Transcendent

Happy birthday Charles Ives, born today in 1874. The first truly American composer he alas took the celestial railroad in 1954, but his influence on  American music cannot be over estimated. And damn it the man didn't even do it for a living! He has to be up there at the top of the list of influential insurance men right alongside Franz Kafka. The Charles Ives Society has an excellent introductory biographical essay

In celebration, here is the composer himself playing the Third Movement 'The Alcotts' from his  Piano Sonata No.2 Concord Mass.1840-1860.

The four movements are Emerson, Hawthorne, The Alcotts and lastly, Thoreau in celebration of the Transcendentalists who made Concord their home in those years. For those wanting to know more then the man is very forthcoming in his Essays Before A Sonata
"These prefatory essays were written by the composer for those who can't stand his music—and the music for those who can't stand his essays; to those who can't stand either, the whole is respectfully dedicated."

There are many many recordings of the Concord Sonata out there but this one is special.

If you want something done right then do it yourself.

As you might gather, I am inordinately fond of the music of Charles Ives.

The weather has cooled dramatically and things are a little slow in the garden. Perhaps a weekend trip to Hoffler Creek is called for.

I'm suddenly wondering what the heck this blog is going to do all winter? 'Banished's Bugs That He Didnt Post At The Time'?

You have no idea how many pictures I shoot that you don't get to see.