42 - Interview with Dr. Tom C. Owens: The Life and Music of George and Charles Ives

The Early American Brass Band Podcast

Episode 42 is our conversation with Dr. Tom C. Owens, Dr. Owens is Associate Professor and Coordinator of Music History and Literature at George Mason University. He’s internationally regarded as an expert on Charles Ives’s life and music, and is the editor of Selected Correspondence of Charles Ives (Univ. of California Press, 2007) and a member of the board of the Charles Ives Society. In the episode, we talk about George and Charles Ives, their music, relationship, and much more

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Music in this episode comes from The President’s Own United States Marine Band, and The 8th GM Regiment Band.

Episode Structure:

• 3:19 - Dr. Owens' musical background

• 5:27 - How Dr. Owens got interested in Charles Ives

• 7:06 - The Ives Archive at Yale University

• 8:44 - Dr. Owens' PhD dissertation topic - American sentiments in music

• 18:42 - Musical culture in New England in the mid-late 1800's, George Ives' early life and career

• 26:11 - George's brief service in the Union Army as a bandleader

• 29:03 - George's activities after the Civil War - Ives Cornet Band

• 32:51 - George's influence on Charles, their relationship

• 38:59 - Amateurism in music

• 44:56 - Town band culture, effect on Charles' music

• 48:43 - Band arrangements of Charles Ives' Music, Variations on America

• 53:34 - More correspondence between George and Charles, their personal and musical relationship

• 58:16 - Biographies of Charles Ives, looking back on the influence of his music

• 1:07:00 - Where to start if you're wanting to begin listening to Charles Ives' music

• 1:13:30 - Where you can find more about Dr. Owens' research and his book