Ives, Symphony No.2 (with an introduction by Leonard Bernstein)

Synopsis

Charles Edward Ives was the first internationally acclaimed American composer. He wrote his Symphony No. 2 in the years 1897 to 1901, but it was not given its first performance until 1951. With his unparalleled musical imagination, Ives created atonal music before Arnold Schoenberg, and anticipated Igor Stravinsky in his experimentation with free dissonances, quarter tones and polyrhythms, which are still problematical to play today. The Symphony No. 2, however, is a simple, almost "academic" work in comparison. It unites the musical tradition of the Old World with American folk songs, hymns and patriotic songs. What emerged was a humorous, almost folkloristic work which vividly conveys the feeling of true American vitality, naturalness and optimism, while interjecting recollections of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Wagner, Dvorak and Bruckner. Played by the Symphony Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio under Leonard Bernstein, Ives' Symphony No. 2 was recorded at the Congress Hall of the Deutsches Museum in Munich in 1987.

Additional Info

• No: A05501543
• Composer: Charles Edward Ives
• Conductor: Leonard Bernstein
• Orchestra: Symphonieorch. d. Bayer.Rundf.
• Production year: 1987
• Run time: 01:00:00
• Director: Humphrey Burton
• Producers: Unitel