Classical Instrumental

Charles Ives

One might say Charles Ives was the most original and most radical, and arguably the greatest, of the American composers of art music. One might also say that he was one of the most innovative figures in music history because he is named America’s first major composer.
Charles was born in Danbury, Connecticut on October 20, 1874. His father was George Ives, a bandleader in the Union Army who had served with General Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War. George gave his son Charles a highly unorthodox musical education by European standards.
It was not an option to learn of the three B’s – Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms. He received much instruction in harmony and counterpoint (counterpoint being the harmonious opposition of two or more independent musical lines). He would also be given lessons on the violin, piano, organ, cornet, and drums.
Most importantly young Ives was taught how to “stretch his ears,” as he said. This method of instruction would play a HUGE part in the progression of Ives’ creative composing. In order to practice “stretching his ears,” He was made to sing a song called “Swanee River” in the key of Eb while his father accompanied him on the piano in the key of C – this was a useful lesion in polytonality.
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