Varese: Arcana; Ameriques; Ionization; Offrandes; Density 21.5; Octandre; Integrales

Edgard Varese (Composer), Pierre Boulez (Conductor), Ensemble InterContemporain (Performer), New York Philharmonic (Performer), Rachel Yakar (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Ensemble InterContemporain, New York Philharmonic, Rachel Yakar
• Conductor: Pierre Boulez
• Composer: Edgard Varese
• Audio CD (January 14, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000009IME
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,338 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #35 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > Vocal & Song
  • #52 in Music > Classical > Chamber Music > By Period > Modern & 20th Century
  • #83 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Modern, 20th, & 21st Century > General Contemporary

Track Listings

1. Ionisation, for 13 percussionists

2. Amériques, for orchestra

3. Density 21.5, for flute solo

4. Offrandes, for soprano & chamber orchestra: Chanson de là--haut

5. Offrandes, for soprano & chamber orchestra: La Croix du Sud

6. Arcana, for orchestra

7. Octandre, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, and double bass: 1. Assez lent

8. Octandre, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, and double bass: 2. Très vif et nerveux

9. Octandre, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, and double bass: 3. Grave

10. Intégrales, for 11 winds & 4 percussionists

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars impeccable chaos, March 1, 2002

By 

R. Hutchinson "autonomeus" (a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Varese: Arcana; Ameriques; Ionization; Offrandes; Density 21.5; Octandre; Integrales (Audio CD)

This disc doesn't contain all of Varese's music, but it comes close at 77 minutes. Varese was not nearly as prolific as he was creative! The first recorded Varese I heard was on the VoxBox (called "Ionisation"), and five of the pieces found here are also on that disk, conducted by Cerha. What a contrast! Cerha presents Varese delicately, transparently, without passion. The advantage is that the instruments are clearly delineated. But you are left wondering what the fuss is about -- it doesn't sound very radical. Boulez emphatically captures the chaos, the energy, the alien-ness of Varese! Of course the overall impact is heightened by the inclusion of "Ameriques" and "Arcana," two 20-minute pieces for full orchestra that are bigger and louder than anything included on the VoxBox. The production value is superb -- sharp and clear -- and the packaging is faultless as well. In short, if you only had one recording by Varese, this would be an excellent choice. If you like this, by all means look for Xenakis' "Orchestral Works and Chamber Music" on Col Legno. Varese is a key influence, especially the composition "Arcana"!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A landmark, August 15, 2001

By 

"uaxuctum" (Madrid, Spain) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Varese: Arcana; Ameriques; Ionization; Offrandes; Density 21.5; Octandre; Integrales (Audio CD)

This is THE recording of Varèse's music. Boulez is by far the only conductor who truly understood his music. Even the renderings of Varèse's pupil, Chailly, are fairly disappointing in the light of these. I consider Chailly's 2-CD intégrale to be useful only for its transfer of the unique Poème électronique (and for it contains also some rare works, but these are something that maybe only scholars will be interested in). Finally, I must mention that there's also another referential CD in this wonderful mid-priced Boulez series which contains his renderings of Varèse's Déserts and Hyperprism altogether with Carter's Symphony for Three Orchestras. So, for anyone interested in 20th-century (serious) music, buy this CD right now!! and check out for the latter, too.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good disc for those not willing to spend for the Complete, December 12, 1999

By 

Karl Henzy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Varese: Arcana; Ameriques; Ionization; Offrandes; Density 21.5; Octandre; Integrales (Audio CD)

This is a good Varese disc for those unwilling to shell out for the new two-disc Complete Varese. When all is said and done, Varese was a major composer in the decade of the 1920s. These are the works on which his reputation is warranted, and these are the works on this disc. He combines a strong percussive thrust with an ear for unusual but attractive sound combinations. And Boulez and his Ensemble InterContemporain play it all lovingly and, of course, superbly.