Unanswered Question, The

Charles Ives

General Info

Year: 1908 / 1935 / 1989
Duration: c. 6:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Peer International
Cost: Score and Parts - Unknown

Instrumentation

Full Score
Solo Trumpet (optional English horn, clarinet or oboe)
Flute I-II-III-IV (III optional oboe; IV optional clarinet)

Violin I-II
Viola
Violincello

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

The Unanswered Question is a musical work by American composer Charles Ives. Originally paired with Central Park in the Dark as Two Contemplations in 1908, The Unanswered Question was revived by Ives in 1930–1935. As with many of Ives' works, it was largely unknown until much later in his life, and was not performed until 1946.

Against a background of slow, quiet strings representing "The Silence of the Druids", a solo trumpet poses "The Perennial Question of Existence", to which a woodwind quartet of "Fighting Answerers" tries vainly to provide an answer, growing more frustrated and dissonant until they give up. The three groups of instruments perform in independent tempos and are placed separately on the stage—the strings offstage.

- Program Note from Wikipedia

Media

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

University of Missouri St. Louis Wind Ensemble (David Wacyk, conductor) - 1 October 2023
Southern Methodist University (Dallas, Tx.) Meadows Wind Ensemble (Jared Beu, conductor; Jenna Zelasko, trumpet) - 28 April 2023
The Randolph-Macon College Ensemble (Ashland, Va.) (Brian A. Coffill, conductor) – 9 November 2019
Arizona State University (Tempe) Wind Ensemble (Gary Hill, conductor) – 22 February 2019 (CBDNA 2019 National Conference, Tempe, Ariz.)
Pittsburg (Kan.) State University Wind Ensemble (Andrew D. Chybowski, conductor)- 14 February 2019
University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) Wind Ensemble (J. Nick Smith, conductor) – 8 November 2018
University of Michigan players (David Biedenbender, conductor) – 10 March 2012

Works for Winds by This Composer

The Alcotts (tr. Elkus) (1920/1947)
The Alcotts (tr. Thurston) (1920/1972)
Charlie Rutlage (tr. Sinclair)
A Christmas Carol (tr. Paxton) (1922/2016)
The Circus Band (tr. Elkus)
A Concord Symphony (tr. Patterson) (1920/2010)
"Country Band" March (tr. Sinclair) (1903/1974)
Decoration Day (tr. Elkus)
Fantasia on "Jerusalem the Golden" (1888)
Finale from "Symphony No. 2" (tr. Elkus) (1907/1974)
Four Eccentric Songs (tr. Paxton) (1922/2016)
Fugue in C (arr. Sinclair) (1900/1992)
Here's to Good Ol' Yale: See: March 6: Here's to Good Ol' Yale
In the Mornin' (arr. Singleton) (1929)
Lento Maestoso and Finale from "Symphony No. 2" (tr. Elkus) (1907/1974/2001)
March 6: Here's to Good Ol' Yale (tr. Elkus) (1897/2003)
March Intercollegiate (ed. Brion) (1892(?)/1973)
Memories, Very Pleasant and and Rather Sad (arr. Elkus) (1922/2011?)
Old Fashioned Hymns (tr. Paxton) (1922/2016)
Old Home Days (arr. Elkus) (1954)
Omega Lambda Chi (ed. Brion) (1896/1974)
Overture and March "1776" (tr. Sinclair) (1904/1910)
Postlude in F (tr. Singleton) (1890-92/1991)
Ragtime Dance No. 4 (trans. Sinclair) (?/1990)
Runaway Horse on Main Street (1908)
A Son of a Gambolier (arr. Elkus) (1892/1962)
Symphony No. 2. See: Lento Maestoso and Finale from "Symphony No. 2" and Finale from "Symphony No. 2"
They are There! (arr. Sinclair)
The Unanswered Question (1908/1935/1989)
Variations on "America" (orch. Schuman, tr. Rhoads) (1891/1968)
Variations on "Jerusalem the Golden" (tr. Brion) (1900/1974)

Resources

Ives, C. (1989). The Unanswered Question [score]. Peer International: New York.
Perusal score
The Unanswered Question, Wikipedia Accessed 12 November 2018