Aaron Copland - Appalachian Spring; Rodeo; Billy the Kid; Fanfare for Common Man (Leonard Bernstein)

Information

Composer: Aaron Copland

• Appalachian Spring
• Rodeo (Four Dance Episodes)
• Billy the Kid
• Fanfare for the Common Man (Version of Symphony No. 3, Fourth Movement)

New York Philharmonic Orchestra

Leonard Bernstein, conductor

Date: 1961, 1960, 1966 / 1997

Label: Sony

-----------------------------------------------------------

Review

With the possible exception of Sergey Koussevitsky, who introduced his music to the world, Aaron Copland had no greater supporter than Leonard Bernstein. More than any other conductor, Bernstein strenuously campaigned for Copland's work and generously helped secure the composer's enormous and lasting popularity. One may still find Bernstein's bravura interpretations less than satisfying, for they are brusque and a little hurried, and the New York Philharmonic is at times too scrappy and pugnacious, even for these rugged pieces of Americana. Yet the four dances from Rodeo, the suite from Billy the Kid, and Fanfare for the Common Man (extracted from the Symphony No. 3) are hard to imagine without some populist roughness around the edges, and any lack of subtlety is compensated by the performers' abundant enthusiasm. Nowhere is their gusto more apparent than in "Hoe-Down," one of the highlights of this disc. However, Appalachian Spring, a tender and evocative work, is rather hard-edged, and some listeners may prefer Copland's 1970 recording on CBS as a gentler alternative. These performances, recorded from 1960 to 1967, have been remixed to improve Columbia's original sound. While the results are uneven, the listening experience is not disrupted by too many volume adjustments.

— Blair Sanderson

-----------------------------------------------------------

Aaron Copland (14 November 1900 – 2 December 1990) was an American composer. Born in New York City, he studied in Paris with Nadia Boulanger before returning to the United States, where he absorbed influences ranging from jazz and neoclassicism to folk traditions. Seeking a broader audience, Copland simplified his musical language in the 1930s and achieved international fame with works such as Billy the Kid, Rodeo and Appalachian Spring. He also composed film scores, orchestral and choral works, and later experimented with serialism. Beyond composing, Copland was an influential teacher, writer and conductor.

***

Leonard Bernstein (August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American composer, conductor, author, music lecturer, and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the US to receive worldwide acclaim. His fame derived from his tenure as the music director of the New York Philharmonic, his concerts with most of the world's leading orchestras, and his composition. As a composer he wrote in many styles encompassing symphonic and orchestral music, ballet, film and theatre music, choral works, opera, chamber music and piano pieces. He also gave numerous television lectures on classical music.

-----------------------------------------------------------