From waves of grain to stars and stripes, Aaron Copland defined the soundtrack of much of America. This week, we’ll trace his trek from the heart of Brooklyn to the heart of a nation. Featured works include Appalachian Spring performed by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Our Town with Copland himself conducting the London Symphony Orchestra. Bill tells the story of Copland’s trip to Mexico that inspired his symphonic movement El Salón México, and we will listen to the New York Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Bernstein perform it with pure joy.
Copland, Aaron
American Flag
Playlist
Episode 1
Copland, Aaron: Appalachian Spring (excerpt)
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra/Russell Davies
Appalachian Spring – Three Places in New England
Pro Arte 140
0:46
Dvorak, Antonin: Symphony No. 9, Op. 95 in E Minor
“From the New World” (excerpt)
New York Philharmonic/Kurt Masur
Dvorak: Symphony No. 9
Teldec 73244
1:02
Ornstein, Leo: “A la Chinoise” (excerpt)
Jenny Lin, piano
Chinoiserie/ Jenny Lin
BIS 1110
1:45
Copland, Aaron: “The Cat and the Mouse”
Leo Smit, piano
Copland: The Complete Music For Solo Piano
Sony 66345
3:44
Copland, Aaron: Grohg (excerpts)
Cleveland Orchestra/Knussen
Copland: Grohg; Prelude for Chamber Orchestra; Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
Argo 443203
0:20; 17:01
Copland, Aaron: Symphony for Organ and Orchestra
St. LouisSymphony Orchestra/Slatkin; Simon Preston, organ
Copland: Organ Symphony; Dance Symphony; Short Symphony; Orchestral Variations
RCA 68292
23:27
Episode 2
Copland, Aaron: Piano Concerto (excerpt)
Symphony of the Air/Copland; Earl Wild, piano
Piano Concerto
Van SVC 3
3:40
Gershwin, George: Concerto in F (excerpt)
Kostelanetz Orchestra/Kostelanetz; Previn, piano
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue; Concerto in F; Porgy & Bess (excerpts)
CBS 46270
1:07
Copland, Aaron: Piano Variations
Leo Smit, piano
Copland: The Complete Music for Solo Piano
Sony 6634
11:47
Copland, Aaron: Appalachian Spring (excerpt)
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra/Russell Davies
Appalachian Spring / Three Places in New England
Pro Arte 140
0:46
Copland, Aaron: Short Symphony, I. (excerpt)
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra/Russell Davies
Appalachian Spring / Three Places in New England
Pro Arte 140
4:24
Copland, Aaron: El Salon Mexico
New York Philharmonic/Bernstein
The Copland Collection: Orchestral & Ballet Works 1936-1948
Sony 6057
10:56
Copland, Aaron: Billy the Kid Part I. II. III. (excerpt)
New York Philharmonic/Bernstein
Appalachian Spring • Rodeo • Billy The Kid
Sony 47543
9:58
Episode 3
Copland, Aaron: Quiet City
New York Philharmonic/Bernstein
Copland: Symphony No 3, Quiet City
DG 419170
10:31
Copland, Aaron: Our Town (excerpt)
London Symphony Orchestra/Copland
Copland Conducts Copland
CBS 42429
3:41
Copland, Aaron: Fanfare for the Common Man
Boston Pops/Williams
America, The Dream Goes On
Phil 412627
2:56
Copland, Aaron: Rodeo
“Buckaroo Holiday”
New York Philharmonic/Bernstein
Modern American Vocal Works – Premiere Recordings 1950-1953
Sony 60899
6:59
Copland, Aaron: Appalachian Spring
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra/Russell Davies
Appalachian Spring / Three Places In New England
Pro Arte 140
25:13
Episode 4
Copland, Aaron: Sonata for Violin and Piano, III.
Previn, piano; Shaham, violin
American Scenes
DG 453470
6:29
Copland, Aaron: Lincoln Portrait (excerpt)
Philadelphia Orchestra/ Ormandy; A. Stevenson, narrator
Copland: Orchestral Works
Sony 62401
9:09
Copland, Aaron: Symphony No. 3, I. II.
London Symphony Orchestra/Copland
Copland: Billy the Kid, Symphony No. 3
Everest 9040
17:46
Copland, Aaron: Clarinet Concerto
Columbia Symphony/ Copland; Benny Goodman, clarinet
Benny Goodman Collector’s Edition
CBS 42227
16:55
Episode 5
Copland, Aaron: Eight Poems by Emily Dickenson
“Nature, the Gentlest Mother”
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra/ Wolff; Upshaw, soprano
American Songs – Aaron Copland
Teldec 77310
3:55
Copland, Aaron: Suite from The Heiress
St. Louis Symphony/ Slatkin
Music for Films
RCA 61699
8:07
Copland, Aaron: Old American Songs
“The Boatman’s Dance,” “The Dodger,” “At the River,” “I Bought Me a Cat”
Columbia Symphony/Copland; William Warfield, baritone
Copland Conducts Copland
CBS 42430
10:36
Copland, Aaron: Music for a Great City, I.
St. Louis Symphony/Slatkin
Music for Films
RCA 61699
7:26
Copland, Aaron: “Down a Country Lane”
Bill McGlaughlin, piano
N/A (live)
1:57
Copland, Aaron: Symphony No. 3, Ill. Finale
London Symphony Orchestra/Copland
Copland: Billy the Kid, Symphony No. 3
Everest 9040
13:07
Copland, Aaron: Down a Country Lane (under Bill’s speaking)
Bill McGlaughlin, piano
N/A (live)
1:57
