Essays Before a Sonata, the Majority, and Other Writings

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Ives's second piano sonata, Concord, Mass., 1845 , stands among the masterpieces of American music. The Essays Before a Sonata was conceived by Ives as a preface of sorts to the composition. Ives's musings also explore the nature of music, discuss the source of a composer's impulses and inspiration, and offer some biting comments on celebrated masters. The writings in this collection―now featuring a comprehensive index-allow readers entry into the brilliant mind that produced some of America's most innovative musical works.