Unifying Material in the first orchestral section of Edgard Varèse’s Déserts David Kerr MUS3105 Dr. Joe Argentino December 4th, 2020 Edgard Varèse’s Déserts is an incredible piece, a grand compositional feat, and a monolith in the development of modern music. In this brief paper I will be discussing the materials and motifs used to unify the piece demonstrated in the first instrumental/acoustic section including, but not limited to: pitch planes, 12-tone aggregates, electronic interjections, and the use of the number 9. Varèse always sought to diverge from traditional sonorities- his scientific literacy/background and his creative drive made him itch to escape the acoustic limitations of conventional instruments. He believed that “Tape machines could liberate music, ‘free it from the circle of fifths’; or the architecture of our time, how it gave a new feeling of space that he wanted to give to his music” (McMillan, 2004). Originally he attempted to create this sense of space through his use of pitch planes: a pitch collection consisting of a group of core notes with a consistent intervallic relationship accompanied by their chromatic neighbors. These planes could be altered in orientation, proximity, and position through different musical transformations. The main pitch planes used in this first section are shown in Ex. 1- the altering, shifting, and changing of these pitch planes represent structural divisions and are often paired with dynamic shifts and separated by 12-tone aggregates (Sprowles, 2004). Ex. 1 Another recurring structural divisor is Varèse’s use of 12-tone aggregates, created through complimentary hexachords in different voices (Ex. 2). These are utilized as transitory material between different pitch planes and represent landmarks of harmonic development. The incorporation of these serialist techniques is more representative of his earlier musical education and interactions. Ex. 2 In tandem with these 12-tone aggregates, electronic interjections are also used to separate different thematic material and different pitch planes. Over the course of the piece there are four instrumental movements separated by three electronic interjections- the most immediately obvious pillars of form. This is one of the earliest known integrations of electronic instruments into the orchestra, the culmination of Varese’s time scouring the globe for new instruments and ways to use them (Nelson, 1979). Lastly, the number 9 plays a significant, recurring role in the development and unity of the piece: The opening pitches of the piece are a 9th apart, due to the outer core pitches of the first two pitch planes being a 9th apart (Ex. 3); the range of certain instruments in some sections is a 9th (Ex. 4); the interval returns often as motivic material in the first thematic section of the piece (Ex. 4); climactic moments within the piece occur in intervals/phrases of 9 measures (Ex. 5); important structural pillars occur at measure numbers divisible by 9; and the closing pitch of the piece is a 9th away from the lower of the two opening pitches. Ex. 4 Ex. 5 Ex. 3 Because all of these elements consistently and deliberately return over the course of the piece, they create a sense of unity and cohesion throughout the composition. Bibliography Andreyev, Samuel. 2016. “Edgard Varèse’s Deserts: Analysis (Part 2 of 2).” Accessed October 27, 2020. Nelson, Wayne A.. 1979. "Edgard Varèse and the electronic medium." Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers, 2143. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/2143 McMillan, Ann. 2004. “Celebrated Villager: Edgard Varèse 1883-1965.” Contemporary Music Review 23, no.1: 3-9. Sprowles, Michael David. 2004. "Geometric pitch structure and form in ‘Déserts’ by Edgard Varèse." Electronic Theses and Dissertations, Paper 1366. https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/1366 Varèse, Edgard. 1959. “Déserts.” New York: Franco Columbo. https://imslp.org/wiki/D%C3%A9serts_(Var%C3%A8se%2C_Edgard)
