# The Ives Wisdom



## Avey (Mar 5, 2013)

George Ives, father of Charles Ives, allegedly imparted this specific piece of wisdom to his son:

_Don't pay too much attention to the sounds, for if you do, you may miss the music."_

Of course, accounts differ as to when and where this comment was made, and the specific verbage may differ. Nonetheless, the point is made.

So how do you feel about that? Profound? _Cliche_? Typical Father BS? _Ivesian_?

I go with all the above. And feel this is an enduring, learned position.


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## Dave Whitmore (Oct 3, 2014)

Avey said:


> George Ives, father of Charles Ives, allegedly imparted this specific piece of wisdom to his son:
> 
> _Don't pay too much attention to the sounds, for if you do, you may miss the music."_
> 
> ...


Hmm. The musical equivalent of being unable to see the forest for the trees. Sounds like good advice, though.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Didn't Ives Sr. also encourage his son to 'open his ears' so he could appreciate unorthodox musical possibilities such as two different pieces of music coming from two different directions? He seemed quite an enlightened sort, if you ask me. I think Ives was lucky to have a music-loving father who basically let him do what he wanted - back then a lot of fathers preferred to see their money spent on sending any sons who had composing aspirations to study medicine or law instead.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Good thing George didn't give Charles any advice on selling whole life insurance policies.


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## Avey (Mar 5, 2013)

Not as many comments as I anticipated. Still, my feelingthe Ives' comment does provide me with a response to those who feel Ives' music is incompatible, confusing, overtly complex, or otherwise absurd. 

In fact, it is a great response to anyone too focused on individual instruments, melodies, or tendencies. Moreover, it applies to life. It applies to day-in, day-out work. 

Thus, I offered this thread. I feel this is seriously profound logic for everyday application and consideration. Go Ives.

Just my opinion.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

"Go Ives".

He did. He died.


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## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

Here's a brief essay that I wrote about Ives' unorthodox approach to music: "Perfectly Sensible Pandemonium." Perhaps it will add something to the discussion.

Largely due to his father's training, Charles Ives' ears had a much, much, much greater capacity for hearing music where others heard only noise. But Ives' music wasn't _random_ or _absurd_ at all.


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