Ives Ensemble - Portrait of Charles Ives (1874-1954)

Composer Charles Ives

October 20, 2024 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of American composer Charles Ives. Reason for the best Ives performers there are, the Dutch Ives Ensemble, to put this godfather of musical experimentation in the spotlight with a portrait concert.

Study for Piano No. 9 , from 1907, is such a strange time capsule: here Ives explores atonality in total isolation. His String Quartet No. 1 , written as a second-year student, sounds completely traditional, although its use of Christian hymns points to Ives' lifelong interest in popular traditions. The Three Quarter-tone Pieces for two pianos are radical explorations of microtonality. The Trio for violin, cello and piano is the most extensive work on the programme and Ives through and through: witty, transporting and utterly original.