Charles Ives (1874-1954) earned his living by selling insurance policies to his contemporaries. Besides, he took a great interest in literature, philosophy and, first and foremost, music. And what came of it? The most original modernist music one could imagine.

Ives's Third Symphony was inspired by his memory of camp meetings, the Christian "evangelistic gatherings" common in his youth. However bizarre these meetings may appear to us, they were a familiar feature of rural America especially during the last third of the 19th century. The symphony is noticeably influenced by the hymns sung during these events. Always aware of what was going on around him, Ives also got a kick out of ragtime and adapted it for orchestral performance in his Ragtime Dances. His love of literature is reflected by the Robert Browning Overture, a remarkable homage to the English poet and playwright. The music on this CD presents a vivid portrait of one of the most original protagonists of early modernism.