Charles Ives
(1874-1954)

Died aged c. 80

Charles Edward Ives (/aɪvz/; October 20, 1874 – May 19, 1954) was an American modernist composer, one of the first American composers of international renown. His music was largely ignored during his early career, and many of his works went unperformed for many years. Later in life, the quality of his music was publicly recognized through the efforts of contemporaries like Henry Cowell and Lou Harrison, and he came to be regarded as an "American original". He was also among the first composers to engage in a systematic program of experimental music, with musical techniques including polytonality, polyrhythm, tone clusters, aleatory elements, and quarter tones. His experimentation foreshadowed many musical innovations that were later more widely adopted during the 20th century. Hence, he is often regarded as the leading American composer of art music of the 20th century. Sources of Ives's tonal imagery included hymn tunes and traditional songs; he also incorporated melodies of the town band at holiday parade, the fiddlers at Saturday night dances, patriotic songs, sentimental parlor ballads, and the melodies of Stephen Foster.

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Commemorated on 2 plaques

Charles Ives 1874-1954 A revolutionary composer, Ives was also a traditional insurance executive. His innovative music builds on American popular and folk tunes, and expands the use of rhythm and tonality. His avant-garde works include Concord, Mass., 1840-1860, The Fourth Symphony, and New England Holidays. He lived here from 1908 to 1911.

70 West 11th Street New York, NY 10011, New York, NY, United States where they lived

Charles Edward Ives 1874–1954 American composer stayed here in 1934

17 Half Moon Street, Mayfair, W1, London, United Kingdom where they was