Note: If you see this text you use a browser which does not support usual Web-standards. Therefore the design of Media Art Net will not display correctly. Contents are nevertheless provided. For greatest possible comfort and full functionality you should use one of the recommended browsers.
 
Charles Ives «Central Park in the Dark»
Charles Ives, «Central Park in the Dark»
© Charles Ives


 
Charles Ives «Central Park in the Dark»Charles Ives «Central Park in the Dark» | play audio

Categories: Sound

Relevant passages:

icon: authorGolo Föllmer icon: authorJulia Gerlach «Audiovisions. Music as an Intermedia Art Form.»


piece of music
 

 Charles Ives
«Central Park in the Dark»

... a picture–in-sounds of the sounds of nature and of happenings that man would hear some thirty or so years ago (before the combastion engine and radio monopolized the earth and air), when sitting on a bench in Central Park on a hot summer night. The strings represent the night sounds and silent darkness – interrupted by sounds [the rest of the orchestra] from the casino over the pond – of street singers coming up from the [Columbus] Circle singing, in spots, the tunes of those days – of some «night owls» from Healy’s whistling the latest [hit] or the Freshman March – of the «occasional elevated», a street parade, or a «break-down» in the distance – of newsboys crying «uxtries» [ «Extra!»] – of pianolas having a ragtime war in the apartment house «over the garden wall», a street car and a street band join in the chorus – a fire engine, a cab horse runs away, lands «over the fence and out», the wayfarers shout – again the darkness is heard – an echo over the pond – and we walk home.

Charles Ives
cited by Victor Ledin, 1976.