Search - Ives, Reynolds, Detroit Chamber Winds :: Unanswered Question / Circus Band March

A great collection

05/12/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A great collection of wind pieces by Charles Ives arranged, transcribed, edited, and realized in a number of fashions. The songs run the gamut of Ives's career and his many styles, the latter half of the disc dedicated to selections from his Brass Serenade.Many of these pieces, most in fact, are difficult to find anywhere else, and are of enormous interest. One of Ives's earliest pieces, "Holiday Quickstep," for instance. There are also engaging interpretations of his more esoteric and mysterious works (The Unanswered Question, Ann Street), personal pieces written for piano and soprano (Remembrance, Evening, Mists), tone poems, and more lively, sometimes comic, sketches (Gyp the Blood or Hearst, Tarrant Moss). The performances, by the Detroit Chamber Winds, are energetic and gratifying. For most of the stuff on this disc, however, there is very little to compare it to.This is an immensley charming collection of short pieces that any Ives fan is sure to value."

The Brass Band Marches on with Ives

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 05/27/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The concept of transcriptions of music originally written for various instruments, orchestras, voices, piano etc goes back a long time. Ensembles comprised solely of winds, or brass, or strings gather various transcriptions (at times those of the composers who wrote the original score!) and make their repertoire more varied in adding such new insights. Such is the case with the Detroit Chamber Winds under the direction of H. Robert Reynolds and this very interesting CD is devoted to the music of Charles Ives.



Ives had great respect for brass ensembles and wrote music expressly for them. These are included as are a number of works for chamber orchestra etc. The collection is played beautifully and the recorded sound is excellent. With some reservations this 'Remembrance: A Charles Ives Collection' is not only successful but a fine addition to the Ives recordings.



Perhaps just returning from a performance of 'The Unanswered Question' performed by the LA Philharmonic with Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting where the mystery and spirit of Emerson's poem "The Sphynx" which inspired Ives to write this brief 6-minute piece colors this listener's full appreciation of these transcriptions. Originally scored for strings, four flutes, and trumpet (in the wondrous Disney Hall acoustics Salonen stood alone on the stage conducting the off stage strings, the flutes in the organ loft and the trumpet in the highest balcony in a three way conversation that seemed to come both from within the bodies of the audience and the ether of the universe, this work fails to hold the importance of the solo brass instrument playing against a brass ensemble. A small quibble perhaps, but some of Ives' works were specifically designated for certain instruments and defy tampering.



In all a recording to add to the Ives Collection and one that is certainly well performed. Grady Harp, May 05

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