Album

Naxos has instituted a project recording all of Charles Ives' songs within its American Classics series of which this is the first volume. There has been a previous attempt to record them all in one place, the results issued in 1994 on the Albany label. In that instance, just four singers and one accompanist covered the cycle of about 200 songs on four discs, with two songs obviously missing from the canon. The third track on Naxos' Charles Ives: Songs Vol. 1, "Aeschylus and Sophocles," represents one of the tunes Albany left out, presented right up front. This is a coincidence of its presence in the letter order, as this series is alphabetically arranged by title, which makes more sense than the assumed, roughly chronological sequence of the Albany series. Alphabetical arrangement reflects the way these pieces are usually dealt with in Ives' catalogs, and a chronological arrangement doesn't really reflect forward development in Ives' songs, as he dipped into so many older compositions and touched them up, discarding the originals. There is a whole gang of vocalists in this first volume—13, to be exact—not to mention four different piano accompanists, the string quartet called for in "Aeschylus and Sophocles," and the churchy organ called for in "The Collection." This horde of performers is no doubt pulled together to ensure variety in such a long undertaking of accompanied art songs.

"Why do this?" you might wonder. Do we really need all of Ives' songs in a few discs? Actually, there is nothing wrong with that idea; all of them, including very many of the ones Ives described as "weak," are at least interesting, and some, like "The Cage" and "Charlie Rutlage" included here, are considered among the best and most characteristic art songs written by an American composer. On the other end of the equation, some of the songs Ives wrote that are less than successful, and therefore seldom singled out for solo recital discs built up out of his work, are still worth hearing. Take for example "The All-Enduring," a long ballad from 1896 filled with trenchant dissonances in the piano part. Was this a case of Ives feeling his oats in 1896, as plenty of evidence for that exists elsewhere, or rather, did he decide to add these notes later to toughen up the piece a bit?

Is this a perfect collection? No. Is it truly possible that any complete collection of Ives' songs could be? He does state that he preferred several of his songs be performed by untrained voices, but as they belong to the genre of art song, trained singers invariably sing them. Patrick Carfizzi, at least, deserves kudos for thinking out of the box for "Charlie Rutlage," singing in a Texas-style cowboy drawl. Leah Wool's reading of "The Children's Hour" is genuinely lovely, and the idea of casting countertenor Ian Howell in the roles of Ives' now famous "Christmas Carol" and "At Sea" was a novel one. Likewise, Robert Gardner deserves singling out for achieving the plain and disinterested tone Ives wanted for "The Cage" and David Pittsinger's unapologetically sentimental delivery of Ives' strictly romantic heart-song "Because of You." Most of the problems are minor; "Abide for Me" and "Chanson de Florian" are not designed for high voice, tenor Kenneth Tarver has a problem with a tricky pitch in "Canon I," but these things are no big deal. Naxos' collection of Charles Ives' songs is off to a very good start.

© Uncle Dave Lewis, All Music Guide

CD 1
Charles Edward Ives Composer 1, 2, 3, S.321 Work Eric Trudel Piano, Patrick Carfizzi Bass-baritone
1	1, 2, 3, S.321	0:34			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Abide with me, S. 205 Work Eric Trudel Piano, Sara Jakubiak Soprano
2	Abide with me, S. 205	3:42			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Aeschylus and Sophocles, S.206 Work Mary Phillips Mezzo-Soprano, Biava String Quartet String Quartet, Laura Garritson Piano
3	Aeschylus and Sophocles, S.206	4:39			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Afterglow, S. 207 Work Leah Wool Mezzo-Soprano, J.J. Penna Piano
4	Afterglow, S. 207	2:25			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Allegro, S. 208 Work Eric Trudel Piano, Lielle Berman Soprano
5	Allegro, S. 208	2:20			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer The All-Enduring, S.209 Work Rob Gardner Baritone, J.J. Penna Piano
6	The All-Enduring, S.209	7:12			$1.49
Charles Edward Ives Composer Amphion, S.210 Work Douglas Dickson Piano, Sara Jakubiak Soprano
7	Amphion, S.210	1:19			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Ann Street, S.211 Work Eric Trudel Piano, Leah Wool Mezzo-Soprano
8	Ann Street, S.211	0:57			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer At Parting, S.212 Work Douglas Dickson Piano, Kenneth Tarver Tenor
9	At Parting, S.212	2:05			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer At Sea, S.213 Work Douglas Dickson Piano, Ian Howell Countertenor
10	At Sea, S.213	1:25			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer At the River, S.214 Work Douglas Dickson Piano, Sara Jakubiak Soprano
11	At the River, S.214	2:09			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer August, S.216 Work Eric Trudel Piano, David Pittsinger Bass
12	August, S.216	3:02			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Autumn, S.217 Work Jennifer Casey Cabot Soprano, Douglas Dickson Piano
13	Autumn, S.217	2:37			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Because of You, S.218 Work Eric Trudel Piano, David Pittsinger Bass
14	Because of You, S.218	3:01			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Because Thou Art, S.219 Work Eric Trudel Piano, David Pittsinger Bass
15	Because Thou Art, S.219	2:25			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Berceuse, S. 220 Work Mary Phillips Mezzo-Soprano, J.J. Penna Piano
16	Berceuse, S. 220	1:59			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer The Cage, S.221 Work Rob Gardner Baritone, J.J. Penna Piano
17	The Cage, S.221	1:04			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer The Camp Meeting, S.222 Work Eric Trudel Piano, David Pittsinger Bass
18	The Camp Meeting, S.222	4:44			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Canon: Not only in my lady's eyes, S.223 Work Douglas Dickson Piano, Kenneth Tarver Tenor
19	Canon: Not only in my lady's eyes, S.223	1:03			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Canon: Oh! the days are gone, when beauty bright, S.224 Work Douglas Dickson Piano, Sara Jakubiak Soprano
20	Canon: Oh! the days are gone, when beauty bright, S.224	1:14			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Chanson de Florian, S.225 Work Mary Phillips Mezzo-Soprano, J.J. Penna Piano
21	Chanson de Florian, S.225	2:00			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Charlie Rutlage, S.226 Work Douglas Dickson Piano, Patrick Carfizzi Bass-baritone
22	Charlie Rutlage, S.226	2:41			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer The Children's Hour, S.227 Work Eric Trudel Piano, Leah Wool Mezzo-Soprano
23	The Children's Hour, S.227	2:28			$0.99
Edith Osborne Ives Composer Christmas Carol, harmonized by Charles E. Ives Work Eric Trudel Piano, Matthew Plenk Tenor
24	Christmas Carol, harmonized by Charles E. Ives	3:46			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer A Christmas Carol, S.228 Work Douglas Dickson Piano, Ian Howell Countertenor
25	A Christmas Carol, S.228	2:44			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer The Circus Band, S.229 Work Eric Trudel Piano, Rob Gardner Baritone
26	The Circus Band, S.229	2:11			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer The Collection, S.230 Work Matthew Plenk Tenor, Lielle Berman Soprano, Michael Cavalieri Baritone, Sara Jakubiak Soprano, Tamara Mumford Mezzo-Soprano, Frederick Teardo Organ
27	The Collection, S.230	3:00			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Country Celestial, S.232 Work Leah Wool Mezzo-Soprano, J.J. Penna Piano
28	Country Celestial, S.232	3:44			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Cradle Song, S.233 Work Mary Phillips Mezzo-Soprano, J.J. Penna Piano
29	Cradle Song, S.233	2:23			$0.99