01 - 04. Charles Ives - String Quartet No.1 [23'53]
05. - 07. Charles Ives - String Quartet No. 2 [24'37]
Juilliard String Quartet (Robert Mann & Earl Carlyss- violins; Raphael Hillyer- viola; Claus Adam- cello)
08. - 10. Charles Ives - Three Places in New England [17'33]
11. Charles Ives (arr. William Schuman) - Variations on America [7'11]
Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy
Sony Essential Classics SBK87967 (recorded November 1966 and January & March 1967 (Quartets); February 1964 & May 1968; this CD issued 2001)
(flac and scans)
Recording venue: Columbia 30th Street Studio, NYC (Juilliard Quartet) and Town Hall, Philadelphia
Recording engineers and producers: not disclosed
This is a slightly curious combination of works - as though the producer couldn't find anything more suitable in Columbia/Sony's vast archive to accompany the two Ives Quartets. Nevertheless, they are all fine performances of early editions and Ormandy leads one of the most humourous performances of the Variations on America that I know.
Although not great masterpieces, the two quartets show two distinct sides to the composer. The early First Quartet is typically based on popular hymn tumes - the first movement was later re-worked in the Fourth Symphony. The mature Second Quartet is more intense and exploratory. The Juilliard's performances of both quartets are landmark and definitive and these were among the work's earliest recordings.
05. - 07. Charles Ives - String Quartet No. 2 [24'37]
Juilliard String Quartet (Robert Mann & Earl Carlyss- violins; Raphael Hillyer- viola; Claus Adam- cello)
08. - 10. Charles Ives - Three Places in New England [17'33]
11. Charles Ives (arr. William Schuman) - Variations on America [7'11]
Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy
Sony Essential Classics SBK87967 (recorded November 1966 and January & March 1967 (Quartets); February 1964 & May 1968; this CD issued 2001)
(flac and scans)
Recording venue: Columbia 30th Street Studio, NYC (Juilliard Quartet) and Town Hall, Philadelphia
Recording engineers and producers: not disclosed
This is a slightly curious combination of works - as though the producer couldn't find anything more suitable in Columbia/Sony's vast archive to accompany the two Ives Quartets. Nevertheless, they are all fine performances of early editions and Ormandy leads one of the most humourous performances of the Variations on America that I know.
Although not great masterpieces, the two quartets show two distinct sides to the composer. The early First Quartet is typically based on popular hymn tumes - the first movement was later re-worked in the Fourth Symphony. The mature Second Quartet is more intense and exploratory. The Juilliard's performances of both quartets are landmark and definitive and these were among the work's earliest recordings.
