Varese GRAPHS AND TIME

Since the French political scene has calmed, I will be visiting Paris to
conduct the 2e2m Enemble directed by Paul Mefano. This ensemble is 23
years in operation and focuses on microtonal performances and recordings.
They have available CDs of Giacinto Scelsi, Alain Bancquart, and Ivan
Wyschnegradsky, among others (mostly quartertonal).

The Varese work in this discussion was composed in 1957 as an
"experiment" by the composer who had been frustrated by his attempts to
have orchestral musicians simulate the glissando of the siren. In the
attempt to attract Jazz musicians like Charlie Mingus, Teo Macero, Paul
Motion, Earle Brown, and others, an 8-part 16 measure chart was created
which I orchestrate and devise a from of about 8 minutes.

There have already been 3 performances of this work (named by Teo Macero
for obvious reasons, and where the original hangs). Due to "new music"
performance expertise, performers can now do things that Varese could not
imagine. For more on Varese's ideas on microtonality read: "The
Liberation of Sound" in *Perspectives on American Composers* edited by
Benjamin Boretz and Edward T. Cone (W.W. Norton & Co., NY, pp.25-33).

Sound contiuum is a powerful force. Here it is used sans explicit
"shaped" intervals and the effect on the listener - even with different
instrumentation choices each time - has been of Bebop/New Music fusion.
The New York Times wrote of an AFMM performance that the Varese work had
"oddly joyful dissonances."

Does anyone out there have any ideas of people for me to meet in Paris
between Jan. 21-31? The concert is Jan. 28th at 8 pm at the Pompidou Centre.

Johnny Reinhard
Director
American Festival of Microtonal Music
318 East 70th Street, Suite 5FW
New York, New York 10021 USA
(212)517-3550/fax (212) 517-5495
reinhard@styx.ios.com


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