Customer Reviews

A Copland Celebration Vol. 1

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This is a reissue of recordings conducted by Copland himself that are totally definitive and, to my mind, superior to the recordings by Bernstein that are generally considered to be the best. The composer has a broader, grander vision of these works, taking them at a slower and more majestic pace than Bernstein and others. In his hands this is great classical music, not just upscale cowboy music. The sound quality is phenomenal for the most part as well, the engineers must have performed miracles because the recordings with the LSO sound better than almost any modern digital recording. Highly recommended.

Here we have not only the original, complete chamber arrangement of Appalachian Spring in a pretty fine performance by Copland, but we get a neat 17 minutes of Copland rehearsing it, which is pretty cool for the Copland fan. Plus Nonet for Strings, well performed, which is a rare thing these days. The other disk is pretty average - Copland wasn't much of a conductor, but the chamber Appalachian and Nonet make up for it. Cheap and unique. A must have for the Copland fan.

Aaron Copland can be and should be considered the father of American concert music. He decisively created a style of music that needed to be made as we were reaching maturity as a country. This collection of his orchestral works gives a great outline of the music that makes Copland such a innovative composer.
I personally find that the most interesting part of this collection is the inclusion of rehearsal audio from the same recording of Appalachian Spring that appears on the CD. This offers a unique opportunity to hear what Copland's vision of his music was. I am one who personally believes that no performance of a concert orchestral piece can be heard as it was meant to be unless the composer is leading the ensemble. By hearing Copland conducting a rehearsal of one of his masterworks, the listener is given a greater appreciation for exactly what Copland's vision was for his own music.

A definite must have for lovers of the young tradition of American Music.

I first heard "Rodeo" as a kid from the Beef It's What's For Dinner commercials. Twenty years later I heard it as the opening music right before a Bob Dylan show. As a classical music novice I found this cd to be a terrific introduction to a great American composer.

It is not very often one is able to hear a legendary musician conduct his own creations! AND to also hear the rehearsal! What an education to hear how Copland takes the typical orchestral approach and molds it to fit his music - clean, simple, perfect. Thanks to those who had the foresight to record these moments - the main reason I purchased the CD.
Listen and learn!
Evan Crone

Good recording of an identifiably "American" composer. Whether you believe that his "serious" compositions should out-weigh public attention (and recognition) of his ballet scores is just a matter of taste and exposure. I recommend reading any one of several good biographies available to more fully appreciate his scope and talent. Then check out as many recordings as possible.

When I first was introduced to classical music, little attention was being paid to anything American. Edward McDowell was occasionally played. And Los Angeles classical music station, KFAC, would very occasionally play something by Morton Gould. Gershwin was largely ignored And there was Aaron Copland.

For my fairly young ears, the western flavor of the music was esciting. I could picture western movie-like scenes to the accompaniment of "Billy the Kid" and "Rodeo". Indeed, such music is highly pictorial.

But now I'm also familiar with "Fanfare for the Common Man" and Appalachian Spring. I very much recommend this.