I hope that Bernard Gregoire (and others in the Boston area) were listening
to Christopher Lydon on WBUR yesterday.  In another of his excellent music
shows he interviewed a pianist (Berman?) who has just released a CD with
rare Ives' works.  Also on the show was Jan Swafford, author of an Ives'
biography.  As someone who is struggling to get his arms around Ives' work
(with help from Bernard and others on the list) I found a few themes that
emerged from the broadcast very interesting.

1.  Ives' father was US Grant's favorite bandmaster.  When he came upon
the young boy banging on the piano with his fists he did not "correct" him
but, rather, encouraged him.  Throughout his youth Ives was encouraged to
consider things as he heard them, not as they were "meant to be." Also,
father would play in one key and encourage the kids to sing in another.

2.  The guests described Ives as an "impressionist." But unlike other
impressionist composers who recorded impressions of light and sights, Ives
was an "impressionist of the interior." Thus, Ives is not always trying to
recreate exactly what he heard, but also how it affected him.

3.  Mahler returned from America to Europe having been fascinated by an
Ives' symphony score (I'm sorry I didn't catch which one).  Unfortunately,
he died before he could conduct it.  the point was made that had he been
able to become a champion of Ives' music the subsequent history might have
been different.

4.  The importance of viewing Ives as being in the NE transcendentalist
tradition was also stressed.  Sometimes this may be overlooked in people's
emphasis on him as a successful insurance man by day and composer by night.

5.  Lastly, I was intrigued by the story of one actual event that found
its way into his music.  On some holiday two bands started from opposite
ends of the main street in town.  They marched towards each other playing
different songs.  They crossed and then marched away from each other still
playing their own separate marches.

Anyway it was an interesting show and I just wanted to pass along those
notes to people who may have missed it.

Ed