Classical Composers other Musicians Should Listen To: Charles Ives

Remarkable composer Charles Ives spent the majority of his career not known as a prolific composer, but as an insurance salesman. Doesn't that sound familiar of most of the prolific musicians you know today? Holding down a day job while secretly pounding away at their passion at night?

Charles Edward Ives (October 20, 1874 – May 19, 1954) was an American modernist composer. He is widely regarded as one of the first American composers of international significance.Ives' music was largely ignored during his life, and many of his works went unperformed for many years. Over time, Ives came to be regarded as an "American Original".Ives combined the American popular and church-music traditions of his youth with European art music, and was among the first composers to engage in a systematic program of experimental music, with musical techniques including polytonality, polyrhythm, tone clusters, aleatoric elements, and quarter tones,thus foreshadowing virtually every major musical innovation of the 20th century.(via Wiki)

Yes you read that right, the man who sold insurance did all of the stuff other people would become famous for BEFORE they did it. Ives was the man! I love him.

First up, so you can hear the difference, here is the Copland version of the hymn"At the River" followed by Ives' version. Hear the artistic difference? I love both. I sang the Ives version two years ago.


People like to call this the "cowboy song". The very popular Charlie Rutlage. I like that this poster included the sheet music. Look how difficult it is!


Most Ives art songs are quite short..some only being about 30 seconds..this one is significantly longer.







Most of Ives' art songs were published in one collection called 114 Songs. There are so many wonderful ones that I couldn't find decent recordings of(oh I found some recordings... but they were horrendous and you wouldn't hear the beauty of the music!)

Some of my fave Ives songs:
The Children's Hour
Memories
Afterglow
Tom Sails Away
The Cage
Songs My Mother Taught Me(this and the version by Dvorak are AMAZING)
If you can find a great recording of these let me know!Of course it goes without saying that many people don't sing these because they are extremely difficult. But for some reason Ives was always a breeze for me. We fit together well I suppose. Some of these songs are challenging to the ear of a novice listener, you really have to listen deeply to the music. It is hard to describe, you have to be able to listen beyond the dissonance.Sort of how your teacher always told you to read between the lines.

Of course Ives wrote more than songs:






Some modern interpretation of Ives' songs:





This is why I do this series. Be influenced, be influential. I want you to see,hear,feel,taste music the way I do. And maybe in that you will produce amazing music for others. Or at least be able to communicate how music makes you feel.

"Classical" Composers that any real musician should listen to: Gustav Mahler

Mahler was definitely the first composer I ever fell in love with. something about the darkness of his intricate and multilayered melodies drove me crazy.I have never been more saddened at the lack of opera from anyone but him. He never wrote one.
Gustav Mahler (7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was a Bohemian-born Austrian composer and conductor. He was best known during his own lifetime as one of the leading orchestral and operatic conductors of the day. He has since come to be acknowledged as among the most important late-Romantic/early-Modernist composers, although his music was never completely accepted by the musical establishment of Vienna while he was still alive. Mahler composed primarily symphonies and songs; however, his approach to genre often blurred the lines between orchestral Lied, symphony, and symphonic poem(via Wiki).

I sort of hesitate to post this because it means so much to me. I know that it sounds bizarre, but listening to Mahler is when I finally "got" "classical" music. I heard in the infinite sonorities of his music the messages he was trying to convey as a composer. It taught me to be challenged as a listener. Mahler stretches tonality extremely far and yet never loses that very tonality that gives him structure. I respect Schoenberg...but I can FEEL Mahler.I feel like the dissonance has a purpose. I'm not quite sure how to explain it. But when I sang Mahler I knew every emotion I needed to convey even if I never knew any German. But that doesn't mean it was easily handed to me. It wasn't a literal translation of a story,it was an emotional translation.
I think to understand Mahler you have to be in the emotional space to accept what is coming. In other words, if you are not mentally prepared for it,don't even bother listening. If you don't like your music a bit more...meaty...don't even try.


Kindertotenlieder(Songs on the Death of Children) I sang this my senior year of college. I don't think anyone understood why I would want to sing a bunch of songs about Ruckert(the poet) children's deaths. Honestly, it wasn't about that. I found so much truth in the music. Yes there were some moments I couldn't sing without becoming so emotionally involved in the character that I could not carry on...but I think that experience is beautiful. I believe every performer should experience a moment where they see and hear nothing but the music. A moment where they just "are" the character. I think singer's have to think more like actors,because we are in a sense,actors who deliver our monologues to a tune. The best feeling in the world for me is when I become lost in character. When my thoughts,actions,breaths,and overall being become someone else's for just one moment. Sounds weird, but those that know what I'm talking about agree it's magical. It's like sleep walking...but being able to feel sensation.When I think about those feelings...it really makes me miss singing this stuff.


All of Mahler's lieder is amazing though. I sang the Ruckert lieder when I was a junior in college.





From Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen-words written by Mahler himself. Listen to the different emotions in just one song of this cycle.Last 2 movements. One of my fave Baritones, my fave conductor,one of my fave composers...what's not to love?!?


Close your eyes,crank this up, and just listen.Take long deep breaths along with the sway of the music.Thank me later.

Oh how I have been rejecting you blog!"Classical" Composers that Musicians should listen to: Erich Korngold

Erich Wolfgang Korngold (May 29, 1897 – November 29, 1957) was a film and romantic music composer. While his compositional style was considered well out of vogue at the time he died, his music has more recently undergone a reevaluation and a gradual reawakening of interest. Along with Max Steiner, he is often called the father of film music.(via his Wiki)

Even if you don't listen to all of this aria...listen to the last minute or so..gives me goosebumps...

Oh he wrote this when he was around 11...YES 11!!!!



See where John Williams got his inspiration?

Korngold was truly the last prodigy...I encourage you people that like to read to at least take a look at his Wiki if nothing else...he led a fascinating life, and is so rarely talked about.One of my favorite composers.

Classical/World/MT Musician any real musician should listen to-Kurt Weill

It is becoming increasingly difficult for me to pick one composer per month! I might pick two or pick one every week from now on...I'm not sure yet. There is so much music to be listened to!This week's music nerd's showcase(:))is a spotlight on Kurt Weill. Weill was a 20th century composer of many works, most prominently,stage works.Some of your favorite songs were probably influenced by him. Including The Doors' "Alabama Song" which was originally in the Songspiel Mahagonny and subsequent opera "The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny." Also, note:Weill plus Brecht equals amazing songs. Read more about Kurt Weill here.








My favorite Weill song...I need to find Sarah Vaughan's version and post it...it is perfect, but this one is pretty good.

Happy Birthday Igor!

I'm a big nerd...it's Stravinsky's B-day...

Classical/World Music any real musician should listen to-June 2009

This month's composer is William Grant Still.I adore his music. Listen hard,listen well.William Grant Still (May 11,1895 - December 3,1978) was an African-American classical composer who wrote more than 150 compositions. He was the first African-American to conduct a major American symphony orchestra, the first to have a symphony of his own (his first symphony) performed by a leading orchestra, the first to have an opera performed by a major opera company, and the first to have an opera performed on national television. He is often referred to as "the dean" of African-American composers.Read more about his amazing career here.
Most famous composition:Afro-American Symphony



My fave Still Song: I was going to sing the vocal version at my recital:

"Classical/World music any real musician should listen to" May 2009

Maurice Ravel(March 7, 1875 – December 28, 1937) was a French composer and pianist of Impressionist music known especially for the subtlety, richness, and poignancy of his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects. Much of his piano music, chamber music, vocal music and orchestral music have become staples of the concert repertoire(Wiki).
`Read more about Ravel here
Most famous(I guess)Bolero:

My fave: Le Tombeau de Couperin-Menuet(my fave movement...but I adore the entire thing)
Orchestral

Piano(orig.version)

Jeux d'eau

THIS IS THE COOLEST THING EVER