Piano Sonata No. 1

Charles Ives - Piano Sonata No. 1

William Masselos - piano

The main portions of Ives' First Piano Sonata were composed in 1902. The work was originally in seven movements, but only five survived the composer's casual way with a manuscript - he usually consigned his manuscripts to whatever closet or drawer was most convenient in his Redding, Connecticut, home and even stored some of his works in the barn.
The composer described his Sonata No. 1 as follows: "One movement is partly from an organ piece played in an organ recital in Center Church, New Haven, in 1897. The Sonata is in a way a kind of impression, remembrance and reflection of the country life in some of the Connecticut villages in the 1880's and 1890's.
"One of the Allegros tries to picture the excited fun a father has when his son hit [sic] a home run which won the school baseball game, and there is at times the poignant sadness of a mother after her boy left the village to take a job in a neighboring city, and she hums 'Where Is My Wandering Boy?'
"In one of the Allegros is a take-off of the farmers' Barn Dance, with its jigs, foot jumps and reels, which they all enjoyed on a winter's night in the rockstrewn hills.
"Throughout, some of the old Hymn Tunes, folk songs and Town Band Quick-steps are suggested, and also the general feeling and fervor of those bygone days when many oldtimers often liked to think things out for themselves and to do them in their own way." (from the liner notes)

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. Piano Sonata No. 1: Adagio con moto {7:18}

2. Piano Sonata No. 1: Allegro moderato {4:58}

3. Piano Sonata No. 1: Largo; Allegro {6:48}

Side 2

1. Piano Sonata No. 1: Allegro {3:25}

2. Piano Sonata No. 1: Andante maestoso {9:19}

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