Jaren Hinckley

Ives is one of my favorite composers.  He is perhaps best-known for “quoting” or “borrowing” familiar hymn-tunes, patriotic songs, and folk tunes and using them within his own compositions to help evoke certain emotions and memories in his listeners. Some find Ives too modern, too dissonant, for their liking.  But I find that his use of dissonance is purposeful and adds to the listener’s emotional experience.  I thought I’d pick something that is season-specific. And I found more than one! Start by listening to this song by Ives titled “Autumn.”  It’s short.  2 ½ minutes long.  Take a listen…

Autumn (Ives)

Here are the words; follow along as you listen!

Earth rests.

Her work is done, her fields lie bare,

and ‘ere the night of winter comes to hush her song

and close her tired eyes,

She turns her face for the sun to smile upon

and radiantly, radiantly,

thro’ Fall’s bright glow,

he smiles

and brings the Peace of God.

A lovely song.  One of the reasons I came to like Ives in the first place was his tuneful and sweet songs.

Next, I found that the first movement of his Violin Sonata No. 2 is titled “Autumn” and in fact, Ives himself said he quoted his song “Autumn” in this first movement but, sadly, I can’t hear it. I found a great YouTube video of the violin sonata which shows you the music AS you listen.  Here’s the link for the first movement, titled, unsurprisingly, as “Autumn”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlrqOVeb6wc

The 2^nd movement, “In the Barn” on the other hand quotes LOTS of familiar songs.  So as you listen to the 2^nd movement, be on the lookout for the following quotes:

Ives’ quoting

In order, they were “Battle Cry of Freedom” “Sailor’s Hornpipe” “Turkey in the Straw” and “The White Cockade.” The most obvious quotes of these tunes are found in the last minute and a half of the 2^nd movement.

Here’s the link for the second movement:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT1YvJrGsqo

And the 3^rd movement, “The Revival,” quotes the familiar tune “Nettleton.”  If you are saying to yourself, “I’ve never heard of ‘Nettleton’ before”—I would simply reply, “Yes, yes, you have” (at least, if you belong to a Judeo-Christian religion).  Take a listen…(if you have still never heard it before, the more familiar title of “Nettleton” is at the bottom*…)

Here’s the link for the third movement:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZScYA7_WXx0

The familiar part is most easily recognized at 1:15 in the video, in the piano part (albeit in a minor mode).

HIGHLIGHT: The third movement. My favorite quotation of “Nettleton” is in the violin part at 2:42.  It’s altered a bit rhythmically, but it’s also surprisingly fiery at first and then joyful. And the way Ives ends this sonata (with the quote) is simply perfect (at 3:47).

I hope you enjoy it—even if the dissonance is a bit out of your normal comfort zone.

WHAT’S LEFT TO LISTEN TO BY IVES?: Hundreds of songs, oodles of chamber music and symphonies.  But because I love him so much anyway, I’m sure I’ll manage to make my way through it all!

*Come Thou Fount of Ev’ry Blessing

Watch it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUhU0HgTq94

or, if you’re a Mumford & Sons fan, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwZ_oFCqfG0