NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / François-Xavier Roth

Edgard Varèse’s inspiration for the work »Arcana« came from a dream: »The images and the luminescence alternated with increasing speed – more intensive – the fanfares more nervous – impatient ... and then – shit – I woke up«. The process of composition proved to be more protracted than the dream would have indicated. Since Varèse rejected all conventional systems of composition, he was forced to reinvent his approach right from the very first sketches – making this a perfect piece for »Greatest Hits«, the festival of contemporary music that presents works from Boulez to Varèse as well as very recent compositions over four days.