The Piano Variations is a pivotal Copland work. If Appalachian Spring is the crowning glory of his populist idiom then the Piano Variations plays the same role for his modernist works. 20 variations in...
This blog is a celebration of the music of Aaron Copland. I first knowlingly became aware of Aaron Copland and his music the day after he died on 2 December 1990. The BBC news...
Aaron Copland’s name is synonymous with American music. It was his pioneering achievement to break free from Europe and create concert music that is characteristically American. At the same time, he was able to...
I absolutely love this version of Quiet City. The original incidental music from the Irwin Shaw play recreated by saxophonist Cristopher Brellochs.
When it comes to Copland, for me, more means more! This goes against Copland’s own view – he wanted to make every note count and was quite reductionist in his approach to composing. Many...
Aaron Copland is known principally for a handful of works composed in the late 1930’s and 1940’s. The aim of this blog is to introduce his relatively unknown and neglected pieces to a wider...
Of his many children there are a few unloved, neglected, misunderstood ones that deserve much greater attention. Of all these Symphonic Ode is the one I want to adopt! Copland produced around 80 works...
The video shows Copland as a precise, energetic and alert conductor, smiling happily at the orchestra after each piece and enjoying himself enormously in the performance of the Hoedown from the ballet Rodeo. It’s...
Check out some of these recordings of incredibly rare almost unknown Copland.
