Ives began work on what would become "Concord" around 1905, and it was eventually self-published in 1920. The four movements are named for literary figures of the mid-19th century transcendentalist movement based in Concord, Massachusetts: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Bronson and Louisa May Alcott, and Henry David Thoreau. Ives pushes forward early 20th century American music in bold, impressionistic strides, sneaks in little quotes of Beethoven, and at one point in 'Hawthorne' calls for a plank of wood to be used on the piano for a cluster chord.
Kirkpatrick's recording still sounds rich and powerful, and this CD release adds the bonus of six tracks played by Ives himself. Three of these recordings of parts of Concord date from 1943 (plus a tiny fragment from 1938), and two are "Emerson transcriptions with interpolated improvisations" that Ives recorded in London as far back as 1933. These six tracks originally appeared on a 100th Anniversary box set in 1974. The recording quality is as raw as you'd expect for the era, but it's nonetheless fascinating to hear the composer's touch on his music.
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