The Copland Corral

Started by karlhenning, April 10, 2007, 05:12:59 AM

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vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 14, 2018, 04:43:32 PM
Very nice. Love Schuman's 3rd. Certainly one of those great American third symphonies.

Oh yes, along with those by Copland, Harris, Hanson and Diamond IMHO.

For 2nd symphonies I'd include those by Creston and Piston as great ones.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on January 15, 2018, 12:49:03 AM
Oh yes, along with those by Copland, Harris, Hanson and Diamond IMHO.

For 2nd symphonies I'd include those by Creston and Piston as great ones.

I've recently become a quite a fan of Hanson's 3rd, so, yes, I believe it goes on that list as well.

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 15, 2018, 06:00:08 AM
I've recently become a quite a fan of Hanson's 3rd, so, yes, I believe it goes on that list as well.
Koussevitsky's performance is sensational.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Rons_talking

For Christmas I was given Annegret Fauser's book on Appalachian Spring...it's one of those 150-page Oxford keynotes. It documents the history of the ballet and the collaboration between Martha Graham and AC. As I was reading, I searched for and found the (mostly)original players and choreography in a video produced in 1959. There is some additional music that is unfortunately excluded form the suite we all have heard. But what startled me was the choreography itself, which is more modern dance than ballet. Graham, at 64 still looks great as the "young" bride, but the stark set and often severe movements looks better suited for Les Noces or something of that ilk.

Nonetheless it's an interesting study of the New York WW2 artistic climate since this is the copywrited choreography.

See what you think if this is new to you.

Part One of Appalachian Spring:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmgaKGSxQVw

vandermolen

#364
A couple of interesting new releases.
I find it difficult to resist new releases of Copland's Third Symphony and this one (Copland conducts the Berlin PO in 1970) is no exception ( ::)). The programme itself looks very appealing. Also I loved the new Naxos recording of Leonard Slatkin conducting with the original coda, not heard on any other recording. Although only a few bars I guess it was a bit like hearing the 1920 or 1913 version of Vaughan Williams's 'A London Symphony' for the first time and hearing the music which the composer decided to excise.
Also there is a new, very inexpensive, box set of Slatkin conducting the music of American composers which features three CDs (out of 13) of his excellent Copland recordings. His Symphony No.3 is one of my favourites. It also features Copland's film music and the Symphony for Organ and Orchestra which I like very much:
[asin]B079J83PPD[/asin]
See below - don't know why the image is there twice.


"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on April 29, 2018, 11:51:31 PM
A couple of interesting new releases.
I find it difficult to resist new releases of Copland's Third Symphony and this one (Copland conducts the Berlin PO in 1970) is no exception ( ::)). The programme itself looks very appealing. Also I loved the new Naxos recording of Leonard Slatkin conducting with the original coda, not heard on any other recording. Although only a few bars I guess it was a bit like hearing the 1920 or 1913 version of Vaughan Williams's 'A London Symphony' for the first time and hearing the music which the composer decided to excise.
Also there is a new, very inexpensive, box set of Slatkin conducting the music of American composers which features three CDs (out of 13) of his excellent Copland recordings. His Symphony No.3 is one of my favourites. It also features Copland's film music and the Symphony for Organ and Orchestra which I like very much:
[asin]B079J83PPD[/asin]
See below - don't know why the image is there twice.

Those look great, Jeffrey. Of course, the Slatkin box I already own well over half of it's contents in their original issues. Copland conducting the Berliners is an interesting prospect, but I'm not sure if I'd really want to hear it. Like you, I own several fine performances of that glorious third symphony.

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 01, 2018, 01:39:34 PM
Those look great, Jeffrey. Of course, the Slatkin box I already own well over half of it's contents in their original issues. Copland conducting the Berliners is an interesting prospect, but I'm not sure if I'd really want to hear it. Like you, I own several fine performances of that glorious third symphony.

Thank John, I have the same issue with the Slatkin box although I'd like to hear the Corigliano Symphony, which was, at one time at least, rated very highly. I'll report back on Copland and the Berliners in due course.
:)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Karl Henning

The Symphonic OdeCopland's very best score?
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on May 02, 2018, 03:21:16 AM
Thank John, I have the same issue with the Slatkin box although I'd like to hear the Corigliano Symphony, which was, at one time at least, rated very highly. I'll report back on Copland and the Berliners in due course.
:)

Sounds like a plan, Jeffrey. 8)

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on May 02, 2018, 04:32:02 AMThe Symphonic OdeCopland's very best score?

It's certainly one of many, Karl, but I wouldn't claim it's his very best when Appalachian Spring, 12 Poems of Emily Dickinson, Symphony No. 3, the Clarinet Concerto, or Billy the Kid are just as strong contenders IMHO.

vandermolen

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on May 02, 2018, 04:32:02 AM
The Symphonic OdeCopland's very best score?

It certainly is one of my favourites Karl due to its craggy/monolithic qualities. The Organ Symphony is another one of his more 'modernist' scores which I like along with 'Statements'.

However maybe Symphony 3 is best of all?
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Mirror Image

#370
Quote from: vandermolen on May 02, 2018, 11:25:32 AMHowever maybe Symphony 3 is best of all?

There are some tough contenders when talking about Copland's oeuvre in general. I don't think I could possibly pick just one work that's an absolute favorite as he's a composer, like Debussy, Ravel, Barber, or Vaughan Williams, for me, that has composed so many personal favorites for different reasons that narrowing it down would somehow be unfair to the other works which I hold so dear.

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 02, 2018, 06:16:52 PM
There are some tough contenders when talking about Copland's oeuvre in general. I don't think I could possibly pick just one work that's an absolute favorite as he's a composer, like Debussy, Ravel, Barber, or Vaughan Williams, for me, that has composed so many personal favorites for different reasons that narrowing it down would somehow be unfair to the other works which I hold so dear.

Yes, I largely agree with this. Some of his shorter works like 'Quiet City' mean a lot to me. So, for that matter, does the 'Lincoln Portrait' despite all its non-sequiturs! I'm not a great fan of the Henry Fonda version however and, as a matter of principle, I have refused to listed to the version narrated by Mrs Thatcher. My first experience of it was with Adlai Stevenson and Eugene Ormandy and that remains my favourite version.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Mirror Image

#372
Quote from: vandermolen on May 02, 2018, 09:40:36 PM
Yes, I largely agree with this. Some of his shorter works like 'Quiet City' mean a lot to me. So, for that matter, does the 'Lincoln Portrait' despite all its non-sequiturs! I'm not a great fan of the Henry Fonda version however and, as a matter of principle, I have refused to listed to the version narrated by Mrs Thatcher. My first experience of it was with Adlai Stevenson and Eugene Ormandy and that remains my favourite version.

I'm quite fond of this recording of Lincoln Portrait (narrated by Charlton Heston):



I don't care if I sound like a simpleton or 'poser' but I absolutely adore Copland's 'Populist' works. There, I said it. :)

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 03, 2018, 07:34:33 AM
I'm quite fond of this recording of Lincoln Portrait (narrated by Charlton Heston):



I don't care if I sound like a simpleton or 'poser' but I absolutely adore Copland's 'Populist' works. There, I said it. :)

Me too! I like those old Vanguard CDs and prefer Charlton Heston's narration to Henry Fonda's.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on May 03, 2018, 07:43:02 AM
Me too! I like those old Vanguard CDs and prefer Charlton Heston's narration to Henry Fonda's.

The sound on this particular recording will knock you out! Great stuff. Powerful in the climaxes.

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 03, 2018, 07:44:26 AM
The sound on this particular recording will knock you out! Great stuff. Powerful in the climaxes.

I'd have added David Diamondvto the list of favourites.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

André

#376
Lincoln Portrait is a wonderful work. I love the version narrated by James Earl Jones (aka the voice of Darth Vader) with Gerard Schwarz and that with the frail-sounding but indomitable Katharine Hepburn - with Kunzel. I also have the Fonda-Copland but can't remember what it sounds like. Must not have made a huge impression, I'm afraid  ::)

vandermolen

Quote from: André on May 03, 2018, 01:10:10 PM
Lincoln Portrait is a wonderful work. I love the version narrated by James Earl Jones (aka the voice of Darth Vader) with Gerard Schwarz and that with the frail-sounding but indomitable Katharine Hepburn - with Kunzel. I also have the Fonda-Hepburn but can't remember what it sounds like. Must not have made a huge impression, I'm afraid  ::)

Darth Vader is good and I also like the historic recordings narrated by Carl Sandburg and Melvyn Douglas.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

André

Quote from: vandermolen on May 03, 2018, 02:47:26 PM
Darth Vader is good and I also like the historic recordings narrated by Carl Sandburg and Melvyn Douglas.

Narrators in Lincoln Portrait are either actors (Gregory Peck, Henry Fonda, Charlton Heston) or politicians/military (Adlai Stevenson, Genl H. Norman Schwarzkopf, Margaret Thatcher). I prefer the former category  :D.

Mirror Image

Quote from: vandermolen on May 03, 2018, 12:23:25 PM
I'd have added David Diamondvto the list of favourites.

I'm sorry, but what did you add, Jeffrey? A David Diamond work?