The Copland Corral

vandermolen · November 08, 2022, 01:36:45 AM

Quote from: Brewski on November 07, 2022, 12:36:34 PM
For the public radio station here, WRTI (and to coincide with Election Day), I wrote an article on Copland's Lincoln Portrait, touching on a bit of history, context, and of course, versions worth hearing. (There are a lot of them!)

https://www.wrti.org/wrti-spotlight/2022-11-07/album-of-the-week-aaron-coplands-lincoln-portrait

-Bruce

Excellent article Bruce.
I was fascinated to see Copland narrating himself with Bernstein conducting - a most moving and much-needed performance. I wish that there was a CD recording.

Karl Henning · May 22, 2023, 02:22:45 PM

vandermolen · February 20, 2024, 01:01:46 AM

Am enjoying this newly-released boxed set of Copland's own CBS/Sony recordings (20 CDs including a couple conducted by Bernstein):

Roasted Swan · February 20, 2024, 05:05:14 AM

Quote from: vandermolen on February 20, 2024, 01:01:46 AMAm enjoying this newly-released boxed set of Copland's own CBS/Sony recordings (20 CDs including a couple conducted by Bernstein):

Looks great - but too expensive with too much duplication from earlier Sony boxes for me sadly......

vandermolen · February 20, 2024, 06:27:22 AM

Quote from: Roasted Swan on February 20, 2024, 05:05:14 AMLooks great - but too expensive with too much duplication from earlier Sony boxes for me sadly......

Yes, I take your point. I have the old 3 volume Copland Sony sets from years ago but this is much better presented with a glossy illustrated booklet of almost 80 pages. Also, most of the chamber music CDs were new to me and I love having the original LP covers in mini versions.

vandermolen · February 20, 2024, 08:44:47 AM

My only disappointment with the fabulous new 'Copland conducts Copland' boxed set (see above) is that it doesn't contain the Symphony for Organ and Orchestra - a great work. And then I remembered that it was Bernstein who conducted the recording. Having said that the set does contain a couple of Bernstein recordings, so why couldn't they include that one as well?

Pohjolas Daughter · February 20, 2024, 12:34:31 PM

Quote from: vandermolen on February 20, 2024, 08:44:47 AMMy only disappointment with the fabulous new 'Copland conducts Copland' boxed set (see above) is that it doesn't contain the Symphony for Organ and Orchestra - a great work. And then I remembered that it was Bernstein who conducted the recording. Having said that the set does contain a couple of Bernstein recordings, so why couldn't they include that one as well?

Jeffrey,

If you have this set (or are tempted to get it), it includes the Symphony for Organ and Orchestra.

PD

p.s. Warning: It's a roughly LP-sized box!

Karl Henning · February 20, 2024, 01:17:11 PM

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on February 20, 2024, 12:34:31 PMJeffrey,

If you have this set (or are tempted to get it), it includes the Symphony for Organ and Orchestra.

PD

p.s. Warning: It's a roughly LP-sized box!

Yes, a ginormous box.

vandermolen · February 20, 2024, 10:11:26 PM

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on February 20, 2024, 12:34:31 PMJeffrey,

If you have this set (or are tempted to get it), it includes the Symphony for Organ and Orchestra.

PD

p.s. Warning: It's a roughly LP-sized box!

Thanks PD although I can't afford that one as well

I have one of those Japanese re-mastering CDs featuring Copland's 3rd Symphony conducted by Bernstein (I prefer Copland's own recording) and the Symphony for Organ and Orchestra - so, I will stick with that.

Karl Henning · October 30, 2025, 01:29:22 PM

The Third Symphony live in Boston

Symphonic Addict · February 25, 2026, 04:32:04 PM

Listening to Appalachian Spring for the first time in its original version for 13 instruments feels like I'm just discovering it. How can a piece of music be so beautiful? The orchestral arrangement, I think, doesn't do full justice to the immeasurable charm the chamber version possesses. It's extraordinarily lovely and feels so pure, innocent, naïve, touching, conveying a sense of nostalgia like nothing else. This performance blew me away, btw.

Roasted Swan · February 25, 2026, 11:47:42 PM

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on February 25, 2026, 04:32:04 PMListening to Appalachian Spring for the first time in its original version for 13 instruments feels like I'm just discovering it. How can a piece of music be so beautiful? The orchestral arrangement, I think, doesn't do full justice to the immeasurable charm the chamber version possesses. It's extraordinarily lovely and feels so pure, innocent, naïve, touching, conveying a sense of nostalgia like nothing else. This performance blew me away, btw.

Completely agree with what you write about Appalachian Spring. Worth noting of course that this chamber version is not just the smaller/original version but also the complete ballet not the usual suite. Of all the performing Arts it always strikes me that ballet seems most prone to 'losing' repertoire. In the sense that very few works stay in a Company's active repertoire for more than a generation. I assume this is down to the difficulty of retaining the original exact choreography - although with ease of video recording these days this must be reduced. But there is an element of dance /choroegraphy where work is created "on" specific dancers. Considering Appalachian Spring - surely there must be an audience for such a beautiful work - and the reduced orchestration plays into the hands of budget/venue conscious Artistic Directors who want to take smaller-scale work to the masses.

BTW - the same performers as on this disc produced a 2nd Copland collection which includes the Old American Songs, Dickinson Poems and a couple of other works including Billy the Kid too. It was released as a Teldec Twofer years ago - well-worth tracking down if copies can be found.....

PS: curious how few posts are made here about Copland - such a fine composer......

Symphonic Addict · February 26, 2026, 03:56:35 PM

Quote from: Roasted Swan on February 25, 2026, 11:47:42 PMWorth noting of course that this chamber version is not just the smaller/original version but also the complete ballet not the usual suite.

That was precisely the reason as to why I chose it. I want the whole thing, and unbelievably marvellous it was.

Irons · February 26, 2026, 11:30:28 PM

Copland is one of my favourite composers, also a fine conductor of his own music.

San Antone · February 27, 2026, 03:03:43 AM

I vastly prefer the original version of Appalachian Spring. This recording was the one I first heard and still enjoy by Andrew Schenk and the Atlantic Sinfonetta:

In general I am not a huge Copland fan but when I listen it is almost always his works from 1938-1948:

Billy the Kid (1938)
Lincoln Portrait (1942)
Rodeo (1942)
Appalachian Spring (1944)
Clarinet Concerto (1948)

Symphonic Addict · March 03, 2026, 04:25:54 PM

Not sure if this twofer contains his complete music for chamber forces (I just remembered there is a String Nonet), and all of it stunningly well played and recorded. Apart from that, this is quite fantastic stuff, where each of the pieces listed on the back cover has purpose and carries the composer's unmistakable stamp. The large-scale works (Violin Sonata, Piano Quartet and Sextet for clarinet, piano and string quartet) were highly impressive, above all the former. I don't remember having heard it before and wow, its rapturously eloquent nature won me over. One of the most impressive pieces I know by Copland that becomes an automatic favorite.