Ives: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3

It was very audacious of Sony to go to Amsterdam and have the illustrious Concertgebouw Orchestra record this most American music, but the experiment, if that's what is was, certainly turned out well. The orchestra brings its characteristic polish to bear on Ives's sometimes wacky music, and as a result gives it the international stature that it really deserves. In any case, neither of these pieces is all that wild except for the madcap finish to the Second Symphony, in which "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean" and "Reveille" crash into each other with hilarious results. Ives enthusiasts need no further prompting, and even normal people will enjoy this fine release. --David Hurwitz