John Osborne Varian
Encyclopedia
John Osborne Varian was an Irish-American poet and amateur musician who was one of the early members of the Temple of the People
and a leader within the theosophist utopian community of Halcyon, California
. Two of his sons, Russell and Sigurd Varian
, became notable inventors and went on to found Varian Associates
, one of the first companies in Silicon Valley
. Varian died on January 9, 1931 following pneumonia.
for the treatment of liquor, morphine, and opium addiction. The community had elements of socialism
and some communal property. There, John Varian became a leader of the Temple of the People, simultaneously working with Dower as a chiropractor and masseur, while Agnes was the first Halcyon storekeeper and postmistress.
, an early Silicon Valley
firm noted for production of the klystron
tube, while Eric remained in the Halcyon area and had a career in the central California coast as an electrical contractor, and assisted the work of his daughter, Sheila Varian
, who became a noted horse breeder.
in Irish folk culture and mythology. Cowell had previously befriended Varian's son Russell in 1911, when both boys were in their teens, and a piano sonata that Cowell composed for Russell brought Cowell to the attention of the elder Varian. In 1917, Cowell wrote the music for Varian's stage production of his Irish mythical poetry cycle, The Building of Banba. The prelude Cowell composed, The Tides of Manaunaun
, would become Cowell's most famous and widely performed work. The Building of Banba has been described by some scholars as a "pageant" or "play," and by Cowell himself (more than fifty years later) as an "opera." The production was staged in the summer of 1917 at a convention of the theosophical community at Halcyon.
Cowell in turn was a childhood music tutor of Ansel Adams
, and the Varian family also became friends with Adams, who became particularly close to Russell and Sigurd through their mutual activity in the Sierra Club
. Adams knew the family for over 30 years, and upon John Varian's death wrote a poem, To John Varian, which was published in 1931. While that work was one of only a few poems published by Adams, he later used a line from one of Varian's poems, "...What Majestic Word," as the title of his 1963 Portfolio Four, which was dedicated to the memory of Russell Varian, who had died in 1959.
Another close associate of Varian and his family was fellow Irish immigrant and theosophist Ella Young
, who lived in Halcyon in a cabin behind the Varian's home in 1928 while she was finishing her book, The Tangle-Coated Horse and Other Tales
, and working on her poetry. Varian himself published poetry, including works in the poetry journal Troubador and a posthumous collection, Doorways Inward, published in 1934.
Halcyon, California
Halcyon, California is an unincorporated community of approximately 125 acres in San Luis Obispo County, California, located just beyond the southern border of the city of Arroyo Grande...
and a leader within the theosophist utopian community of Halcyon, California
Halcyon, California
Halcyon, California is an unincorporated community of approximately 125 acres in San Luis Obispo County, California, located just beyond the southern border of the city of Arroyo Grande...
. Two of his sons, Russell and Sigurd Varian
Russell and Sigurd Varian
Russell Harrison Varian and Sigurd Fergus Varian were brothers who founded one of the earliest high-tech companies in Silicon Valley...
, became notable inventors and went on to found Varian Associates
Varian Associates
Varian Associates was one of the first high-tech companies in Silicon Valley. It was founded in 1948 by Russell H. and Sigurd F. Varian, William Webster Hansen, and Edward Ginzton to sell the klystron, the first tube which could generate electromagnetic waves at microwave frequencies, and other...
, one of the first companies in Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
. Varian died on January 9, 1931 following pneumonia.
Career
Born in Ireland, John Varian and his wife, Agnes became members of the Theosophical Society in Dublin. They emigrated from Ireland to the United States in 1894, first settling in Syracuse, New York. There, the Varians became involved with a theosophical group headed by William Dower. When Dower moved to Halcyon, California, they joined him in 1914, shortly after its founding. Halcyon was a utopian community that included a sanatoriumSanatorium
A sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...
for the treatment of liquor, morphine, and opium addiction. The community had elements of socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
and some communal property. There, John Varian became a leader of the Temple of the People, simultaneously working with Dower as a chiropractor and masseur, while Agnes was the first Halcyon storekeeper and postmistress.
Family
John and Agnes had three sons, Russell, Sigurd and Eric, all of whom had a keen interest in electricity. The family was noted for affection, laughter and a spirit of adventure. All three boys exhibited an early fascination with electricity, which included pranks such as attaching electrical current to bed springs and door knobs in order to give visitors minor electric shocks. Russell and Sigurd became the co-founders of Varian AssociatesVarian Associates
Varian Associates was one of the first high-tech companies in Silicon Valley. It was founded in 1948 by Russell H. and Sigurd F. Varian, William Webster Hansen, and Edward Ginzton to sell the klystron, the first tube which could generate electromagnetic waves at microwave frequencies, and other...
, an early Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
firm noted for production of the klystron
Klystron
A klystron is a specialized linear-beam vacuum tube . Klystrons are used as amplifiers at microwave and radio frequencies to produce both low-power reference signals for superheterodyne radar receivers and to produce high-power carrier waves for communications and the driving force for modern...
tube, while Eric remained in the Halcyon area and had a career in the central California coast as an electrical contractor, and assisted the work of his daughter, Sheila Varian
Sheila Varian
Sheila Varian is a breeder of Arabian horses who lives and works at the Varian Arabians Ranch near Arroyo Grande, California. She grew up with a strong interest in horses, and was mentored in horsemanship by Mary "Sid" Spencer, a local rancher and Morgan horse breeder who also introduced Varian to...
, who became a noted horse breeder.
Artistic pursuits and affiliations
Varian's strong interest in Irish mythology helped fuel the interest of the young composer Henry CowellHenry Cowell
Henry Cowell was an American composer, music theorist, pianist, teacher, publisher, and impresario. His contribution to the world of music was summed up by Virgil Thomson, writing in the early 1950s:...
in Irish folk culture and mythology. Cowell had previously befriended Varian's son Russell in 1911, when both boys were in their teens, and a piano sonata that Cowell composed for Russell brought Cowell to the attention of the elder Varian. In 1917, Cowell wrote the music for Varian's stage production of his Irish mythical poetry cycle, The Building of Banba. The prelude Cowell composed, The Tides of Manaunaun
The Tides of Manaunaun
The Tides of Manaunaun is a short piano piece by American composer Henry Cowell . It was composed in 1917, originally serving as a prelude to a theatrical production, The Building of Banba...
, would become Cowell's most famous and widely performed work. The Building of Banba has been described by some scholars as a "pageant" or "play," and by Cowell himself (more than fifty years later) as an "opera." The production was staged in the summer of 1917 at a convention of the theosophical community at Halcyon.
Cowell in turn was a childhood music tutor of Ansel Adams
Ansel Adams
Ansel Easton Adams was an American photographer and environmentalist, best known for his black-and-white photographs of the American West, especially in Yosemite National Park....
, and the Varian family also became friends with Adams, who became particularly close to Russell and Sigurd through their mutual activity in the Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
. Adams knew the family for over 30 years, and upon John Varian's death wrote a poem, To John Varian, which was published in 1931. While that work was one of only a few poems published by Adams, he later used a line from one of Varian's poems, "...What Majestic Word," as the title of his 1963 Portfolio Four, which was dedicated to the memory of Russell Varian, who had died in 1959.
Another close associate of Varian and his family was fellow Irish immigrant and theosophist Ella Young
Ella Young
Ella Young was an Irish poet and Celtic mythologist active in the Gaelic and Celtic Revival literary movement of the late 19th and early 20th century. Born in Ireland, Young was an author of poetry and children's books. She emigrated from Ireland to the United States in 1925 as a temporary...
, who lived in Halcyon in a cabin behind the Varian's home in 1928 while she was finishing her book, The Tangle-Coated Horse and Other Tales
The Tangle-Coated Horse and Other Tales
The Tangle-Coated Horse and Other Tales: Episodes from the Fionn Saga is a children's book by Ella Young, a collection of Irish legends from the Fenian Cycle. These are tales about the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill and his band of warriors, the Fianna. Illustrated by Vera Bock, the book was first...
, and working on her poetry. Varian himself published poetry, including works in the poetry journal Troubador and a posthumous collection, Doorways Inward, published in 1934.
Selected works
- "Black Mountain" (1906)
- "The Temple Convention" (1907)
- "The Living Symbol" (1907)
- "Body of God" (1929)
- Tirawa (1930)
- "The Wave" (1934)
- Doorways inward and other poems (1934)
Sources
- Hicks, Michael (2002). Henry Cowell, Bohemian. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0-252-02751-5
Further reading
- Johnson, Steven. "Henry Cowell, John Varian, and Halcyon." American Music. (Spring, 1993): 1-27.