Unfortunately, many of the organ works that Ives composed during his years as a church organist are now lost. The following is the brief list of extant, complete works:
- "Adestes Fideles" in an Organ Prelude
- Canzonetta in F
- Fugue in E flat
- Interludes for Organ
- Variations on "America"
About the Variations on "America"
Of
course, the Variations on "America" is Ives' most famous
organ composition. (It is perhaps even more popular in William Schuman's
orchestral arrangement.) The piece dates from Ives' teenage years. The
first documented performance was by Ives himself on May 8, 1891. Ives
(or his father) submitted the work to a NY music publisher in 1892. It
was rejected.
E. Power Biggs performed the "second" premiere of the work--the first one after Ives' own performances. In 1960, Biggs was also the first to record the the Variations on "America."
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Original text copyright © Scott Mortensen 2002/2003