Charles Ives: Sonata No. 2 "Concord" - Emerson (1/2)

Sonata No. 2, "Concord, Mass., 1840-60"
I. Emerson

John Kirkpatrick, piano.

There's a few recordings of this piece floating around, but this is well worth a listen -- a long OOP recording (1968) by John Kirkpatrick, the man largely responsible for Ives' published legacy, and one of his earliest champions. He gave the first public performance of this piece in 1939, initiating a critical reevaluation (or first evaluation in many cases) of Ives' work. If you know the score well you may notice a number of revisions or "wrong notes"; Kirkpatrick put together his own version combining material from many different drafts, Ives' own improvisations, and his own taste, as Ives generally (and notoriously) saw the score as only the starting point.

"It has seemed to the writer, that Emerson is greater -- his identity more complete perhaps -- in the realms of revelation -- natural disclosure -- than in those of poetry, philosophy, or prophecy. Though a great poet and prophet, he is greater, possibly as an invader of the unknown, -- America's deepest explorer of the spiritual immensities, -- a seer painting his discoveries in masses and with any color that may lie at hand -- cosmic, religious, human, even sensuous; a recorder, freely describing the inevitable struggle in the soul's uprise -- perceiving from this inward source alone, that every 'ultimate fact is only the first of a new series'; a discoverer, whose heart knows, with Voltaire, 'that man seriously reflects when left alone,' and would then discover, if he can, that 'wondrous chain which links the heavens with earth -- the world of beings subject to one law.' In his reflections Emerson, unlike Plato, is not afraid to ride Arion's Dolphin, and to go wherever he is carried -- to Parnassus or to 'Musketaquid.'

We see him standing on a summit, at the door of the infinite where many men do not dare to climb, peering into the mysteries of life, contemplating the eternities, hurling back whatever he discovers there, -- now, thunderbolts for us to grasp, if we can, and translate -- now placing quietly, even tenderly, in our hands, things that we may see without effort -- if we won't see them, so much the worse for us. . ."

-C.E.I.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• ralph
• waldo
• emerson
• ives
• concord
• massachusetts
• piano
• sonata
• kirkpatrick
• kalish
• beethoven
• avantgarde
• 20th-century
• american
• hymns
• oop

[NGS712]

Was this ever released on CD or is the OOP a vinyl version?

[minirausch]

this is a transfer from vinyl (and i think noise reduction etc may have sucked some of the warmth out of the sound), it's never been released on CD.

[AirsoftChinook]

load already ugg

[jascarver2]

To some guy yes it was recorded on CD performed by Per Salo.

I bought the CD when I was a hobo. At first I didn't like it very much but now I love it.

[stapler942]

@beastlybobo According to the handbook I was reading on the Concord Sonata, virtually every recording (including both of Kirkpatrick's) uses the second edition as its primary source.

[smulloni]

One of my favorite recordings of anything! I'd give my eyeteeth to hear Kirkpatrick's mono recording.

[underagedpickle]

@minirausch the reduced warmth makes it a bit more haunting

[beastlybobo]

This is amazing.

Do you know which version this is? The 2nd ed. or...?

[jamesrudess]

I didn't know this recording existed! awesome

[stanchinsky]

This is a real treat, Great upload!

[NGS712]

That's a real shame, I hope there will be a re-release someday.