Edgard Varèse

The Profile

Edgard Varèse (22 December 1883, Paris – 6 November 1965, New York) was a pioneering composer of the 20th century, famed for radical orchestral works and early explorations of electronic and percussion music. He coined the idea of “organized sound” and created landmarks such as Amériques, Ionisation, Déserts, and Poème électronique.

Collaborated with Le Corbusier (with Iannis Xenakis’s involvement) on Poème électronique (1958); influential on composers and artists including Karlheinz Stockhausen and Frank Zappa; explored sirens, percussion, and electronic resources, and used ondes Martenot in later versions of Écuatorial.

Two reviews sketch Varèse as a boundary-smashing composer whose ‘organized sound’ rewired orchestral expectations. Highlights include Amériques, Déserts, Poème électronique, and Ionisation, with reflections ranging from ecstatic scholarship to surreal poetics. One review spotlights the Complete Works under Riccardo Chailly. Expect noise, sirens, and rigor, not comfort listening.