Ives' New England To "traditional Responses

Charles Ives( 1874-1954) is one of the most outstanding American composers in the first half of the 20th century. For a long time. Ivesian study has been centered on his revolt against tradition. This thesis, based on his masterpiece Three Places in New England, expounds subjectively the close connection between his musical idea, musical style, musical material, artistic technique and musical tradition, especially European musical tradition, while confirming his modernistic innovation. It can make us realize Ives" serving as a link between past and future in history of music and help us understand the development of American music.Three Places in New England is an orchestral set made up of three movements. Composed at the peak of Ives" musical career, it is one of his best masterpieces. This composition manifests his diversified artistic technique: the clever combination of American popular music tradition. Protestant music tradition. European music tradition and other various modernistic techniques. While many musicians pay close attention to the modernistic employed in the composition, such as polytonality. atonality. polyrhythm. tone clusters, etc. this thesis mainly aims at exploring its traditional root hidden behind the conspicuous innovation. It can be divided into three chapters.Chapter One deals with a general introduction of Three Places in New England. To provide more material about the forming of his diversified style, it also illustrates Ives" musical career prior to the composition of Three Places in New England, especially the education on musical tradition he received from his father and Professor Parker.Chapter Two gives an analysis on the main part of Three Places in New England. It concentrates on its typical traditional feature mainly showed in the theme, tonality harmony and structure.Chapter Three provides an intensified generalization of the traditional features from the aspects of the main part, musical style and musical idea.