Charles Ives (1874–1954) was an American composer and insurance executive, noted for pioneering experimental techniques—polytonality, polyrhythm, and unconventional structures—and for late recognition including a Pulitzer Prize in 1947.

Born in Connecticut in 1874; studied at Yale with Horatio Parker; worked as an insurance agent while composing; composed mainly in the early 1900s through 1925; won the Pulitzer Prize in 1947; known for works including The Unanswered Question and his symphonies; experimented with polytonality, polyrhythm, and novel orchestration.

Charles Ives (1874–1954) is presented in the reviews as a pioneering American experimental composer. Reviews highlight his precocity, polytonal and polyrhythmic techniques, and late recognition (Pulitzer Prize, 1947). 'The Unanswered Question' is singled out as a landmark experiment; the Four Symphonies trace his development. Critics view him as a precursor to many mid‑20th‑century avant‑garde trends.

For:Listeners of modern classical, avant-garde, and experimental orchestral music

 Ives was one of the first American composers to gain fame.

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 I call it philosophical music: it is about the eternal question of the reason for existence that Charles Ives wanted to brilliantly transpose into music, succeeding perfectly.

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