Customer Reviews

Charles Ives: Piano Sonata No. 2 "Concord, Mass. 1840"

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I first became familiar with Ives Concord Sonata through the recording by Aloys Kontarsky. Soon afterward, I heard Kalish's recording.

Immediately I was impressed that I was in the presence of a musician who clearly understood Ives and could convey the beauty of this music from within the enigmatic writing. I came to love the piece through this recording.

The recorded sound is spacious and the piano sound is realistic. This CD is a Concord Sonata worth owning even if it were selling at full price. I highly recommend it.

I have always been fond of John Kirkpatrick's recording of the Concord Sonata. I was most pleased to discover the quality of this performance and recording.

The obligato parts really soften the effect of the piece emotionally. This is also a slower version of the Concord, timing out at almost 49 minutes to Kirkpatrick's 38. Charlie himself played this even faster.

A lovely performance, indeed I like "Emerson" the best, and I think Gilbert Kalish was right to include the viola part for this recording.

Among all the recordings of Ives' Concord Sonata, I think Gilbert Kalish's interpretation brings the composer's true intent to the foreground. The performance is technically perfect--perhaps a given. But more importantaly, the colors, nuances and energy of the work are brought to life. I recommend this CD to anyone looking for a definitive interpretation of this seminal work of the 20th century. It may not have the slickness of a modern, completely digitally recorded version, but the performance makes up for that. And anyway, the recording quality is very good and not even a real issue. I've heard some other recordings of this work and I could barely recognize them as the same work--big muddy messes with no understanding of foregound and background, nor of rhythmic treatment. This is the one.

Ives: Piano Sonatas No. 2
Gilbert Kalish
Recorded: 1976
Elektra Nonesuch

Jeremy Denk plays it like Chopin, Liszt and Debussy Jeremy Denk Plays Ives. I hate it. Donna Coleman also plays it badly Charles Ives: Piano Music Volume 1 (Concord Sonata, Three-Page Sonata, Four Transcripts From Emerson). After all, only Kalish played it good. I like only Kalish's Concord Sonata, I think it's definitive for now. I found it out, after listening to the Concord Sonatas played by eleven players, that are Gibert Kalish, Donna Coleman, Easley Blackwood, Robert Shannon, Rene Eckhardt, Alexei Lubimov, Bojan Gorisek, Marc-Andre Hamelin, Steven Mayer, Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Jeremy Denk.

I bought this CD for my wife because she loves the transcendental writers: Emerson, Thoreau, and Louisa May Alcott. She loved the music and has recommended it to several friends. My wife says that Ives really understood the authors and produced music that mirrored their works. This CD is perfect for taking out one of those old classics and reading along to the music!