Transcript Franz Peter Schubert (January 31, 1797 – November 19, 1828)

Aaron Copland
(November 14, 1900 –
December 2, 1990)
American Composer
Aaron Copland as one of
America’s greatest composers.
Aaron was born in 1900. It was
the beginning of a new
century and the age of
modern times.
Aaron grew up in Brooklyn, New York.
Even though he was raised in a big city he was best known for
sounds that were crisp, clear and simple. It brings out feelings of
being out west, at an exciting rodeo or in wide open spaces.
Brooklyn Bridge, New York City 1900
Aaron’s parents owned a big department store and the
whole family helped out. Aaron often worked as a
salesman of the toy department.
Harris and Sarah Copland in front
of their department store
1922
Aaron started to show an interest
in music when he was about 7
years old. He spent many
hours listening to records on a
new invention, the
phonograph.
Aaron started taking piano
lessons from his sister. He
started making up his own
songs right away. Aaron
persuaded his parent to send
him to a “real” teacher when
he was a teenager.
At the beginning of the 20th
Century there were many
new inventions such as
electricity, the telephone,
and moving pictures.
Artists and writers were also
trying out modern ideas.
However many music lovers
were satisfied listening to
music written years before
by the great composers
such as Mozart and
Beethoven.
Early telephone and light bulb
Aaron was twenty years old we
he got the chance to study
music in Paris, France from
Nadia Boulanger. He learned
and respected the great
composers but also learned
about modern music and
composers.
As he traveled around Europe he
also heard musicians playing
the new American music of
jazz.
Aaron started to add elements of
jazz to the modern classical
music he was writing.
Aaron Copland
Aaron’s music was different from what many people were use to
listening to. When the Boston Symphony played Aaron’s
Symphony for Organ and Orchestra many people didn’t like it
and some of them even booed!
Aaron Copland writing music
In 1938 Aaron was asked to write
the music for a ballet about
the legendary Wild West
outlaw Billy the Kid.
Aaron uses pieces of American
folk songs in his music for the
ballet. You can hear familiar
tunes such as “Git Along Little
Dogies” and “Bury Me Not on
the Lone Prairie.”
People loved hearing familiar
songs within Aaron’s music.
The common American felt they
could relate to the Aaron’s
classical music.
Fanfare for the Common Man was written in 1942 for the
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. It was inspired in part by a
famous speech made earlier in the same year where vice
president Henry A. Wallace proclaimed the dawning of the
"Century of the Common Man". The piece became very famous
and has been used in many movies, sporting events and
important celebrations.
Aaron wrote many more
famous, popular
pieces such as Rodeo,
and Appalachian
Spring and Fanfare
for the Common Man.
He also went to
Hollywood and wrote
some music for the
movies such as Of
Mice and Men and
Our Town. He even
won an Academy
Award for the music
he wrote for a movie
called The Heiress.
Copland working with the movies
Aaron spent the last years of
his life teaching and
conducting music.
Aaron Copland told his
students to always be
original, to experiment
with their music and to
make music that was part
of the modern times.
Aaron was 90 years old when
he died.
Statue of Aaron Copland