As I write this review, I realize that Naxos has moved on very quickly and there are now five volumes of Ives’ complete songs available in the shops. Nevertheless the pattern for these discs seems to have been repeated for the latest ones so I can throw some light on what they are all about and what you can expect. The first thing to say is that the whole concept is brilliant, that is, to vary the voices, young ones as well as experienced opera singers—all biographies are meticulously given in the booklets—and to vary the accompanists. These latter can sometimes be overlooked but here each has done a sterling job. On some occasions the piano part is massively more difficult than the vocal one. Also inspired was the decision to put the items together in alphabetical order. This places the songs in a random chronological manner so that as you listen you have the prospect of a new and pleasing surprise around every corner.

…Ives published his 114 songs—many very short indeed—in 1922. There are in fact about sixty others which form part of this complete collection. We may be coming to terms with his modernistic and later songs but this complete collection helps us to get to know the ‘Victoriana’ as well. The chromaticisms are such as to remind me of César Franck in for instance ‘Far from my heavenly home’. By 1922 he was approaching the end of his composing career although he had many years yet to live. I am a firm believer that the music written from about 1914 onwards is pure nostalgia. These songs—or indeed several of the orchestral works—often begin with a strange polytonal chord and then proceed in a similar manner supporting a tonal melody. One example is ‘August’ where the mood is captured superbly by David Pittsinger on Naxos. Incidentally, his diction is always immaculate and I was delighted to discover that it is he who tackles, excellently, the famous but challenging ‘General William Booth enters into Heaven’ on Volume 2.

Other personal highlights, both musically and in the quality of the performance would be ‘The Ending Year’ (Sara Jukubiak), ‘Grace’ (Tamara Mumford), ‘Charlie Routlage’ (Patrick Carfizzi), ‘Aeschylus and Sophocles’(Mary Philips) and the incredibly powerful ‘December’ (Janna Baty).

Looking through Ives’ choice of poetry is interesting as there is such a huge range which must represent his personal reading and interests. The anonymous ones may, in some cases be his own poetry although, as can be seen above he did normally credit himself. Perhaps ‘Far in the Wood’ may be such a poem. He also set texts in German where Wolf is almost looking over his shoulder. There are also French settings however the chanson ‘Elegie’ is a long way from Fauré.

There is a wide variety of fun and thought available in this little known and in some cases utterly unknown repertoire. These recordings may encourage more singers both amateur and professional, and not just American ones, to take up the Ives cause. A little group of Ives in a recital programme or on an examination syllabus would be refreshing and of enormous interest to listeners and performers.

Charles Ives’s complete songs, arranged alphabetically by title from No.1 (“1,2,3”) to No.193 (“Yellow Leaves”) are performed by 18 fine singers, excellent pianists, and other instrumentalists as required (8.559269–8.559274, six discs). Ives, perhaps America’s greatest musical visionary, did not have the compositional technique to fulfill his quixotic ideas. Because his songs are short, formal problems don’t arise that plague his larger pieces; textual consistency also tends to unify his materials, so that his songs don’t sound as arbitrary as some of the larger pieces do. He set great Europeans like Milton and Heine rather awkwardly. Greater inspiration seems to have come from the American writers of his time, like Whitman or Whittier, whose works were set eccentrically, but with a particular American flavor. Many of his songs were arranged from instrumental pieces: Thoreau (Vol.6) is from the Second Piano Sonata, the haunting finale of “Three Places in New England” shows up as The Housatonic at Stockbridge (Vol.3). Several come from his violin sonatas: Watchman (Vol.6), At the River (Vol.1), His Exaltation (Vol.3) and The Camp-Meeting (Vol.1) is from a movement of his Third Symphony. TC favorites are The Circus Band (Vol.1), The New River (Vol.4) and Charlie Rutlage (Vol.1) among others. This is a project of the greatest importance, musically and as documentation, that is not likely to be available otherwise. Collectors will want to sample several of these discs; libraries will want them all.

For this Volume 1 of the songs of Charles Ives (the series will include all of the songs he completed), Naxos employed the services of no less than 13 singers, a potentially risky decision that happily turns out very well. Read full review Review at ClassicsToday

Naxos begins its survey of the songs of Charles Ives with a collection of 28 songs. The release enlists no fewer than 13 singers and four pianists.

With so many singers and musicians involved, the results are bound to be mixed. On the whole, the men make a stronger impression then the women.

Bass David Pittsinger sings four selections and leaves a big imprint on each with his firm tone and clear diction. He gives outstanding interpretations of “Because of You” and “The Camp Meeting.”

Also impressive are tenor Kenneth Tarver and baritone Robert Gardner, although the climax of “The All-Enduring” taxes Gardner’s voice. Countertenor Ian Howell caresses two songs with his sweet-toned voice…