Although it might seem like it, I don’t usually listen to wall to wall Copland. Like the man himself I seek variety. It’s certainly true that I do have a large Copland collection to pick from with 59 Copland CDs and a couple of legacy vinyl and cassette albums from the early 90s. I have at least one version of every Copland composition that appears on CD and have several alternative versions of the larger works. With Spotify allowing me to keep...
I heard about the death of Brian Wilson late yesterday evening. I was about to go to bed but instead I went back into the living room and pulled out Pet Sounds from my...
Barbara Hannigan is a superstar of classical music and a one off. A generational talent who sings and conducts at the same time – seemingly using every fibre of her being to communicate the...
A good book deserves to be read more than once. A good reference book will be taken from the book shelf on a regular basis. A good biography of Aaron Copland needs to shed...
Several times this last Sunday, when I mentioned the fact that I write a blog on Aaron Copland people looked at me a bit perplexed. There was a momentary slightly puzzled expression as if...
100 years and two months ago Aaron Copland’s Symphony for Organ and Orchestra was premiered by the New York Symphony Orchestra. At the end of the concert the conductor Walter Damrosch turned to the...
Here’s a New Year’s Resolution for you! Check out Sound World’s brilliant podcast series called A Land Without Music? If like me, you love classical music and believe that it provides a force for...
Even though I have been to plenty of superb performances this year there are a few good ‘uns that I’ve missed. Work, the Olympics and a family holiday have scuppered John Wilson at the...
For the last few years I have been thinking how I might celebrate the 125th anniversary of Aaron Copland’s birth. I am now ready to share the vision for Copland 125! The idea in...
Aaron Copland died on 2 December, 1990. I had just turned 20 and was at Swansea University. I watched the BBC News and there was an obituary. I can remember the black and white...
