Aaron Copland
November 14, 1900 - December 2, 1990born in Brooklyn, NY, composed during the Modern period
Biography
Few figures in American music loom as large as Aaron Copland. As one of the first wave of literary and musical expatriates in Paris during the 1920s, Copland returned to the United States with the means to assume, for the next half century, a central role in American music as composer, promoter, and educator. Copland's sheer popularity and iconic status are such that his music has transcended the concert hall and entered the popular consciousness; it both accompanies solemn and joyous celebrations the world over (Fanfare for the Common Man) and punctuates the familiar words "Beef: It's What's for Dinner!" (Rodeo) for millions of television viewers.
Copland was the youngest of five children born to Harris and Sarah Copland, Lithuanian Jewish immigrants who owned a department store in Brooklyn. He did not take formal piano lessons until he was 13, by which time he had also begun writing small pieces. Instead of attending college, Copland studied theory and composition with Rubin Goldmark and piano with Victor Wittgenstein and Clarence Adler, and attended as many concerts, operas, and ballets as possible. In 1921, he went to Fontainebleau, France, taking conducting and composition classes at the American Conservatory.
His "12 Poems of Emily Dickinson", "Rodeo" and "Billy the Kid" compositions are TRUE masterpieces ! ^_^
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You all like his tonal music, but what of his atonal music? Hmmm?
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My wife and I played several Copeland works in high school, and his magic and emotion have never left us. What a genuine and breathtaking body of work he gave us! He is not just my favorite American composer, he is my favorite of any composer.
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So nice to have Copeland's music available... . m e t him in 1972 as a kid in college....h a d the chance to have him conduct us....incred i b l e !
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JARRETT: I'm grateful for the gift of Pandora with all of its possibilitie s plus a taste of "your" music.
Here is a sample of some of "my" music. I offer you America's greatest home grown composer JACK |
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A wonderful, imaginative composer. I generally skip over Appalachian, not because I don't like it but because I've had the CD for years and play it about once a week year around.
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One of my favorite composers. As a trombonist, I love his use of brass. It's sad really, I've never played one of his works!
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He is my Hero-he melts my American heart each time I hear his music and makes me proud to BE an American!
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One of few composers in whose music you can actually see the story they are trying to tell.
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I first heard copland in the move the red pony at age 10 that was 60 years ago and still when i hear that on the radio tears come to my eyes . thanks
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I feel "American" when I hear this - which is a really weird, rare, yet wonderful thing. I feel like working for NASA every-time I hear "Fanfare for the Common Man."
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He is in my memory since I was in my teens. I would like to find
"Salon Mexico" and "Jarabe Tapatio" that were in his repertory in the fiftys thank you |
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It is so nice of Pandora to include a station for Aaron Copland. Thank you.
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Copland is one of the few quintessenti a l l y American composers. He spent a lifetime crafted an "American sound" which is wonderfully recognizable - - a n incredible feat in a country as diverse as the States. Pandora needs to add more than just two recordings of his. It is lamentable!
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