Charles Ives Construction Of Subjectivity In Schubert's Music

Charles Ives is one of the famous American Modernist composers. He was born in 1874 and he composed many compositions until he died in 1954. He was born in Connecticut as a son of Army bandmaster. He began to compose at 12 and he became an Organist at 14. Although he was not famous during his lifetime, he is very well-known as his unique compositional styles. His compositional style combines American popular and church music tradition. The Church music traditions of his youth with European and American popular style are blending together in his various compositions. Charles Ives’ String Quartet No.1 was composed in 1896 when he was a 21 years and a sophomore student at Yale University. The piece composed for standard string quartet which consists …show more content…
Like McClary talks about the cultural aspect in the music in the article called “Constructions of subjectivity in Schubert’s music”, by mentioning that the feminism or homosexuality can be the aspect to think about when people analysis certain piece. In terms of this, Ives’ church experiences can be the aspect to think when listener approach to his music. The church music traditions also became one of the forms of culture among the human beings which makes people communicate through this. Due to the revolution of religion and historical background, protestant church music traditions mostly focus on singing together. Because of his experiences at church work and his youth period regarding with this cultural information, many of his compositions bring the melody from hymn tunes. The opening theme of this piece is also well-known as the using of hymn tune “Missionary hymn” (3 Figure) by composer Oliver Holden (1793). As Ives using this Hymn, he might be able to approach to audience more comfortably because the hymn tune is famous and well-known among the people. Ives brings this hymn to his string quartet and makes music with the American popular so that audiences hear familiar melody line and unique style at the …show more content…
The common way to structuring 3rd movement is Minute-Trio form as I mentioned before. As Kerman mentions in the article which called “How we got into analysis, and how to get out”, people can apply criticism to analysis but it could be problematic when we apply to everything. In other words, if people only stand in the certain side with the critical thought, they only can be in one side. In terms of this, people can think about the using of pizzicato in the Trio section. It might be not a great idea to analysis only based on the typical sequence or traditional structure of music. However, thinking about the using of pizzicato in trio section (cello and viola) can be discussed. Composers not always use pizzicato which means that they use it as specific purpose. Through the whole 3rd movement, especially the Minute section, is not matching with the traditional musical structures of String Quartet; even the key setting of trio section is also unusual choice. Despite of this uncommon setting, Ives many try to show his musical idea by using pizzicato to establish the feeling of dance music—enjoyable— in this section (12