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