Some have written a book for money; I have not. Some for fame; I have not. Some for love; I have not. Some for kindling; I have not. I have not written a book for any of these reasons or for all of them together. In fact, gentle borrower, I have not written a book at all—I have merely cleaned house. All that is left is out on the clothes-line; but it's good for man's vanity to have the neighbors see him—on the clothes-line. 
-- Charles Ives, from his "Postface to 114 Songs"

In 1922, Charles Ives personally printed a collection of 114 Songs that stand almost Schubert-like in proportion to the rest of his output, and in importance as well. In them, Ives distills material that he layers in so much of his instrumental music, notably in his “Concord” Sonata for which, just a year before, he had also written personal and beautiful commentary to accompany a similar printing.

Baritone William Sharp leads this discussion of Ives Songs and introduces those he has chosen for the evening’s performance.