Charles Ives: Sonata No. 2 "Concord" - The Alcotts

[modomnoc1010]

Heard this on BBC Radio 3 - and it has a charm to it, if one can get by the dissonance.

[somepianist]

@WrestlingHeretic

It is most definitely a quote of Beethoven. Before each movement of this sonata, Ives writes a description. For this one he describes the Alcotts family, and I quote:

"...And there sits the little old-spinet-piano Sophia Thoreau gave to the Alcott children, on which Beth played the Old Scotch airs, and played at the Fifth Symphony."

"Fifth Symphony" is italicized, and while he doesn't directly say Beethoven, Ives Scholars confirmed that is who he is referencing.

[TheAnnafisher]

magnificent .. born and raised there! 1 womb 1 heart 1 love 1 town 1 Concord 1 peace 1 life 1 day 1 vision 1 world 1 focus

[24Monch]

@TheAnnafisher You're so corny. Ives must be revolting in his grave!!!

[TheNationalfilmbored]

@24Monch I think you mean "revolving."

[2cbooth]

To think that so long ago someone could create sounds like this. Variations on Bethovans's theme as if a child were at the piano. 30 years ago i found this on vinyl and still listen to it weekly. Now my 8 year old son, Samuel, plays the piano like Charles Ives, Shoenberg, but I'm waiting for Keith jarrett to emerge.

[ratzlp0li]

@2cbooth

The music goes a bit deeper than just simply 'variations on beethoven's theme'.

[witness124]

Who are The Alcotts?

[ElliePearl]

@witness124 The family of the writer Louisa May Alcott I think.

[henryr16]

More important than the Beethoven quotation, to me, are Ives's quotations from the Protestant hymnbooks of the Alcotts' time. One feels transported to a time more stark and simple, and of course, more transcendent.

[ArtD42]

I love this piece so so so much. Definitely my favorite of Ives's piano pieces, and among my favorite of his, period. I could do without the Beethoven reference at 1:07, but other than that... wow. Since everyone's doing it, my favorite part might be the slightly dissonant chord just before 0:25.

[flyindutchman420]

@ArtD42 if you study this piece there are profound reason for musical quotation and borrowing. In fact most of Ives music uses this as a compositional device.

[WrestlingHeretic]

@ArtD42

It's not necessarily a quote of Beethoven. Though Ives does quote Beethoven's fifth throughout the Concord sonata, he may very well be quoting a hymn called "Ye Christian Heralds, Go, Proclaim," (also known as "Missionary Chant,") which opens with the same four-note motto as Beethoven's fifth. Ives probably chose both sources together due to their motivic affinity.

[Pianomaster26]

0:00 to 4:37 is my favorite spot.

[sonoricca]

just love it!!!!!!!

[chubbard09]

4:15 is my favorite spot

[ultracoolhomies]

Its great.

[kernelhead1]

My favourite note is 2.57/2.58 thanks for posting

[CamillusUSA]

Beautiful.

[NGS712]

I love this movement. Sort of restrained for Ives but still showing his usual ability to create wonderfully poetic music. :)