Ives: New England Holidays & Orchestral Sets Nos. 1 & 2

Nearly a century after they were written, these three pieces by one of classical music’s true mavericks still sound astoundingly contemporary. Charles Ives, insurance salesman by day, composer of visionary originality by night, conjures up a musical world entirely his own. His love of place, particularly his native New England, is palpable, especially when conveyed with the passion and virtuosity of the Seattle Symphony—few American orchestras have championed their own music with such dedication, and they understand this music like few others. It’s stunningly recorded too.