Ives Songs, Vol 5

An army of performers make a mixed bag, nevertheless replete with interest

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Charles Ives

Genre:

Vocal

Label: American Classics

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 80

Mastering:

Stereo
DDD

Catalogue Number: 8559273

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
Paracelsus Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Eric Trudel, Piano
Robert Gardner, Baritone
Peaks Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Michael Cavalieri, Baritone
Michael Cavalieri, Baritone
(A) Perfect Day Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Janna Baty, Soprano
Pictures Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
J. J. Penna, Piano
Janna Baty, Soprano
Premonitions Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
J. J. Penna, Piano
Mary Phillips, Mezzo soprano
Qu'il m'irait bien Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
J. J. Penna, Piano
Leah Wool, Mezzo soprano
(The) Rainbow Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Eric Trudel, Piano
Ryan MacPherson, Tenor
Religion Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
David Pittsinger, Bass
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Remembrance Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Robert Gardner, Baritone
Requiem Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
J. J. Penna, Piano
Kenneth Tarver, Tenor
Resolution Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Leah Wool, Mezzo soprano
Rock of Ages Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
J. J. Penna, Piano
Mary Phillips, Mezzo soprano
Romanzo, 'di Central Park' Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Eric Trudel, Piano
Lielle Berman, Soprano
Rosamunde, '(Der) Vollmond strahlt' Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Eric Trudel, Piano
Sumi Kittelberger, Soprano
Rosamunde, 'J'attends, hélas, dans la douleur' Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
J. J. Penna, Piano
Leah Wool, Mezzo soprano
Rosenzweige Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Eric Trudel, Piano
Kenneth Tarver, Tenor
(A) Scotch Lullaby Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Eric Trudel, Piano
Lielle Berman, Soprano
(A) Sea Dirge Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Eric Trudel, Piano
Patrick Carfizzi, Bass-baritone
(The) Sea of Sleep Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Ian Howell, Countertenor
(The) See'r Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
J. J. Penna, Piano
Robert Gardner, Baritone
Sehnsucht Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Eric Trudel, Piano
Sumi Kittelberger, Soprano
September Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Eric Trudel, Piano
Ryan MacPherson, Tenor
Serenity Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Ian Howell, Countertenor
(The) Side Show Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
J. J. Penna, Piano
Leah Wool, Mezzo soprano
Slow march Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
David Pittsinger, Bass
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Slugging a vampire Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Robert Gardner, Baritone
Soliloquy Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Eric Trudel, Piano
Lielle Berman, Soprano
(A) Son of a Gambolier Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Ryan MacPherson, Tenor
Song Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Kenneth Tarver, Tenor
Laura Garritson, Piano
(A) Song - For Anything, Movement: Hear my Prayer, O Lord Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Tamara Mumford, Mezzo soprano
(A) Song - For Anything, Movement: When the Waves Softly Sigh Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Michael Cavalieri, Baritone
Michael Cavalieri, Baritone
(A) Song - For Anything, Movement: Yale, Farewell Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Patrick Carfizzi, Bass-baritone
Song for Harvest Season Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Frederick Teardo, Organ
Jennifer Casey Cabot, Soprano
(The) Song of the Dead Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
David Pittsinger, Bass
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Songs my mother taught me Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
J. J. Penna, Piano
Mary Phillips, Mezzo soprano
(The) South Wind Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Tamara Mumford, Mezzo soprano
Spring song Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Jennifer Casey Cabot, Soprano
Sunrise Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Tamara Mumford, Mezzo soprano
Swimmers Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Eric Trudel, Piano
Patrick Carfizzi, Bass-baritone
Rough Wind Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer
Douglas Dickson, Piano
Laura Garritson, Piano
Ryan MacPherson, Tenor

Label: American Classics

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 0

Catalogue Number: 8559274

The final two volumes of this ambitious series follow the pattern of the first four with a large cast of singers – pages of biographies but song texts online only. There are constant changes of style as a result of presenting the songs in alphabetical order. As I noted when reviewing the four earlier volumes (10/08, 12/08), this forces us to take Ives complete with the Victoriana included. Forty of these were published in John Kirkpatrick’s edition in 1993 but few of them have made their way into concert programmes or onto CD. The Naxos complete edition could change that. Many of these early songs have memorable tunes, are expertly crafted in the idiom of the 1890s – somewhere between Lieder and the salon ballad – and deserve a life of their own.

What is less convincing about this whole collection is the enormous cast of singers. Some of them don’t know much about Ives, whose humour is often missed, and some songs needed a lighter touch. But there are compensations. The jingoistic “They Are There!” that Ives recorded himself is rattled off with seven singers plus piccolo and more; “A Son of a Gambolier” is fun with all the specified instrumental extras; “Rough Wind”, also the opening theme of Symphony No 1, uses two pianists – the transcription for a single player was impossible; and the late song “Sunrise” (Tamara Mumford), with violin and piano, is sadly atmospheric. Ryan MacPherson is brazenly effective in the election cynicism of “Vote for Names!” and the epigrammatic “September”. Patrick Carfizzi and pianist Douglas Dickson make a vivid team in an earlier election song “William Will” but I still can’t get used to the fine countertenor Ian Howell in something like “Serenity”.

Robert Gardner’s flexible baritone is once again a delight in all the Ives styles. His “Paracelsus” makes an impressive start to Vol 5; “West London” carries its drama through into the soft piano postlude; and only his spoken introduction to “Thoreau” is disappointing. It’s a pleasure to hear the silvery charm of Sumi Kittelberger whose “Ein Ton” (a really catchy tune), “Sehnsucht” and “Widmung” are exquisitely done. The English versions of all these songs are included in earlier volumes. Mary Phillips charms with songs such as “Wiegenlied” and “Yellow Leaves”. So this is a mixed bag replete with interest; the singers are capably served by an army of pianists; and the series is a genuine landmark in presenting Ives whole like this for the first time.

Discover the world's largest classical music catalogue with Presto Music. 

Stream on Presto Music | Buy from Presto Music

Gramophone Print

  • Print Edition

From £6.67 / month

Subscribe

Gramophone Digital Club

  • Digital Edition
  • Digital Archive
  • Reviews Database
  • Full website access

From £8.75 / month

Subscribe

                              

If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription to Gramophone please click here for further information.