After his first visit to a recording studio in 1933, the frustrated Charles Ives wrote: “A man may play to himself and his music starts to live–then he tries to put it under a machine, and it’s dead.” But it would be hard to find performances more alive than these, which reveal just what a loony genius Ives was at the piano. Most of the music–improvisations, “Concord” Sonata movements, Studies–is related to Ives’ unfinished “Emerson Overture for Piano and Orchestra” from 1911. Extensive notes from Ives scholars put it all in context. Fragmentary takes, uneven sound quality, and multiple takes of some pieces make this disc more for specialized tastes, but it’s a revelatory treasure. While most pianists approach Ives’ scores as if they’re trying to sort them out according to a logical plan, the composer proves that his music can sound just as chaotic as his manuscripts look. We get no less than three wild versions of the war song “They Are There!” with Ives singing, and an exquisite version of “The Alcotts”. An essential issue for fans of the composer, to say nothing of musicians trying to play him.
