They are There
Charles Ives, age 69, suffering from diabetes, impaired by multiple heart attacks and probable strokes, singing his ass off. This is a recording every American musician should know. This is what makes us American. Ives’s enthusiasm and perseverance through the nasty modulations he wrote are to be admired through the lens of the American spirit. Is it a great performance to listen to? No. Is it a great performance? To me, yes it is.
The song is They are There. The text is here.
Not only was Ives writing the most heady stuff when Milton Babbit wasn’t even a twinkle in someone’s eye, but the dude basically invented estate-planning. How those things fit together, I’ll never be certain. Ives is a true American hero that is (and was) too often ignored. He was born 135 years ago today.
For good measure, go ahead and listen to The Unanswered Question. It won’t hurt ya.
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