Jaren Hinckley

(1874-1954)

As I mentioned in a blog post a few months ago (Sept. 22, 2013), Ives is one of my favorite composers. For the month of November, and particularly for the week of Thanksgiving, I want to look at the final movement of Ives’ “Holidays Symphony” titled “Thanksgiving and Forefathers Day”

As usual, Ives quotes/borrows a number of pre-existing tunes within this movement.  As you listen, you will most certainly hear simple lovely melodies that sound like hymns (and that’s because they are).  Here are two of the hymns most prominently quoted in this piece.  First, “The Shining Shore” performed by an amateur (but sweet) singing group:

Next is “Duke Street,” better known as “Jesus Shall Reign.”  Here it is performed on the organ:

And here’s the music in case you want to sing along with the organ.

In a number of cases, Ives will feature one to three instruments playing a familiar hymn tune at a very soft dynamic level.  He wanted you to barely perceive the melodies as though you heard them from a far off distance.  I found one—Nettleton (Come Thou Fount)—in the orchestral score played by one flute at the pianissimo dynamic level, while the rest of the orchestra was playing at a forte level, including trombones and French horns.  On my recording, I couldn’t hear the flute at all.  Nevertheless, it’s a cool idea and perhaps his intent was that it be almost a subliminal effect.

Here’s that moment:

Couldn’t hear “Nettleton,” could you?

Later, just a tad before the halfway point (around six and half minutes in) the oboe, flute and violins present (in turn) The Shining Shore, this time, in a highly obvious way.  If you need to, go back up to the top of this post and re-listen to the vocal version of it to get the melody stuck in your head. Here is Ives’ use of the melody:

As you have heard with these few examples, the entire piece alternates between 1) highly dissonant moments with tons of layered melodies and harsh chords and 2) incredibly beautiful, simply-stated hymn tunes.

HIGHLIGHT: When Ives quotes the hymn Duke Street (Jesus Shall Reign). If you need to, go back up to the top of this post and re-listen to the organ version to get the melody stuck in your head.  In Ives’ version of it, it shows up right near the end with full unison choir.  Ives loved unison choirs and I have to admit there’s nothing quite like it.  Keep in mind, however, Ives used different words, penned by a New Haven minister years before.  Here they are so you can sing along if you like:

God! Beneath Thy guiding hand,

Our exiled fathers crossed the sea,

And as they trod the wintry strand,

With prayer and praised they worshipped Thee.

The movement ends as though a (in Ives’ words) “Puritan band were marching out of view and hearing.”  To achieve this effect, Ives indicated that certain instruments on stage should stop playing and duplicate instruments off stage would continue the line.  I’m not sure that will come across on a recording, but here goes:

To truly get the full effect of this piece, you really need to listen to the entire thing.  If I listen to the entire piece, I can easily be brought to tears, especially when the chorus comes in.  Goosebumps, even.  There are a few recordings of this movement on YouTube.  Here’s the link to one of them:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWsFbWuHO6Q

WHAT’S LEFT TO LISTEN TO BY IVES?: Lots.

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