About Edgard Varese

Edgard Victor Achille Charles Varesewas a French composer who spent the greater part of his career in the United States. Varese’s music emphasizes timbre and rhythm; he coined the term “organized sound” in reference to his own musical aesthetic.

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More quotes from Edgard Varese

Music, which should pulsate with life, needs new means of expression, and science alone can infuse it with youthful vigor.

Edgard Varese

French composer (1883-1965)

An artist is never ahead of his time but most people are far behind theirs.

Edgard Varese

French composer (1883-1965)

I dream of instruments obedient to my thought and which with their contribution of a whole new world of unsuspected sounds, will lend themselves to the exigencies of my inner rhythm.

Edgard Varese

French composer (1883-1965)

Our musical alphabet is poor and illogical.

Edgard Varese

French composer (1883-1965)

Music is organized sound.

Edgard Varese

French composer (1883-1965)

I was not influenced by composers as much as by natural objects and physical phenomena.

Edgard Varese

French composer (1883-1965)

Everyone is born with genius, but most people only keep it a few minutes.

Edgard Varese

French composer (1883-1965)

There is an idea, the basis of an internal structure, expanded and split into different shapes or groups of sound constantly changing in shape, direction, and speed, attracted and repulsed by various forces.

Edgard Varese

French composer (1883-1965)

I don’t want to write any more for the old Man-power instruments and am handicapped by the lack of adequate electrical instruments for which I now conceive my music.

Edgard Varese

French composer (1883-1965)

I have just begun a work in which an important part is given to a large chorus and with it I want to use several of your instruments – augmenting their range as in those I used for my Equatorial – especially in the high range.

Edgard Varese

French composer (1883-1965)