There are several collections of selections from the many short works of Charles Ives. Perhaps the best one is the EMI set by the Ensemble Modern conducted by Ingo Metzmacher. This collection, by the Detroit Chamber Winds "and Friends," conducted by H. Robert Reynolds, is a close second. Furthermore, it gains particular distinction because of its emphasis on some of Ives' very early music. The program includes such early works as Marches II and III and the charming Holiday Quickstep, a march Charles Ives wrote for his ...
Read More
There are several collections of selections from the many short works of Charles Ives. Perhaps the best one is the EMI set by the Ensemble Modern conducted by Ingo Metzmacher. This collection, by the Detroit Chamber Winds "and Friends," conducted by H. Robert Reynolds, is a close second. Furthermore, it gains particular distinction because of its emphasis on some of Ives' very early music. The program includes such early works as Marches II and III and the charming Holiday Quickstep, a march Charles Ives wrote for his father's theater band at the age of 13 as a Christmas present. This is primarily a band recording, and most of the music is arranged for wind instruments. To the credit of the release coordinators, the names of the editors of the various arrangements are cited where appropriate, but notes could be clearer on the degree to which the songs were reorchestrated for this release. Some pieces do have a few strings (including, of course, The Unanswered Question), while others are for brass...
Read Less