Ives: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3

Charles Ives (Composer), Michael Tilson Thomas (Conductor), Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Orchestra)

Product Details

• Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
• Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas
• Composer: Charles Ives
• Audio CD (January 9, 1991)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00000279N
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #129,291 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

It was very audacious of Sony to go to Amsterdam and have the illustrious Concertgebouw Orchestra record this most American music, but the experiment, if that's what is was, certainly turned out well. The orchestra brings its characteristic polish to bear on Ives's sometimes wacky music, and as a result gives it the international stature that it really deserves. In any case, neither of these pieces is all that wild except for the madcap finish to the Second Symphony, in which "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean" and "Reveille" crash into each other with hilarious results. Ives enthusiasts need no further prompting, and even normal people will enjoy this fine release. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A winning combination, February 9, 2001

By	"koream" (Potomac, MD USA) - See all my reviews

Symphony 2 with its varied musical quotations ranging from "Turkey in the Straw" to "Tristan und Isolde" is probably Ives' most famous, and most recorded, work.

It is hard to go up against Bernstein's "sampler" CD on DG which includes Symphony 2, together with a number of shorter works, but Tilson-Thomas has inherited the Ives torch from Bernstein, and acquits himself well on Symphony 2.

In some sense, then, the main interest in this disk is the less often recorded Symphony 3. Ives' Third Symphony, while incorporating thematic material from 19th century American hymns, lacks the "in-your-face" Americana of the Second Symphony, and could be regarded as a transitional composition toward Ives' later more abstract and dissonant work.

Tilson-Thomas has another recording of the Third Symphony, but it is paired with what is, to my mind at least, less interesting orchestral material than the Second Symphony. This pairing, then, makes this disk a winner.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Performances at a Great Price!, January 30, 2004

By	Michel Bouton (Schenectady, NY) - See all my reviews

This was the very first recording that introduced me to the music of Charlie Ives, and I still believe it's great! There is no better way to introduce youself to this incredibly original American composer. Both of these works are instantly accessible, especially when you compare them with his latter style. The No. 2 is actually better than Bernstein's 1990 DG account, which to many sets the standard for all the rest. The performance comes very close, but the sound quality of the Tilson Thomas has so much more body in the bass and also a more detailed treble. The No. 3 is better than average, but not as good as Sinclair's excellent Naxos version, which is also a great buy.