Music Library News
February 1, 2006
Varèse Correspondence
Through a series of recent acquisitions, the Music Library has assembled a collection of correspondence by Edgard Varèse. Dating chiefly from the 1940s, these twelve letters and five postcards shed light on a period of relative inactivity in Varèse's work as a composer. During this time, his attention turned to other musical matters, including founding and directing the Greater New York Chorus. In these writings, Varèse discusses his activities with the chorus, mentioning the group's repertoire as well as his own rehearsal techniques.
Other noteworthy items include a 1938 letter featuring a brief notated quotation from the composition Arcana and a 1956 letter in which Varèse, a pioneer of electronic music, indicates his intention to visit with "a physicist (an electronics specialist) to try to elucidate certain points."
Along with a 1956 Varèse letter the Music Library acquired last year, these pieces of correspondence provide unique insight into Varèse's life and multifaceted career.
