For those of you who weren’t able to make it to the New York Philharmonic this weekend to hear Gustavo Dudamel conduct Charles Ives’ Symphony No. 2, here’s a live performance with the Dude at the helm of the Berlin Philharmonic, no less, in 2023.

This quintessentially American symphony – a kind of scrapbook of Ives’ musical influences, whether they be Brahms or “Bringing in the Sheaves” – should at least be partially within the European wheelhouse, even if the musicians will not “get” all the vernacular references. Dudamel recorded the four Ives symphonies with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for Deutsche Grammophon.

The oboe duet at 9:08 always just delights me. A cheery start to my day!

Thanks to Mather Pfeiffenberger for directing me to the video.

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