Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of Charles Ives
This Sunday marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of the visionary composer Charles Ives. The most fitting way to commemorate this occasion might be to passionately express our frustrations with the entrenched closed-mindedness that often characterizes the classical music scene, with its unyielding reliance on a narrow, predictable canon. However, this sentiment is not new; many within the classical community are already voicing similar concerns. Would Ives himself be satisfied with the current state of affairs? It’s difficult to say. While some progress has been made, it seems unlikely that it is sufficient.
Ives, a quintessential Connecticut Yankee, navigated through some of the most tumultuous and defining periods of American history. He was born in the shadow of the Civil War and lived almost a decade beyond the end of World War II. He was not short on grand ambitions, whether in music or in his highly successful career in insurance. Ives pioneered innovative strategies in estate planning and developed formulas for various types of coverage. He envisioned a future where music would develop into a universal language, “so transcendent that its heights and depths will be common to all mankind.” Unfortunately, this ideal has yet to come to fruition—unless, of course, you count the popularity of Taylor Swift.
In the early decades of the 20th century, Ives crafted a radically original voice in American music—an admirable accomplishment that was accompanied by its share of failures. This unique musical voice was often met with resistance; many people were simply not ready to hear it, and that resistance persists today.
It’s easy to empathize with the doubts of audiences who are perplexed by lackluster and poorly rehearsed orchestral renditions of Ives’s compositions. However, it is even more difficult to excuse the negligence displayed by professional musicians. Recently, I found myself in a car with a distinguished British cellist who confessed that he was familiar with only one Ives piece: the playful satire known as “Variations on America.” When I brought up the anniversary, he described Ives as “cute,” but that was the extent of his appreciation. Such a condescending viewpoint, expressed in almost complete ignorance, made me yearn to pour every last drop of British tea into the nearest harbor.
Concert presenters also seem to lack enthusiasm for this significant anniversary. Fortunately, writer Joseph Horowitz has taken the initiative to secure grants for various events at institutions such as Indiana University and Carnegie Hall. Flutist Claire Chase has skillfully curated a program at the Juilliard School that connects Ives to other innovative artists. Yet, this appears to represent the full extent of Juilliard’s commitment to honoring Ives.
In Britain, the BBC Proms have taken a more celebratory approach than many others. (Perhaps we should cancel that tea party!) As a pianist, I am doing my part by performing the “Concord” Sonata, including a performance at the 92nd Street Y in New York this December, and I am also releasing a recording of the violin sonatas in collaboration with Stefan Jackiw on Nonesuch. However, there doesn’t seem to be a strong wave of demand for this music. It feels more like a group of passionate Ives enthusiasts are standing at a street corner, desperately urging the world to take notice and care.