First ESO performances of Ives Symphony No. 2 continue season focus on American music
On March 12-13, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra will perform Charles Ives' Symphony No. 2 for the first time, continuing the symphony's season-long focus on American music.
Performances will be 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 13, at the Hemmens, 45 Symphony Way in downtown Elgin.
Its world premiere by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic in 1951 took place 50 years after it was written.
By that time, Ives had ventured into far more dissonant works and when he heard the performance on the radio (he was too ill to attend the concert) he "got up, spat in the fireplace and walked into the kitchen without a word," many say in disgust at what he called one of his "soft" pieces.
Music Director Andrew Grams says he paired this work with the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2, featuring pianist Alexander Schimpf, because "Ives took the same symphonic ideas of Brahms, used American popular tunes such as Turkey in the Straw,' 'Camptown Races' and 'America the Beautiful' and wove them together to create a Brahms-style symphony." Symphony No. 2 is one of Ives' more accessible works written when he was in his late 20s.
Tickets start at $30 and a Musically Speaking preconcert discussion with Andrew Grams begins one hour before the show. After Saturday night's performance, ticketholders are invited to the ESO's Mingle with the Musicians at the Elgin Public House. For concert tickets, contact the box office at (847) 888-4000 or visit ElginSymphony.org.
Leonard Bernstein, who championed Ives, dubbed him "our Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson of music."
The many years of neglect of his work is partially due to the fact that Ives gave up composing full-time and became a businessman in the insurance industry. Only later, with Bernstein's help, did Ives begin to gain the reputation of an American original and a pioneer. The Second Symphony illustrates his populist or nostalgist period and Ives' goal in this piece was to craft a symphony in the European Romantic tradition with a distinct American character.
Andrew Grams became music director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra in June 2013 after an international search. A graduate of the Julliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music, he holds degrees in violin performance and conducting and has already appeared with many of the great orchestras of the world.
Grams was a protégé of Franz Welser-Möst and served as assistant conductor for the Cleveland Orchestra for three years. Named 2015 Conductor of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras, his charismatic conducting and easy accessibility have made him a favorite of Elgin Symphony audiences. Grams recently extended his contract through the 2020-2021 ESO season.
The Elgin Symphony Orchestra, now in its 65th season, offers programming unmatched for an entertaining, informative and relaxing cultural experience. Known for their high-quality performances, ESO musicians represent some of the most talented musical artists in the region. In addition to magnificent music, patrons can also enjoy a drink, spend time with friends and even shop in the lobby of the Hemmens Cultural Center. From start to finish, the ESO brings world class, big city entertainment without the hassles of the big city.