Little: Dance! #2 in E minor, Op. 1 No. 2, performed by Rachel Fellows, Michael King, and Bruce Tippette
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Contact Information:
Questions and comments can be directed to:
nerdofclassical [at] gmail.com
Tumblr:
classical-nerd.tumblr.com
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All images and audio in this video are for educational purposes only and are not intended as copyright infringement. If you have a copyright concern, please contact me using the above information.

[@cb3composer]

This is an outstanding overview of Varese's impact on 20th century music.

[@1-JBL]

Cage's assessment of Varese lays bare the differences between the two composers: "Instead of dealing with sounds as sounds, he dealt with them as Varese." And I'm glad he did,

[@parsa.mostaghim]

thanks for your great content, I hope Harry Partch will come in future videos

[@ClassicalNerd]

Duly noted: lentovivace.com/classicalnerd.html

[@Quicksilverfan69]

Love your vids, especially on the more underappreciated composers. Could you possibly cover Zoltan Kodaly, Jean-Baptiste Lully, Dietrich Buxtehude and Joaquin Rodrigo?

[@ClassicalNerd]

Those four have been added to the request pool: www.lentovivace.com/requestqueue.html

[@neo-eclesiastul9386]

Super, new video! Next: Astor Piazolla

[@alwhitaker1925]

Your channel and your culture in music is outstanding. Not to mention the way you explain the topics. Hat off ! I was always a little bit “ intimidated “ by Varese in my youth. But now knowing his story I am glad I am terrified by his visions

[@craigfazekas3923]

He'd certainly would've loved the Moog synthesizer. Maybe more than Keith Emerson did... Ah, the 'what ifs' of life.👊🤓

[@havefunbesafe]

Nice work young man.🥳 I enjoyed your talk.

[@johngeorgio5908]

wow How an exposures of infos about Varese !: really inspiring Thank You Best Regards

[@tommacdonald6295]

Excellent, very well done 👏. Thanks 👍

[@TheUtke]

Glad you put Zappa in there, and you seem very informed, but regarding Varese’s predictions, I’d point your attention to some Zappa musique concrete on “We’re only in it for the money” (Nasal retentive calliope music) “Civilisation phase 3”.

[@timothytikker1147]

Varèse sometimes conducted performances of Debussy's works, including the première of The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian.

[@wp6007]

Just listened to his complete works, he sounds like grindcore filtered through the 20

[@seanramsdell4172]

Please do Wendy Carlos, Szell, Fritz Reiner, Toscanini and Stokowski

[@ClassicalNerd]

My policy in re: living composers remains unchanged since you last requested Carlos. The others have been added to the pool.

[@rubengilquinonez7273]

Hi Classical Nerd. Can you make a video on Silvestre Revueltas?

[@ClassicalNerd]

You're the second person to request Revueltas, so he's moved up in the request pool.

[@timothytikker1147]

It's interesting that Zappa called Varèse on his birthday, because that was the day before Varèse's birthday!

[@kraka2oanIner]

Seems that Varese concentrated on macro-rhythm...not micro-rhythm (or...pitch), as well as timbre.

[@saraondo2698]

"Threnody for Frank Zappa" , Zappa could write like Varese. He could also write "tunes ". To write "traffic jams" one has to know the right notes to know the "wrong" notes. Mozart is great for his period,the clsssical era we're in the post modern era today. it may

[@danfriend9567]

Milton Babbitt and others who knew Varese well will tell you that his actual birthdate was Dec.22.1881.2 years older than he claimed.I can't corroborate this,but there is seemingly a host of anecdotal evidence.

[@MsJonathanpalomino]

Great!

[@davisatdavis1]

Thats crazy. His birthday is 12/18, my birthday is 12/18, and I accompanied an edgard who's birthday is 12/17. My grandma is 12/16.

[@Colddiggs]

Now seize your destiny

[@Alun49]

I wonder what Varèse would have done with synthesisers?

[@Warp75]

Lots

[@mantashaft]

Your teleporting is giving me seizures

[@tysongholstondaviscomposer]

Finally!!!

[@marissamontemayor-apostol7230]

What's the cost of the scandal of bourgagne

[@erniepianezza8940]

COOL! I LIKE ANYONE WHO LIKES CLAUDE!! 😁🎹

[@runner0075]

well done and informative. Would be even better if you could speak a bit slower.

[@GCorvetti]

Zappa likes this video :D

[@jeffreyjohnson4149]

This would have been a lot more interesting if you had included some of Varese's music throughout, from beginning to end.

[@ClassicalNerd]

Copyright, my friend. Copyright.

[@Yasherdooble]

I'm first dope I've never been first

[@tchrisou812]

This guy isn't wearing pants.

[@ClassicalNerd]

Do shorts count as pants?

[@pianomanhere]

@@ClassicalNerd Yes. They have you covered. 😁 Considering that bodily exposure is now a common sight on Instagram and elsewhere, we can declare you comfortably in the safe zone.

[@ashwutrodriguez210]

😂

[@stephenhall3515]

Your jumping about on the screen is annoying and pretentious. As a young man I was an avid fan of Varese and was lucky enough to be in England, where his music was frequently played as regular repertoire and not just for "shock value". His vision of composer without an intermediary was appealing but even Stockhausen saw that this could lead to stasis. Moreover, Stockhausen and others had far greater talent than Varese. While I still listen to Varese occasionally in my old age I conclude that the composer said all he had to say in 'Integrales' and he just kept repeating himself and making pieces longer. He was very much of a time and place and nowhere near being a great composer.

[@mikrokosmiko1]

No way. Hyperprism, Octandre, Density... are absolute masterpieces. He was outstanding in every way, very influential, very talented. One of the clearest examples of an artist being ahead of his time.

[@emmetharrigan5234]

sounds hoakey. Also if youre counting him against his better intentions then ravel's daphis et chloe is closer to a sypmhony than la mer which is more like a symphonic suite

[@jamesmurphy1389]

Yeah but could he write a tune? Oh! So he was too clever to write a tune! Is that what you're saying? I see! Now I know! Music is not about writing toons! Music is about 'blocks of sound"! What, like a traffic jam? Yeah, Varese loved traffic jams. And so did Frank Zappa, who loved Varese - so they can't both be wrong. Music is traffic jams.

[@ClassicalNerd]

I'm not saying all music _is_ what Varèse thought-rather, I'm just presenting Varèse's conceptualization of his own music, which is a prerequisite for truly understanding what he was after.

[@jamesmurphy1389]

@@ClassicalNerd Fair point, which I duly note. But you did say that Varese changed the face of music forever - and that is very debatable, given our inevitable lack of historical perspective. Indeed, it may be that Varese is eventually completely forgotten. I don't think he will be but it is a distinct possibility. I actually enjoy listening to some Varese - but not as music - more along the lines of Caliban's "be not afeared: the isle is full of strange sounds that give delight and hurt not..." I hear Varese more as the sort of music nature would make if she could consciously compose....

[@halcyon289]

@@jamesmurphy1389 Nature ....yeah I can relate to that. Nature is not a "she" though.

[@attichatchsound-bobkowal5328]

Varese may not have liked jazz, but jazz musicians appreciated him. Wind/reed jazz instrumentalist Eric Dolphy took it upon himself to perform "Density 21.5"