Author Description
Charles Ives, derided for much of his lifetime as an eccentric amateur, is now generally recognized as the most characterisstic, possibly the greatest, of American composers. Though there have been a number of books on Ives, this is the first to provide a coherent critical survey of his works.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the musical legacy and stylistic evolution of Charles Ives, aiming to establish his position as a central figure in American composition. H. Wiley Hitchcock, a noted musicologist, utilizes a critical survey approach to analyze Ives's body of work. By contextualizing the composer's output against the backdrop of his life and the prevailing musical standards of his time, the author provides a structured framework for understanding Ives's complex harmonic and structural innovations.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A chronological and thematic survey of Ives's major compositions
- Analysis of Ives's unique musical language and experimental techniques
- Historical context regarding the reception of Ives's work during his lifetime
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide an exhaustive day-to-day biography of the composer's personal life
- It does not include a complete, annotated catalog of every minor sketch or fragment
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the structural complexity of Ives's music. Readers often note that while the prose is academic and technical, it remains a standard reference for students and scholars of twentieth-century American music.
Page Count:
95
Publication Date:
1977-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0193154390
ISBN-13:
9780193154391
Biography
Music
Music History
American Composers