Search results for "Atonality"

The Theories of Helmholtz in the Work of Varèse

2011

In 1905 Varese discovered the French edition of Die Lehre von den Tonempfindungen als physiologische Grundlage fur die Theorie der Musik [On the Sensations of Tone as a Physiological Basis for the Theory of Music] of Hermann von Helmholtz (1863), the explicit intention of which was to bring together the common frontiers of science and music. This discovery was a revelation for the 22-year-old composer that went on to condition his whole philosophy of sound. The experiences of the German scientist, achieved with the aid of sirens, resonators or tuning forks, caught the imagination of the young composer. This article investigates the importance of the theories of Helmholtz for the Varesian ae…