Edgard Varese
Edgard Varèse was a 20th century conductor and composer born on December 22, 1883 in Paris, France, but eventually immigrating to the United States in 1915 and eventually becoming a U.S. citizen in 1926. He experimented with taped music, electronic instruments and technology. He is considered an innovator due to his use of early electronic musical instruments and for utilizing new techniques in sound production. (Estrerlla N.D)
Edgard was classed as a pioneer of the avant-garde movement in music; he experimented with electronic music and some highly original experimentation in the uses and organization of rhythm. These works for which he is best known are those in which he completely rejects traditional melody and harmony, but instead building these compositions from blocks of sounds, relying on tone color, texture and rhythm. (Janus 2008)
Biography
Varese began work on his first composition in the United States, Ameriques, which was finished in 1921. It was after he had finished this he founded the International Composers' Guild, which was devoted to the new compositions of both American and European composers. Between 1918 and 1936, he began working on music that broke from European influences. His work Hyperprism in 1923, which was a piece that caused a riot in the audience as a lot of the audience got up and left. Although His most popular work by throughout his time was Ionisation written between 1929-31 which introduced the siren as a musical instrument. Towards the end of his life he composed Deserts, a collage of taped sounds, which was a unique, frightening masterpiece of the atomic age. Deserts was the first important work of electronic music, and Varese was recognized as a significant force in music. (T...
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...ied Heone Wronsky who was a philosopher and gave him the idea of organized sound. Which is why both pieces have a lot of percussive or electronic sounds in them. (Janus 2008)
In conclusion Varese was a man of art and science. Because of this it gave him the inspiration he needed to write the type of music that he did. By using ampex tape recorders in pieces and adding odd instrument into the orchestra that others would have not normally of done. His pieces of music varied throughout his life slightly changing techniques but generally sticking to the stuff he knew. Edgard Varese had a very important role in western music. He was the first to experiment with electronic music before the technology was properly there. Once the technology finally caught up with him, he thrived the most through this time. This lead to him being known as the father of electronic music.
Another feature in his works was simplicity. For example, in 1977, in one of his productions called ‘Curious Schools of Theatrical Dancing: Part 1.’ This is reflected in costume, props and choice of music. He did not use any props but the production was effective in the choice of costume being a simple black and white unitard with big stripes going diagonally over his body. In this p...
The social attitudes surrounding these subjects and purposes heavily influenced composers approaches to writing, use of modes to create moods, instrumentation for texture and even figuration for interest. The Development of instruments plays an important role in the composers work, brass instruments like the Trombone and the French Horn, woodwind like the flute or clarinet or string and plucked instruments like the lute and double bass. Each varying from culture to geographical origin to century. Recently a 500 year old instrument was finally built by Slawomir Zubrzycki, the Viola Organista designed by the great Leonardo Da Vinci who at the time simply did not pocess the means of constructing this magnificent instrument, for if he did we surely would of seen a significant cultural trend amongst the music composers of the era.
When one considers the history of classical music, often images of Vienna, Prague, and other European cities come to mind. Centuries of European musical achievement and development have implanted in society the idea that classical music is an inherently European creation. Considering the accomplishments of countless composers such as J.S. Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Antonin Dvorak, this preconception is certainly not unfounded. However, Leonard Bernstein's rise to international fame proved that one cannot neglect American composers in a discussion of the development of Western music. Combining elements of a vast array of musical styles, Bernstein's unique compositions reached a wide variety of audiences and often bridged gaps between distinct musical genres. Through his long conducting career, profoundly influential compositional output, and televised music lectures, Leonard Bernstein left a lasting legacy which came to define American music in the 20th century.
Rousseau was often in trouble for fighting and stealing. As a result of living this way, he fled to Paris in 1741 seeking fame. He composed an opera called Les Muses galantes, which led to a correspondence with Voltaire, Denis Diderot, and other French philosophers, some of whom were engaged in producing the Encyclopedia. Rousseau contributed several pieces on music to this project. But, it was not unt...
Electronic music is created using electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology, where production is concerned. “Electronic Dance Music (EDM) is surging to the forefront of mainstream tastes. If you have turned on the radio, watched TV, or attended a music festival in the last several years you have likely noticed DJs and producers flooding the market.” (Ramsay, 2012)
In summation, Berlioz had a profound affect in showing the public the capabilities of emotion being represented in music, and his Symphonie fantastique was a turning point in his career as his first full-scale masterpiece. He expressed more intense emotion than had been done before through programmatic elements, the idée fixe, new combinations of instruments, as well as instruments not previously used in symphonic settings. He also employed tested techniques in new ways to achieve the individual expressionistic tendencies represented in the changes in society. The positive reception by his contemporary society as well as subsequent generations certainly qualifies this work to be included as a masterpiece.
Throughout this course, the composers we studied all had different approached to creating music, and that is why many of them are well known today. The three most notable composers who combine unusual elements with their music were Frank Zappa, John Cage, and Pamela Z.
The first thing I will talk about is the type of music he is know for which gave him that name. Most people listen to the type of music he composed but next to none know who or how it was composed. There seems to be an abundance of music fans who know little or nothing about the origin of their music. By discussing what he has accomplished it will explain why he is considered to be so important to his type of music.
Primitivism is another ism, which concentrated on primal sounds. They come from African heritage. The sound of the music is very unpredictable and wild sounding. The rhythms usual go up and down. It is tough to understand the purpose of the composer.
Being the son of a professional violinist enabled Vivaldi to meet and learn from outstanding musicians and composers. As a result, alo...
Although Beethoven had a rough life as a child and as he got older, he still was able to produce phenomenal compositions. He refused to conform to traditional musical standards and strived for perfection. Beethoven took composing music to a whole new level. “Beethoven opened up new realms of musical expression that profoundly influence composers throughout the nineteenth century.”
Being “something of an experiment” (Brown, 2007, 465), Gade explores the versatility of the piano as both an accompanying and a solo instrument, as in a symphony versus a concerto. This is echoed in Berlioz’s sentiments that “the piano can be seen in two ways: as an orchestral instrument, or as a complete little orchestra in itself” (Shepherd, 2008, 9).
Vivaldi's music is particularly innovative as he gave brightness to the formal and the rhythmic structure of concertos. He repeatedly looked for harmonic contrasts, creating innovative melodies and themes. Vivaldi’ main goal was to create a musical piece meant to be appreciated by the wide public, and not only by an intellectual minority. The joyful appearance of his music reveals a transmittable joy of composing. These are among the causes of the vast popularity of his music. This popularity soon made him famous also in countries like France, at the time very closed into its national schemes. He is considered one of the authors that brought Baroque music to evolve into an impressionist style.
The first element Edgar used the most in his short stories is horror. Horror is an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by something frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting. As you are reading his poems his description often make so that you begin to feel the pain and sorrow that is happening. In his story “The Fall of the House o...
The years between the middle of the 1700’s to the early 1800’s was a time of immense value according to many music enthusiasts today. In this era the music was considered controlled and reserved. Many Sonatas, Symphonies, and Quartets could be heard in the homes of Vienna during the Classical Era. This era, like every other, had a unique style that has fascinated throngs of people through the ages. John Cage once said, “I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones.” The Classical Period at its beginnings was looked upon as unique from the Baroque Period.