Ives on Naxos: Sinclair’s First Recordings

If I am to believe Amazon.com, I have now accounted for all of the albums of music by Charles Ives that James Sinclair has recorded for the Naxos American Classics series except for the first two.

The earlier of these was recorded with the Northern Sinfonia in 2000 at the All Saints Church, Quayside in Newcastle upon Tyne. The major work is the third symphony, given the title “The Camp Meeting,” which is coupled with “Washington’s Birthday,” the first movement of the “New England Holidays” symphony, whose remaining three movements appeared on a later release. This is followed by Two Contemplations, which served as a pairing for “The Unanswered Question” and “Central Park in the Dark.” These are more often performed individually, particularly “The Unanswered Question,” than as a “set.” Ironically, a later version of “The Unanswered Question” was the final movement of the ninth set for chamber orchestra. The album then concludes with the “Country Band” march and “1776,” a march preceded by an overture.

The second album was recorded in 2002 at the RTE Concert Hall in Dublin with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. The second half of the album is devoted to Ives’ first symphony, composed as a senior thesis for his undergraduate studies at Yale University. His primary teacher at Yale was Horatio Parker. In the context of his later symphonies, it is clear that he respected Parker and achieved an honorable graduation; but there are still moments in that symphony that probably raised Parker’s eyebrows!

Front cover of the Naxos album that includes Charles Ives’ “Emerson Concerto” (courtesy of Naxos of America)

Of greater interest is the first half of the album, the “Emerson Concerto,” whose Boston premiere did not take place until January of 2008. As its Wikipedia page observes (in the very first sentence), this concerto for piano and orchestra became the “first draft” for the opening (“Emerson”) movement of Ives’ second piano sonata, given the title “Concord, Mass., 1840–60.” I have been very fortunate in having several opportunities to listen to this sonata in recital performances. (One of them involved a competition, and I have still refused to calm my frustration with the judges for not awarding the pianist the First Prize!) As a result, it was easy for me to familiarize myself with the “thematic language” of the concerto, leaving me now to hope for an opportunity to listen to it performed in a concert setting.

By my reckoning, Sinclair has not yet recorded performances of the second and fourth symphonies. The second tends to be the most accessible of all the compositions that Ives called “symphony.” The fourth, on the other hand, is, without a doubt, the most demanding on the performers. When Leopold Stokowski gave this composition its first complete performance at Carnegie Hall on April 26, 1965, he required two assistant conductors, David Katz and José Serebrier. Here in San Francisco, on the other hand, Michael Tilson Thomas required only one other conductor, Christian Reif.

Then there is the “Universe” symphony, structured in three continuous sections corresponding to past, present, and future. Its Wikipedia page accounts for three different performing versions by David Gray Porter, Larry Austin, and Johnny Reinhard, respectively. I have the Austin version in my collection of recordings, but I have to confess that I have not given it very much attention. It will be interesting to see whether or not Sinclair decides to include it in his recording project.