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Alarm Will Sound and musicians from Manhattan School of Music, Alan Pierson (conductor). “Composer Portraits — Edgar Varese.” Miller Theatre at Columbia University.

Varese’s compositions are redolent of the sounds and sights of his adopted homeland, America, where he emigrated in 1915, eventually taking citizenship in 1926. Varese’s music is full of speed and light, dynamics and architecture, reflecting the scale of the NYC skyline in particular. He was a visionary who struggled with the boundaries of conventional rhythm and melody, creating a singular sound world that both pointed to the future and now resides quite comfortably in the our present which he once foresaw. Varese is the epitome of how percussive and intricate sound worlds can be engaging. His genius created evolving organic sound sculptures that through their extraordinary sense of dynamics and balance evoke an emotional force out of the ordered chaos that swirls around in his works.

The musicians of Alarm Will Sound (AWS) under the guidance of their superb musical director and conductor Alan Pierson, captured the underlying currents of Varese’s compositions with a superlative sense of control, dynamic and expert phrasing. Although never creating extravagant fireworks, they ably established the proper mood and atmosphere of each piece on the Miller program. They were augmented with students from the Manhattan School of Music, who performed more than capably, seamlessly melding into the professional ensemble. The students were featured alone on percussion classic Ionisation, under the guidance of Jeffrey Milarsky, who competently captured the work’s tribally intense sense of ritualistic driving force.

Varese’s works are primarily on the shortish side; the whole of his oeuvre could be captured on two cds, and it was a pleasure to encounter a full evening of them, encompassing some of his most well known works and including an early art song that was reminiscent of the fruitful French period of small vocal gems. Un grand sommeil noir from 1906 could have nestled comfortably alongside the finest of Debussy’s or Faure’s work’s in the same genre. It was affectingly sung by Louise Fauteux, accompanied by John Orfe on piano, although it must be pointed out that it was a bit lacking in rounding off phrases. Ms. Fauteux’s performances of the two songs comprising Offrandes on the other hand were more effective and the ensemble’s work was well focused and evocative, with Mr. Pierson leading AWS with taut control.

Density 21.5 for solo flute was superbly performed by Jessica Johnson who not only caught the bucolic pastoral feel of the work, but imbued her rendition with great shape and tonal phrasing. Her control of her instrument in this demanding work was outstanding. It was not revealed whether she was playing a platinum flute, though that is what the title refers to.

The program opened with Dance for Burgess, a work of antic exuberant energy and drive, much like a fanfare for a circus parade of the demented. AWS displayed a joie de vivre that was both pithy and fun.

Poeme electronique for tape, Varese’s masterpiece of color and rhythm, is tape generated with electronic oscillators, bells, machinery, tape fragments of voices, etc., and was created for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. The Dutch Philips Company provided the resources for Varese to compose this masterwork in a genre hitherto untried by the composer. He met the challenge by creating one of the 20th century’s signature works. One can only imagine how this must have sounded in the environment for which it was designed. 425 loudspeakers placed all around the audience walking through the Le Corbusier pavilion. Yet hearing it through the medium of only two loudspeakers emanating from a stage is an exhilarating experience in and of itself. Mr. Pierson spoke before the audience about the piece, and then we heard a recording provided by Terry Pender and the Computer Music Center at Columbia.

AWS also performed a transcription of the electronic work adapted by Evan Hause in the second half of the program. It was a brilliant attempt at incorporating Poem with human elements: players and voices on traditional instruments. Although the effort was admirable, the end result was slightly deficient. There actually seemed to be more “soul” in the taped recording.

AWS gave an expert reading of Hyperprism, an astonishing piece of depth and precision. The work is balanced equally between wind instruments and percussion and one marvels at the variety of color that Varese is able to draw from this choice of instruments. AWS found the color and provided a wonderful sense of dynamism.

I felt Varese “won” in the performance of Deserts. While AWS proved worthy to the task, I don’t think they got beyond the mathematical logic and general signatory style of Varese. One could revel in the array of colors emanating from the stage but the performance lacked a forward sense of urgency.

The ensemble “performed” Integrales in every sense of the word. Expertly choreographed by Nigel Maister, members of AWS were stationed throughout the theater, some on stage, some in the balcony and the remainder in the orchestra section. This created an elaborate surround sound effect that also had strong elements of ”dopplerism” as the players interacted with one another, creating an engaging and enveloping soundscape that ebbed and flowed in dynamics and intensity.

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