Zubin Mehta, Christoph Von Dohnanyi, Neville Marriner - Ives: Symphonies Nos 1-4, Orchestral Sets Nos.1-2 (2CD) (2000)

This is an excellent Ives set. The compositions are not all equally good, but the performances and recordings are terrific. The First and Second Symphonies are performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by Zubin Mehta (recorded in 1972 and 1975). The First was Ives mastering the Romantic canon. A perfectly fine work with echoes of Schubert, Dvorak, and Tchaikovsky among others, it does not yet speak in a unique voice. The Second quotes from various American popular songs and hymns, including what to me is the quite annoying extended use of "Columbia, the gem of the ocean" in the finale. Here Ives emerges as distinctive, but not yet wholly convincing.

The Third Symphony (1908-1911) succeeds in weaving together a number of melodies from hymns in three movements. It is quite lovely, and is beautifully performed by the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, led by Neville Marriner (recorded in 1975).

The remaining three works are Ives at his best -- the Orchestral Sets No. 1 and 2, and the Fourth Symphony. In these works Ives continues to incorporate American popular music and hymns into what now becomes unique and visionary music that anticipates postmodern pastiche, trampling the high/low cultural divide. The Fourth Symphony famously requires two conductors in the second movement which pits two sections of the orchestra against one another at different tempos. The fourth movement is transcendent -- heavenly. These Ives masterworks are given stunning performances by the Cleveland Orchestra, led by Christoph von Dohnanyi (recorded in 1992 and 1993).

The Fourth Symphony is a great work, and this is as good a performance of it as any I've heard.

This Decca 2-disc set makes an excellent introduction to Ives's orchestral music, and for those already familiar with Ives, these are all worthwhile performances, but the three by Cleveland are especially good.

This is one of the all-time great covers. I thought it was a painting, but I notice on the back of the disc that it is actually a photograph, looking up at the red house, sky, and stunning clouds. Amazing!