Edgar Varése (1883-1965) was a French composer and he was one of the most innovative although he composed relatively few works. He moved to America in 1915. His first piece in America was Amériques (1918-23) which inspired by his first impressions of the noises of the city such as street noises, police cars, fire trucks, river sounds, foghorns, and skyscraper construction.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines music as a combination of vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) to produce beauty of form, harmony and expression of emotion.

This definition is needs to be developed as the innovative Ameriques brings it into a different level. Although the piece is a combination of instrumental sounds, but it is rejecting traditional concepts of melody, pulse and harmony. The combination based on movement from one sound to another. The piece has an effect to the listener as it clearly reflects the sound of the city. As I am listening to this music, I feel I am walking on the streets in Manhattan.

References

Your Bibliography: Dudamel, G. (2019). Amériques (Edgard Varèse).[online] LA Phil. Available at: https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/pieces/188/ameriques [Accessed 10 Aug. 2019].