An important and hitherto unrecorded or studied collection of mostly autograph letters by the French-American composer, one of the most radical proponents of the twentieth-century avant garde and by his wife, supplemented by letters from others related to Varèse.

The archive consists of several sections:

1. Twenty-three autograph letters signed from Edgard Varèse to the French journalist Georges Charbonnier, written between 1955 and 1963.  All in French; from New York and in original autograph envelopes unless noted otherwise. Various formats.  Complete listing of the letters: 

February 4, 1955.  2 pp.  Stationery of French Line – "Liberté" [a ship].  Written at sea.  Varèse thanks Charbonnier and his collaborators for their work together in Paris, where Charbonnier interviewed Varèse for the radio.  There is a "letter within the letter"—a letter of recommendation for Georges Charbonnier, addressed to "Monsieur Gibon [?]".

February 23, 1955.  Aerogram. Varèse has learned that Charbonnier's interviews with him will be broadcast on the national channel of R.T.F. every Saturday at 10 pm beginning March 5. He comments, "Let us hope that it will be for the better—especially for your own sake [these words in English]."

March 27, 1955 [date of postmark; no autograph date].  Aerogram.  Varèse announces a performance of Déserts at Bennington College on May 17, 1955.

May 2, 1955. Aerogram.  Varèse sent an LP recording of Intégrales, Ionization, Octandre, and Density 21.5 to Charbonnier a while ago, but Charbonnier has not responded yet, Varèse wonders whether it has been received at all.

May 21, 1955 [date of postmark; no autograph date]. Not a letter but an autograph envelope containing a clipping from the New York Herald Tribune, May 20, 1955, "Concert and Recitals: Music in Bennington," by T.M.S.

September 6, 1955.  1 p.  About the bibliophile book Le Livre de la verité de parole, ancient Egyptian texts transcribed and translated by Dr. J.-C. Mardrus (Paris: F.-L. Schmied, 1929).  The author-editor, who is no longer alive, had granted Varèse the right to set the texts to music after their publication—but not in writing, and now Varèse asks Charbonnier to establish contact with Mardrus's heirs because he wants to sell the rights and, in order to do so, needs proof that he owns them.  Another letter to Charbonnier, by Birgit Aherron [?], in English penciled to verso, with remarks by Varèse, also in pencil.  A clipping from Audio, July 1955 is included, an review of Déserts by Edward Tatnall Canby.

October 5, 1955.  1 p.  About the upcoming New York premiere of Déserts. Enclosed is a marked-up article by Roger Maren, "Music by Montage and Mixing" (The Reporter, October 5, 1955, 38–42), which discusses Déserts.

July 16, 1956.  Aerogram.  Varèse has received excellent feedback about Charbonnier's interviews.

November 1, 1956.  Aerogram. Mentions the film Around and About Joan Miro by Varèse's friend Thomas Bouchard (1955), which had been shown to great acclaim in the U.S. He has advised Bouchard to investigate about a showing in France.

November 16, 1956.  Aerogram.  Mentions the film Around and About Joan Miro by Thomas Bouchard (1955) and the Hungarian uprising, which had just been suppressed.

November 1, 1957.  Eindhoven, the Netherlands.  Aerogram of Royal Dutch Mail.  Expresses disappointment about a two-day stay in Brussels "in a climate of mediocrity." He is looking forward to reading Charbonnier's radio interviews with the French artist André Masson.

April 9, 1958.  Brussels.  2 pp.  Varèse thanks Charbonnier for his volume of interviews with André Masson before discussing his stay in Brussels: "We will quit this hole on Monday—Gott sei Dank!! [in German] The horrors of concentration camps—mostly [illegible] of paternalism!"  He gives Charbonnier his address for the duration of the Expo 58—Varèse, c/o American Express, 51 Rue Cantersteen, Bruxelles. "I hope that the acoustic equipment in the pavilion will be adequate for the score [of Poème électronique]. If it is only 10 to 15% compared to their wealth and publicity noise this will be [illegible]."

October 10, 1958.  Aerogram.  Varèse excuses himself for his long silence and announces performances of Arcana by the New York Philharmonic and of Poème électronique in at the Expo 58 in Brussels. 

December 23, [1958?; date of postmark, but year is illegible].  Postcard in color with view from the Empire State Building to verso.  Varèse sends his best wishes for the new year.  In part: "The response to Poème électronique allows me to imagine successful activities and performances—here as well."  This reference to Poème électronique allows to date the postcard; any earlier year is impossible.

January 20, 1959 [date of postmark; no autograph date].  Small autograph paper slip with a greeting and 3 clippings: H. Gernsback, "400 Loudspeakers," Radio-Electronics, October 1958 (on the Poème electronique installation at the Expo 58 in Brussels, with autograph annotations by Varèse); Paul Henry Lang, no title (review of New York Philharmonic concert with Leonard Bernstein conducting Arcana), Herald Tribune, November 29, 1958; H. B. Lutz, "Further Thoughts on Varèse: He's Out There on the Moon, Reaching Back," Voice [probably The Village Voice] , December 31, 1958.

May 2, 1959.  TLS, 1 p., on personal letterhead paper.  Varèse congratulates Charbonnier on his "Essay sur Antonin Artaud."  He complains that he was sick during the winter but reassures Charbonnier that he is better now. 

June 9, 1960.  Aerogram (but very long letter).  In part: "I have read the Chagall, who has been an old friend of mine since 1910, and 8 or 10 days ago I dined with him at the home of some friends."  He considers a visit to Berlin with a stopover in Paris.  He concedes that he is more and more oriented toward New York, the U.S., and Canada: "Apart from some friends... I am less and less interested in Paris."  He is nonetheless concerned about the state of politics in France.  He expresses his disappointment about a performance of Déserts in Paris where he, at the request of Pierre Schaeffer, gave permission to omit the taped sections "because it was impossible to install the necessary equipment," which was then submitted by his American friends. "A microscopic 4th republic—for afar, it seems funny."

March 3, 1961.  1 p.  Personal letterhead paper.  Varèse thanks Charbonnier for his published interviews with Claude Levy-Strauss, whom he knew in person.  Varèse had to postpone a trip to Japan for the third time.  He affirms, "You know that I love New York, its rhythm, our neighborhood—just one complaint: the absence of our friends overseas and in heaven."

May 15, 1961.  Aerogram.  Varèse thanks Charbonnier for a clipping from Le Figaroand complains that duty has forced him to postpone trips to Japan and other countries for two years.  "Tourism is not conducive to work, and the latter demands that one remain behind the task."  Referring to René Leibowitz, he asks about the endeavors of Charbonnier's wife, Janine (1926–2022), as a composer.  Then he states, "Thanks to its formulae, dodecaphony is the fall of art—it was to be expected.  The academism of the Left is more dangerous than that of the Right."

June 1, 1962. 1 p. Personal letterhead paper.  Varèse recommends his friends, the Puccinellis, who are on their way to Paris, to Charbonnier: "Our friends Raymond, Esther, and Rodi Puccinelli will bring you regards and news from us. To introduce them: Father – a sculptor; mother – a tapestry weaver; daughter: charming young girl interested in literature and the fine arts. They speak English, Italian, and French."  Raymond Puccinelli (1904–86) was an Italian-American sculptor.  The letter is not postmarked and was probably hand-delivered by the Puccinellis; directions to the house in an unknown hand (possibly Puccinelli's) to verso of envelope.

September 12, 1962.  Aerogram.  Varèse asks Charbonnier whether there is a book on the French sculptor Charles Despiau.  If yes, Charbonnier should send him the bibliographical information.

December 30, 1962.  Aerogram.  Varèse sends his best wishes for the new year to the Charbonnier family.  Signed "Louise et Edg. Varèse" but both names are in Edgard's hand.

June 23, 1963.  Aerogram. Varèse communicates instructions how to contact the Fulbright Commission in Paris.

This part of the collection is supplemented by the program of Camera Concerts, New York, November 30, 1955, inscribed to Charbonnier by Varèse and mailed in an autograph envelope (Camera Concerts stationery) on November 16, 1955 (date of postmark). The concert included the New York premiere of Varèse's Déserts.

2. Nine letters (ALS unless noted otherwise) from Louise Varèse to Georges Charbonnier, written between 1963 and 1970.  In French, sent from New York and in original autograph envelopes unless noted otherwise. Various formats.  Complete listing of the letters: 

March 2, 1963.  TLS with autograph postscript; envelope not extant.  Louise writes on behalf of the writer Anaïs Nin, a friend of both Varèses.  She hopes for Charbonnier to promote Nin's works in France ("Varèse and I would appreciate that personally").  She singles out Nin's novel Ladders of Fire (the first installment of her Cities of the Interior cycle), which has just been published in French translation as Les miroirs dans le jardin.  She includes "some very enthusiastic reviews from here and from Canada"; three are part of this collection, one from France-Amérique (New York), one from Liberté (Montreal; both in typescript copy) and one from Prairie Schooner (in English).  The manuscript postscript turns to Charbonnier's radio interviews with Edgard; Louise mentions that Le Corbusier and others had talked to her about them.  She asks for a tape recording and suggests a publication in print.

November 1965 [date of postmark; day illegible but after November 6].  Pre-printed card with handwritten salutation and signed, thanking for a letter of sympathy after Edgard's death.  In English.

January 27, 1966.  1 p.  Louise responds to a letter from Charbonnier that had moved her deeply: "Letters like yours ... plunge me into the anguish about Varèse's illness and death.  He loved life so much and did not want to die."  She hopes to travel to Paris and meet Charbonnier to reminisce about Edgard.

October 24, 1967. 1 p.  Louise excuses herself for her long silence after her return to New York from a visit to Paris.

March 7, 1969.  1 p. Letterhead paper, folded like an aerogram, with address field to verso (no envelope).  Louise thanks Charbonnier for a letter in which he announced the publication of his interviews with Edgard and expresses her excitement about it.  She asks Charbonnier for a copy of an article, "La journée Varèse" that Charbonnier had published in La revue musicale.

April 22, 1969.  1 p.  This letter accompanied a signed contract (probably granting permission to Charbonnier to publish his interviews with Edgard).  Louise 

November 22, 1969.  1 p. Letterhead paper; envelope lost.  Louise thanks Charbonnier for keeping her informed on the progress of the publication of his interviews with Edgard.  In part: "I know that you will have expenses—stenotypists, proofreaders, etc.—and I want to pay for that. Please let me know the amount."

February 20, 1970 [date of postmark].  1 p. Letterhead paper, folded like an aerogram, with address field to verso (no envelope).  Responding to a letter from Charbonnier, Louise mentions various activities of hers to get writings by and on Edgard translated into English.  She mentions that at the time, Chou Wen-Chung was the curator in charge of Edgard's papers.  She looks forward to a Varèse project of Konstantin Simonovitch.

December 8, 1970.  1 p.  Louise has just received the published interviews between Edgard and Charbonnier and is excited about the book "even before I have read it."

3. Autograph letter signed from the American composer Ray Green (1908–1997) to Edgard Varèse, Dallas, November 2, 1954.  4 pp. plus 7 pp. of "Holiday for Four by Ray Green—Composer's Notes," all on stationery of Hotel Southland, Dallas.  The letter is addressed to Paris.  Green had sent Varèse a recording of his work beforehand. 

4. Autograph letter signed from the American-Italian sculptor Raymond Puccinelli (1904–1986) to Georges Charbonnier, Florence, July 10, 1962.  1 p.  In French.  Puccinelli thanks Charbonnier for his hospitality in Paris and notes, "Last night I wrote to Varèse [who had recommended him to Charbonnier] and sent him my best wishes."  A letter from Puccinelli's daughter, Rodi, is enclosed.   

5. TLS from Fay Skurnick, EMS Recordings, New York, to Charbonnier.  Corporate letterhead paper and envelope.  March 21, 1955.  1 p.  In English.  In part:  "On the suggestion of Edgard Varèse we are sending you a copy of our recording of his works... We feel that there would be a tremendous market in France for this music."  She asks Charbonnier whether there is a "reliable recording company in France" that might be interested in releasing the recordings.  A prospectus of the company is enclosed.

6. Five letters from listeners to Charbonnier, 1955 (4 ALS, 1 TLS); three with original envelopes.  All in French.  These letters respond to the broadcast of Charbonnier's interviews with Varèse.  Most interesting is the TLS by the exiled Russian count Valentin Zoubov (1885–1969).  In part:  "As I am a former friend of Edgar Varèse of whom I lost sight in 1914, I have listened to your broadcasts with great interest, and I was glad to hear that he is doing well in America.  In your interviews with him, I recognized his fighting spirit of old, if matured and moderated by the wisdom of age.  You would do me a great favor if you could give me his correct address, as I would love to restore my contact with him."

These documents come from the archive of the French journalist Georges Charbonnier (1913–1990).  For many years, Charbonnier worked as a producer for French public radio and TV (R.T.F.).  He taught at the Sorbonne and published several volumes of interviews with luminaries in the arts and humanities. 

Charbonnier interviewed Varèse for French radio (R.T.F.) in 1955, on the occasion of the composer's first visit to France since 1933.  The maverick iconoclast Varèse, who had written his seminal works from Amériques to Density 21.5 between the wars but left little impact, had been discovered by the European post-war avant garde and hailed as one of the most important harbingers of musical modernism.  Varèse responded by composing two more important works, one of which uses recorded sound (Déserts, 1954) and the other, electronics (Poème électronique, 1958); both are frequently mentioned in this collection.

Charbonnier remained in touch with Varèse until the composer died.  He published his interviews with Varèse much later much later as Entretiens avec Edgard Varèse (Paris: Pierre Belfond, 1970).  A copy of the book is included with the collection.  During the preparation of this edition, Charbonnier corresponded with the composer's widow, Louise (née McCutcheon), an American writer and translator; her part of this correspondence constitutes the second major part of this collection.  

Among the other authors figuring in this collection, the San-Francisco-born sculptor Raymond Puccinelli achieved considerable fame in his lifetime and is still remembered today.  The composer Ray Green, however, is all but forgotten.

Varese's papers are nearly all at the Paul Sacher Stiftung and interesting autograph material such as the present collection is extremely rare on the market.