Transcript Var. 1 - cloudfront.net

Aaron Copland
American Composer
• Though he was the son of
Lithuanian-Jewish immigrants,
Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
developed a distinctly “American”
sound that made him the leading
American classical composer of
the 1930’s and 40’s.
• At 21, Copland moved to Paris to
study with Nadia Boulanger and write the kind of avant-garde
music that was popular at the time.
• After returning to New York, however, he wanted to write in
style that expressed the landscape, culture and attitudes of
the United States.
Music for the Common Man
• Copland decided to simplify his music so it
could be appreciated by the common man.
He toned down the dissonance and wrote
about things the common man could relate to.
• As the United States was entering into the
dark days of WWII, Copland wrote a song to
celebrate the rising importance and dignity of
the common man in the world. While fanfares
were usually written to celebrate the arrival of
kings, his “Fanfare for the Common Man” (1942) celebrated
the arrival of the basic, hard-working man and woman into
power. It was premiered on Income-Tax Day.
• http://youtu.be/WxPPA9ZFvck
Cowboy Ballet
• Copland wrote several ballets
that were groundbreaking
for their distinctly American
musical styles and stories:
Billy the Kid, Rodeo, and
Appalachian Spring.
• Rodeo (1942) is a story about a
tom-boy cowgirl finding her
place among the cowboys.
• The finale scene, “Hoedown” portrays a frontier dancing party
with traditional fiddle hoedown music. It was used in the 90’s
for the “Beef: it’s what’s for dinner” campaign.
• http://youtu.be/AKChyxd9MnM
Painting the American Landscape
• Copland’s ballet Appalachian Spring
(1944) portrays “a pioneer celebration
in spring around a newly-build farm
house” and includes such characters as
a new bride and groom and a preacher.
• It includes many hoedown and religious
revival-like pieces, but only one actual
folk song was used in it.
• Copland used an old, forgotten Shaker
song that he found called “Simple Gifts.”
Because of him, it’s now world-famous.
• Copland paints the feel of wide-open American fields with his
use of slow-moving, open 5th and octave harmonies.
“Simple Gifts” Theme & Variation
• Aaron Copland uses a technique called “Theme & Variation” to
repeat the folk song melody six times, differently each time.
– Theme: Played by a solo clarinet with simple open chords
accompanying.
– Var. 1: Oboe & bassoon duet on melody, slightly faster.
– Var. 2: Low instruments play melody while higher instruments repeat
like a round.
– Var. 3: Brass play melody twice as fast.
– Var. 4: Woodwinds play second part of melody slowly & gently.
– Var. 5: Full orchestra plays first part of melody loudly & majestically.
• Try to follow and identify each variation as you listen to them:
http://youtu.be/w5EkDe0VHOs