DESCRIPTION:
Orchestre Philharmonique de L'O.R.T.F. directed by Marius Constant. Above the first page of the score stands a quotation from the 16th Century scientist, humanist, and alchemist Paracelsus: "A star exists higher than all the rest. It is the star of the Apocalypse. The second is the star of the Ascendant, the third the star of the Elements, of which there are four. But there is yet another star, Imagination, which gives birth to a new star and a new heaven". Varese said, "this phrase is a dedication to Paracelsus, not a homage to him". At the same time, he wrote, "Imagination gives its form to dreams", and said his true thought was found in this work, and it should be considered as "absolute music, not program music".

Varese was born in 1883 and began composing in 1903, and quickly began to break away from traditional norms. Unfortunately his earliest works have never been preserved. He died in 1965.

This performance and recording, from 1973, is a particularly good one, because it captures the very harsh and austere drama of the piece. It is regarded as Varese's "magnum opus", comparable with his "Ameriques", which together comprise the only two works where Varese calls for huge orchestral forces. The wind section is greatly expanded, and 12 percussionists must handle 35 instruments. I have acquired several CDs of other recordings, which are better quality, but the sheer power of the music seemed somehow to be lost. This is what inspired me to upload this performance here, which regrettably suffers a little of the inevitable vinyl disc surface noise in the quietest moments. Good headphones or powerful hi fi speakers are essential.

After the first performance under Leopold Stokowski in 1927, the public reception was thoroughly averse. There was public outrage.The following day, one newspaper critic titled his article, "Desecration of the Sacred Hall!"

I have attempted to embellish this recording with suitable images. I have allowed my imagination fair reign, considering that this is the highest star of all! The austere character of the work seemed to call for apocalyptic and galactic subjects. There is a painting of the dedicatee Paracelsus at 5 minutes from the start.

At the newly constructed end, revised in 1960, it is as if the philosophical stone has at last fulfilled its mission. But the gold shines only a moment in the crucible: the music is inflated into a convulsive shout, then silence again. The six closing bars bring the great Secret back into the infinite of galaxies, into the very heart of matter.

From 1935, Varese went through an acute personal and artistic crisis: the electro-acoustic means which he needed in order to realize his tonal imaginings were not then available. He had to wait until the nineteen fifties. At the time he wrote, "Sometimes one sees so far into the future that the means of expression refuse to follow, as though they were scared". So it was in 1952 that he became very active again, producing his "Deserts", "Poeme Electronique", "Nocturnal", and others.