Customer Reviews

Ives: Symphony No. 1

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I have always been a huge fan of the Sony Essential Classics line, and the RCA High Performance disc of Ives Symphony No.2 performed by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra has always been a personal favorite, so it should come at no surprise that I made this my title my choice when it came to the Ives' First Symphony. This is yet another in a long line of truly "essential" performances by Ormandy and Philadelphia on this budget-priced CD series -- terrific titles of Bruckner, Hindemith, Bizet, Mozart, Haydn, Rachmaninov, and now you can toss in Ives too. But as incredible as the recording of Symphony No. 1 is, the performances of "Three Places in New England" and the lengthy (for an overture anyway) "Robert Browning Overture" are equally stunning. It should be noted that Ormandy's mentor, Leopold Stokowski takes over the baton on the latter, albeit with the American Symphony Orchestra, and not his former employer, Philadelphia. This is another disc that is worthy of the name "Essential Classics."

I've been living with the Ives First since the Chicago Symphony Version under Morton Gould, which, by the way, should be reissued. It's the best. The work is a treasure. It's feet are firmly planted in the 19th century, but it's on crest of the wave to the 20th. Ormandy's version is first rate, Jarvi's is very good and Sinclair's stinks. Sinclair takes the first movement repeat, but the tempo is lethargic. I know he could have gotten better speed out of the National Symphony of Ireland. Michael Tilson Thomas's is the best of those currently available. (I think it's still available.) The Ormandy version is cheap. It's an excellent introduction to a work that dramatically shows the way to the explosion of American Music that followes. Buy this. Your life will be improved.