Summary

Charles Ives was an astonishingly progressive American composer, who gained a basic education in music from his father before attending college at Yale University. The brilliant composer decided he would be more effective at his work if he didn't pursue a music career. Instead, he was a creative business genius in insurance after college, and became wealthy through publications and the approaches to the business he invented in this field. This allowed him to develop an uncompromising approach free from considerations of a sometimes overly critical music world. Only after a major heart attack did he begin to make his music public after extensive years in isolation. For more information on this composer, consult the web resources below.