Essays Before a Sonata

Ives's second piano sonata,

Concord, Mass., 1845

, stands among the masterpieces of American music.

The

Essays Before a Sonata

was conceived by Ives as a preface of sorts to the composition. Ives's musings also explore the nature of music, discuss the source of a composer's impulses and inspiration, and offer some biting comments on celebrated masters. The writings in this collection\u2014now featuring a comprehensive index-allow readers entry into the brilliant mind that produced some of America's most innovative musical works.