In planning a class discussion of Charles Ivess The Unanswered Question, I stumbled across a YouTube video of Leonard Bernstein conducting Ivess Second Symphony, a rollicking roller-coaster of a piece that is both a pastiche of American music from all eras, styles, and tastes and a fully-realized symphony in classical form. This amazing piece, composed in 1901 (!) but not premiered until 1951 (!!), blends musical Americana, popular and artistic, in a uniquely and strongly American statement -- its music that literally cannot have come from any other place. Some notes for you as you listen to the symphonys final movement (beginning at 2:35 on this video): The orchestra sounds mostly like a classical symphony orchestra, but listen also for the sounds of marching bands, fife and drum corps, and folk fiddlers breaking through the context. Its very fun to watch serious musicians playing the Gonna run all night/gonna run all day line from Camptown Races like its a Beethoven or Wagner lick! Also, how great is the idea of Camptown Races in fugue presentation? Pretty great, Id say. Listen for Turkey in the Straw, scurrying under the fast sections and even accompanying the lovely slow theme. Speaking of the slow sections -- they sound strikingly like Dvorak in orchestration and in melodic shape. Is this the influence of Ivess teacher, Horatio Parker? Or did Ives discover Dvorak on his own? The fact that the coda is signalled by trumpeters blaring the Reveille makes me smile every time I hear the piece. The final chord is a total raspberry from an American maverick directed toward European classicism -- and in this video, Bernsteins facial expression is absolutely priceless. If you dont have the time or inclination to watch the entire clip, at least start watching from the 11:45 point. The coda to this movement is one of the most exciting, brash, and bold statements of American music that one could imagine. Enjoy!
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 06:15:01 +0000
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