AARON COPLAND

Suite from Appalachian Spring (1945 Full Orchestration)

Born: November 14, 1900, in New York City
Died: December 2, 1990, in North Tarrytown, New York
Work composed: 194344; revised 1945
World premiere: October 4, 1945, New York Philharmonic, Artur Rodzinski
conducting
After studies in France in the 1920s with the famed pedagogue, Nadia Boulanger,
Aaron Copland quickly made a name for himself as modern firebrand. When his
Organ Symphony was first performed in 1924, conductor Walter Damrosch
quipped to the audience, If a young man at the age of 24 can write a symphony
like that, in five years he will be ready to commit murder!
In the early 1930s, Copland experienced an epiphany of sorts, leading to a stylistic
shift from lean and acerbic Stravinskian neo-classicism to a popular/folk idiom
that has endeared him to generations of music lovers. Ballets such as Billy the Kid
and Rodeo, film scores for The Red Pony, Our Town, etc., put this Brooklyn-born
son of Russian Jewish immigrants in the forefront of American composers,
especially as far as the public was concerned. These and other scores seemed to
evoke the good-heartedness, warmth and pioneering spirit that Americans needed
to believe in the face of 20th-century war-time horrors.
In 1942, the noted arts patron Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge attended a dance recital
by Martha Graham. Impressed to the point of decisive action, Ms. Coolidge
offered the legendary dancer-choreographer the gift of three ballet scores. Ms.
Graham opted for composers Paul Hindemith, Darius Milhaud and Copland.
Having danced to several of Coplands scores since her staging of Piano
Variations in 1931, she was eager to have a fresh score from her colleague, and
constructed a scenario based on her memories of her grandmothers farm in ca.
1900 Pennsylvania.
The story focuses on a pioneer celebration in the spring around a newly built
farmhouse. The young bride-to-be and her farmer-husband express a broad range
of human emotions as they prepare to embark on lifes great journey together. The
music reflects both the feelings and actions of the characters. Copland provided
the following explication of the 1945 suite:
1. Very Slowly. Introduction of the characters, one by one, in a suffused light.
2. Fast. Sudden burst of unison strings in A-major arpeggios starts the action. A
sentiment both elated and religious gives the keynote to the scene.

3. Moderato. Duo for the Bride and her Intended scene of tenderness and
passion.
4. Quite fast. The Revivalist and his flock. Folksy feelings suggestions of
square dances and country fiddlers.
5. Still faster. Solo dance of the Bride presentiment of motherhood. Extremes
of joy and fear and wonder.
6. Very slowly (as at first). Transition scene to music reminiscent of the
introduction.
7. Calm and flowing. Scenes of daily activity for the Bride and her Farmerhusband. There are five variations on a Shaker theme. The theme, sung by a
solo clarinet, was taken from a collection of Shaker melodies compiled by
Edward D. Andrews, and published under the title The Gift to be Simple. The
melody I borrowed and used almost literally, is called Simple Gifts.
8. Moderate. Coda. The Bride takes her place among her neighbors. At the end
the couple are left quiet and strong in their new house. The close is
reminiscent of the opening music.