The organist in Ives (Charles Ives and his early years as a church organist)

Charles Ives was a professional church organist for thirteen years. An examination of music he played, music he composed for or with organ, and pieces he adapted from his own organ works demonstrates that he was deeply influenced both by his practical knowledge as an organist and by the repertory he performed. This influence is revealed through a surprising number of features of his music, including its relation to improvisation, difficulty of execution, employment of novel sounds to represent extramusical events, approach to orchestration, prominent textural and dynamic contrasts, spatial effects, innovative harmonies, mixture of classical and vernacular traditions, polytonality, use of fugue and pedal point, frequent borrowing of hymn tunes, and cumulative form. In all these areas, Ives's music extends elements in the tradition of organ music, often in new and unique ways, so that many of the extraordinary qualities of his music deemed to be uniquely innovative are seen to have roots in his experiences as an organist.