Copland Conducts Copland [Original recording remastered]

William Warfield (Performer), Aaron Copland (Composer), Aaron Copland (Conductor), London Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Columbia Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: William Warfield
• Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, Columbia Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Aaron Copland
• Composer: Aaron Copland
• Audio CD (September 30, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000CF32H
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #51,997 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #52 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music > Marches

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The real gems here are the "Old American Songs", December 29, 2007

By 

Joe Anthony "Joe Anthony" (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Copland Conducts Copland (Audio CD)

There are few composers who capture the American spirit as much as Aaron Copland; Jewish; born in Brooklyn; educated to some extent in Paris; and gay-nobody brings alive the colors and sounds of the Old West and American country life quite like him. Indeed almost every soundtrack to an old Western movie is a re-write of "Rodeo" or "Billy the Kid" Suite.

Copland's "Appalacian Spring" is an American "Pastorale", painting the deep green hills of America's heartland. But the real gems here are the "Old American Songs" which Copland arranges in a way that maintain the integrity and simplicity of each miniature while making them undoubtedly "Coplanesque". The delicate handling of these tunes by the expressive bass-baritone William Warfield makes for perfection, especially on the hymns "Simple Gifts" and "At the River".

Comparisons for instrumental pieces: Bernstein/NYPO (also outstanding)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A direct line from mind to music, January 9, 2010

By 

Rich Needham "evenifidosaysomyself" (Tempe, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Copland Conducts Copland (Audio CD)

There is no opportunity to hear Beethoven or Mozart conducting their own works, so one must hear modern interpretations of the music, and no-one can say which performance most closely matches what was imagined by the composer. We are fortunate, however, to have surviving recordings of Stravinsky and Copland conducting their own works, and we can listen to those works purely and directly from the mind of the composer through the orchestra under his control. Of course, we often fall in love with the first performance we hear of a favorite piece, so perhaps Copland's interpretation isn't how you remember it. But it is the standard by which all other performances should be judged. These are wonderful recordings of groundbreaking music, and you would be remiss to pass up this opportunity to hear exactly what Copland meant.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A spectacular performance, August 10, 2008

By 

FB101 (USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Copland Conducts Copland (Audio CD)

For once Sony did a spectacular job at remastering this historical performance. The opening percussions of Fanfare for the Common Man are just explosive but the whole disc is full of colors and a tribute to Copland's masterpieces.

Don't be afraid to listen to this disc at concert levels, that's how it is best enjoyed and the best way to discover one of the most impressive American contemporary composers.

I am less enamored with Warfield's performance of the Old American songs but in all fairness they've never been my cup of tea to start with.