Customer Reviews

Copland: Appalachian Spring; Billy the Kid; Rodeo

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Although Copland's works have become as familiar as wallpaper, they still rouse visceral excitement in practically every recording.

This collection overcomes that familiarity-bred contempt by assembling excellent, sweeping performances of the composer's most popular creations along with a few less-often recorded pieces. Each track delivers a clean and spirited reading, recording and mastering to give the 2-disk album consistent splendor and impact.

These renditions and renderings have quickly become my favorites, even over many fine recordings in my collection.

This is all the best works of copland in 2 cds for only 11.98! It starts out with somewhat more obscured peice called Danzo Cubano (you can geuss what that means). This if a very fun piece, but the real enjoyment starts with his 2 most famous ballets, Billy the Kid and Appalachian spring. In Billy the kid you can hear the sounds of cowboys and the old west and the open prarie,its a joy to listen to. And almost everyone knows appalchian spring, and If you havent get yourslef this recording.It puts you in such a good mood after you hear it, with its great joyfulness and celabration of life. Then comes Rodeo. Another old west peice thats probably even more convincing than Billy the Kid. The hoe-down is a kick! Then el salon mexico, another great piece. After that are two more lesser know pieces, The Red Pony suite and the Dance symphony. They are no less fun to listen to than the rest of the pieces on this cd. So get it.All the most tuneful compositions of the most tuneful composer of the 20th century for only 11.98!

Just a quick note that this CD collection does NOT have the 13 instrument version of Appalachian Spring - it is the FULL ORCHESTRA version. The track list is misleading. I sent in a request to correct it.

orchestral works often have lots of versions . This one is not of the finest performance and sound quality. However, on the other hand if one takes the price into account I must confess that you get quite an overview
of Copeland's work, especially for those who are not too familair with Copland this is advisable to buy.
Hoe down is still my favourite !
paul from Holland