About this episode
Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Aaron Copland, highlighting his contributions to 20th-century American music.
This week, Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Aaron Copland, one of the most distinctive voices in 20th-century American music. From his Brooklyn childhood and formative studies in Paris to his return home with bold new ideas, Copland’s career charts a path through modernism, jazz, and the search for an unmistakably American sound. We hear music that captures the spirit of a nation – from Billy the Kid and Lincoln Portrait to his Fanfare for the Common Man, before he made the move from composer to conductor. Music featured includes: 4 Dance Episodes from Rodeo: iv. Hoe Down Two Preludes for violin and piano Four Early Songs: i. Night; ii. A Summer Vacation; iii. My Heart is in the East; iv. Alone Four Motets: iii. Have Mercy on Us, O My Lord Three Moods: i. Embittered; ii. Wistful; iii. Jazzy Symphony for Organ and Orchestra: ii. Scherzo; iii. Finale: Lento The Cat and the Mouse Old Poem; Pastorale Music for the Theater: i. Prologue; ii. Dance Piano Concerto Vitebsk (trio for violin, cello and piano) Hear Ye! Hear Ye! – ballet in one act: Scene i (Prelude) Piano Variations Short Symphony (Symphony No. 2): i. Incisivo; ii. Espressivo; iii. Presto e ritmico El Salón…
People in this episode
Host: Donald Macleod
Topics covered
- Aaron Copland
- 20th-century American music
- modernism
- jazz
- American sound
Keywords
- Billy the Kid
- Lincoln Portrait
- Fanfare for the Common Man
- Rodeo
- Appalachian Spring
Mentioned in this episode
Products: Piano Concerto, Clarinet Concerto, Billy the Kid Suite, Appalachian Spring Suite
Books & works: Fanfare for the Common Man, Hoe Down Two Preludes, Four Early Songs, A Summer Vacation, My Heart is in the East, Alone Four Motets, Lento The Cat and the Mouse Old Poem, Pastorale Music for the Theater, Dance Piano Concerto Vitebsk, Hear Ye! Hear Ye
Places: Brooklyn, Paris
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