Charles Edward Ives was born in Danbury, Connecticut, on October 20, 1874. He is both the most outstanding composer in American history, as well as a winner of the 1947 Pulitzer Prize for his Third Symphony. This is the same symphony that Gustav Mahler reportedly brought to Europe but died before he could get a chance to perform it or return it to its home in America. Ives made his living selling insurance and composing on the weekends …showed first 75 words of 519 total…

…showed last 75 words of 519 total…harmony, rhythm and timbre through the exploration of polyrhythm, bitonality and unique combinations of instruments. His music is not only difficult to perform, but also forces players to develop new playing techniques. As the root of all great music, Stravinsky's compositions are not only for the well-trained ear but also for the averaged listener. Stravinsky is the model composer in the 20th century, and wrote brilliant music for all genres and numerous combinations of voices.