The Tender Land (Complete Chamber Version)

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This is the world premiere recording of the chamber version of Copland's The Tender Land, which the composer himself approved. Those who love Appalachian Spring and its wide-open, American, innocent but energetic idiom will discover much of the same feeling of warmth and homespun verisimilitude here. The performance is excellent. The chamber orchestra plays handsomely and with great sentiment under Murray Sidlin (who also did the arrangements), and the singers react to the music as if they were living each moment for the first time. Suzan Hanson makes the most of Laurie, singing with the right combination of winsomeness and reality, and her love music with Martin, sung with charm by tenor Robert MacNeil, makes for some beautiful listening. Milagro Vargas is protective as Ma, while Richard Zeller's baritone is a bit light and young-sounding for Grandpa. Douglas Webster sings the role of Top, Martin's fellow wanderer, with real verve. Indeed, the quintet that ends Act One, "The promise of living," in which all five lead characters take part, is simply ravishing. The rest of the cast is excellent. Try not to do without this recording; it's a beauty. --Robert Levine

Tracks:

Fanfare For The Common Man
Appalachian Spring
The Tender Land: Party Scene
The Tender Land: Finale: The Promise of Living
Billy the Kid -- Ballet Suite
Rodeo: Hoedown

Customer Reviews:

Aaron Copland.......2007-05-13

It's okay but I dont listen to it much. I have other things I would rather listen to like Chris Isaak Lawrence Welk Bee Gees etc

Best Collection of Aaron Copland.......2005-12-21

Aaron Copland is for me one of three of America's greatest composers of the 20th Century. Bernard Herrmann and Jerome Moross are the other two. Aaron Copland would have been 100 years old on November 14, 2000. In reflection I turn back to my first Copland album, "Copland's Greatest Hits." I was familiar as most people are with "Hoe Down" and that was the springboard for me. What attracted me was that distinctive "American" sound and "American" quality of the piece. This "American" sound is very present in Jerome Moross' score for the epic Western film, "The Big Country." One can also find similar influences in Bernard Herrmann's score for "The Kentuckian" and very much like Copland, Herrmann researched and interpolated regional folk songs and integrated them into his own unique style. Because I always liked film scores and also very much liked Copland's "Hoe Down" I always thought there had to be some connection with the musical approach. When I got this album and listened to "Appalachian Spring" for the first time I knew that I had discovered pure "Americana" and I have found that sound replicated in so many films. If you listen to the scores for "The Natural" or "Field of Dreams" or even recently to "Saving Private Ryan" this sound is present. This is a tribute to Copland and American music. Copland reinvented American music by giving it his unique structure. Copland's music is so simply melodic yet richly textured that it has an inherent sophistication that defines our nation. This is my favorite Copland album. That may be sentimental, but it helped me try to define a sound that I personally found moving and uplifting. I highly recommend this album of collected recordings. The recording of "Appalachian Spring" on this CD performed by the New York Philharmonic and conducted by Leonard Bernstein is my favorite recording of this piece to date.

The finest version of Appalachian Spring -- bar none!.......2001-12-09

I marvel at this CD every time I listen to it. This CD features Aaron Copland conducting the Boston Symphony in a performance of his own Appalachian Spring. There are many poignant hesitations and nuances in this performance. There is good reason why this piece has become synonymous with Americana -- listen to it, close your eyes and just let the images unfold.

This CD also contains Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Philharmonic in the Billy the Kid Ballet Suite. It is a spectacular performance as well.

Outstanding Collection of Copland Music.......1999-11-09

Every cut on this CD is very good. My personal favorites are "Appalacian Spring", and the "The Tender Land - Finale: The Promise of Living." I would recommend this CD to anyone who is a fan of Classical Music.

Breathtaking, beautiful and aweinspiring!.......1999-07-12

This is no doubt one of the most beautiful classical CD's I have ever listened to. Copland was and is an extremely gifted composer.

Copland: Appalachian Spring; Gould: Fall River Legend

Average customer rating:

Excellent
Copland & Gould conduct
Beautiful

Copland: Appalachian Spring; Gould: Fall River Legend

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Aaron Copland: Billy the Kid and Rodeo Suite; Ferde Grofé:Grand Canyon Suite
Copland: Music for Films
Copland: Symphony No. 3; Quiet City
Morton Gould: Fall River Legend; Jekyll and Hyde Variations
John Adams - Harmonielehre · The Chairman Dances · Tromba lontana · Short Ride in a Fast Machine / Sir Simon Rattle

ASIN: B000003FEK
Release Date: 1993-05-11

Tracks:

Appalachian Spring (Ballet For Martha): (Introduction Of Characters) - Aaron Copland
Appalachian Spring (Ballet For Martha): (Display of action) - Aaron Copland
Appalachian Spring (Ballet For Martha): (Pas De Deux For The Bride And Groom) - Aaron Copland
Appalachian Spring (Ballet For Martha): (Revival Meeting) - Aaron Copland
Appalachian Spring (Ballet For Martha): (Bride's Solo) - Aaron Copland
Appalachian Spring (Ballet For Martha): (Reprise Of The Introduction) - Aaron Copland
Appalachian Spring (Ballet For Martha): (Shaker Theme, The Gift To Be Simple) - Aaron Copland
Appalachian Spring (Ballet For Martha): (Coda) - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Suite: Introduction And Love Music - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Suite: Party Scene - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Suite: Finale: The Promise Of Living - Aaron Copland
Fall River Legend: Prologue And Waltzes - Morton Gould & His Orchestra
Fall River Legend: Elegy - Morton Gould & His Orchestra
Fall River Legend: Church Social - Morton Gould & His Orchestra
Fall River Legend: Hymnal Variations - Morton Gould & His Orchestra
Fall River Legend: Cotillion - Morton Gould & His Orchestra
Fall River Legend: Epilogue - Morton Gould & His Orchestra
Latin-American Symphonette: Tango - Morton Gould & His Orchestra
Latin-American Symphonette: Guaracha - Morton Gould & His Orchestra

Amazon.com

These sunny, lucid performances are the best Aaron Copland has ever given us of his own music. In truth, he was not a great conductor, and much of the credit for the success of this disc must go to the Boston Symphony--the orchestra that, along with the New York Philharmonic, has been most closely associated with Copland's music. In addition to the lovely Appalachian Spring ballet, Copland includes a charming suite from his rarely performed opera The Tender Land. It shares the same openly "American" style as the ballet, so if you like the one, you'll be sure to enjoy this novelty as well. Gould's Fall River Legend is a warmly melodic ballet on the Lizzie Borden story. It makes an apt coupling. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-03-17

This is the best way to get Copland's "Tender Land" suite. This same recording has appeared on other RCA CDs, but this Living Stereo mix is the top.

Copland & Gould conduct.......2003-11-21

Here are definitive performances of music by American composers Aaron Copland and Morton Gould, conducted by the composers themselves. These were originally issued on separate RCA Victor "Living Stereo" recordings in 1960 and 1961; typical of RCA recordings of that era, they had exceptional sound.

Aaron Copland conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra in his concert suites from the ballet "Appalachian Spring" and the opera "The Tender Land." He succeeded in getting top-notch performances from the Bostonians and left us a wonderful musical treasure.

"Appalachian Spring" is among Copland's greatest works and won the Pulitzer Prize for Music. Choreographed by dancer/choreographer Martha Graham, the complete ballet is seldom heard but is available on an RCA Victor CD with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra in the fully orchestrated version. The ballet was originally performed with only 13 musicians and Copland himself made a recording of that original scoring for Columbia (later reissued on Sony). This writer had an opportunity to attend a performance of the ballet by the Martha Graham group in 1975, with the composer conducting the San Jose Symphony; what a special treat it was to see Copland and Graham together. She made a memorable entrance in the San Jose Performing Arts Center as she wore a long, flowing, red, chiffon dress.

This is one of Copland's very few recordings for RCA; he was long associated with Columbia and recorded many of his works for them, usually in London with British orchestras.

Some have said that Copland was not a great conductor; that may be so, but these recorded performances are among his best and compare well with other recordings by other conductors. I always especially liked Copland's setting of the Shaker tune "Simple Gifts;" it is quite moving and magnificent. CBS used this setting as the theme for some of its special news broadcasts in the 1950's and 1960's.

A special treat is the suite from "The Tender Land." This writer sang the lively tune "Stomp Your Foot" with the San Jose State Men's Glee Club in 1968; it's wonderful to hear a fully-orchestrated version of the song. There is also some very emotional and quite tender music in the suite. The Boston musicians play with great sensitivity.

Morton Gould recorded a suite from his 1948 ballet "Fall River Legend." The full ballet score can be heard on an Albany Records CD. Gould compiled the best moments from the score, depicting the tragic events in Fall River, Massachusetts, in the early 1890's, in which Lizzie Borden was accused of murdering her parents. The music was quite nostalgic and exuberant.

This CD also includes the two middle movements from Gould's popular "Latin American Symphonette." The second movement is quite haunting and seductive, while the third movement is jubilant and highly syncopated. The performances of Gould's music here are all very good. Gould also was generally associated with Columbia Records and wrote music for a number of CBS radio broadcasts. The original RCA Victor LP also included his piano concerto, "Interplay," which is another memorable and quite original work.

Beautiful.......2002-11-22

I always have thought that Copland's The Tender Land is probably one of the hidden treasures in American classical music. It's a beautiful piece of music, especially Acts 1&3. You will not be disappointed in this from one of America's most beloved composers.

Copland: The Tender Land (complete opera)

Average customer rating:

The Tender Land - First Rate Copland
Copeland is no Wagner
So many unknown but great songs

Copland: The Tender Land (complete opera)

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Copland: Old American Songs/Canticle Of Freedom/Four Motets
The Tender Land (Complete Chamber Version)
The Copland Collection: Orchestral Works, 1948-1971
Stravinsky - The Rake's Progress / Bostridge · York · Terfel · von Otter · Howells · LSO · Gardiner
Menotti: The Consul

ASIN: B000002RZP
Release Date: 1992-09-23

Tracks:

The Tender Land: Prelude
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 1: The Front Yard Of The Moss Home
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 1: 'Two Little Bits Of Metal'
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 1: The Arrival Of The Postman
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 2: Opening The Package
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 2: 'This Is Like The Dress I Never Had'
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 2: Dance And Exit
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 3: Laurie's Entrance: 'Once I Thought I'd Never Grow
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 3: Ma's Entrance
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 3: 'Remember The Boy That Used To Call'; Ma's Exit
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 4: Entrance Of Martin And Top
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 4: Martin And Top Enter The Farmyard
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 4: Duet: 'We've Been North'
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 4: Grandpa Meets The Boys
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 4: Trio: 'A Stranger May Seem Strange That's True'
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 4: Interlude - Martin And Top Make Horseplay
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 5: The Invitation
The Tender Land: Act One, Scene 5: Quintet - 'The Promise Of Living'

Tracks:

The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 1: The Graduation Eve Supper
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 1: The Supper Ends
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 1: Grandpa's Toast: 'Try Makin' Peace'
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 1: Laurie's reply: 'Thank You, Thank You All'
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 1: The Invitaition To Dance
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 1: The Dance: 'Stomp Your Foot Upon The Floor'
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 2: Dance Music And Dialogue
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 3: Party Music Back In The House
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 3: Top's Song: 'Oh, I Was Goin' A-Courtin'
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 3: The Dancing Resumes
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 3: Duet: 'You Dance Real Well'
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 3: 'Laurie...You Know, Laurie'
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 3: Duet: 'In Love? In Love?'
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 3: 'The Tender Land'
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 4: Grandpa's Confrontation
The Tender Land: Act 2, Scene 4: Party Farewell
The Tender Land: Act Three: Introduction
The Tender Land: Act Three, Scene 1: Entr'acte
The Tender Land: Act Three, Scene 1: Duet: 'Laurie, Laurie...'
The Tender Land: Act Three, Scene 1: Martin Alone: 'Daylight Will Come In Such Short TIme'
The Tender Land: Act Three, Scene 1: Dialogue
The Tender Land: Act Three, Scene 1: Top's Aria: 'That's Crazy' And Exit Of Martin And Top'
The Tender Land: Act Three, Scene 2: Interlude: Daybreak
The Tender Land: Act Three, Scene 2: 'The Sun Is Coming Up'
The Tender Land: Act Three, Scene 2: Laurie's Farewell
The Tender Land: Act Three, Scene 2: 'All Thinking's Done'

Amazon.com essential recording

Aaron Copland didn't have the theatrical instinct of a George Gershwin or even a Gian Carlo Menotti, but that didn't keep him from writing one of the best operas we have in the "American" vein. The Tender Land was composed in 1953 on a commission from Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II--who since the premiere of Oklahoma! 10 years earlier could afford such largesse--and received its premiere on April 1, 1954 at the City Center in New York. Concerning a girl transformed into a young woman by her first experience of love, The Tender Land is set in the American Midwest during the 1930s. The libretto by Horace Everett (a pseudonym of Erik Johns) was inspired by photographs taken by Walker Evans of a rural, Depression-era mother and her daughter that had appeared in James Agee's book Let Us Now Praise Famous Men. The music is cut from the same cloth as that of Appalachian Spring--the melodic, easygoing, folkish vein that Copland could manage about as easily as breathing. Lightly scored (calling for winds and brass in twos) and with spoken dialogue in the style of the musical stage, the score has come to be regarded as one of Copland's finest, as he himself believed it to be. You couldn't get a more authentic cast than the one heard here, consisting entirely of good American singers whose delivery is appropriately nonoperatic, and including Minnesota native Elisabeth Comeaux in the central role of Laurie. Philip Brunelle leads the forces of the Minnesota-based Plymouth Music Series in an idiomatic if slightly underpowered performance that comes from the Heartland and goes straight to the heart. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

The Tender Land - First Rate Copland.......2003-11-24

This is first rate Copland (no doubt about it). Is it first rate Opera? Depends. If your ideal of Opera is Puccini or Verdi or Wagner -- Tender land is not these in American garb.(Wotan in blue Jeans - ? sorry, not this ). It's American Opera, in a style for American Composers. If you like Copland's "easier" style, you'll love this as well. The story is fine and the music serves its purpose - to convey the story's characters feelings and emotions. Brunelle does fine job and the singers serve Aarons music well. If you want the composers' ideas on this work, Copland conducted an abridged version of "Land" that is still available. Interested in other American operas?
Carlisle Floyd's "SUSANNAH" (Curtin, Triegle New Orlean Opera) An absolute must !
Douglas Moore's "THE BALLAD OF BABY DOE" ( Sills, Cassilly NYCO )
Edward Thomas' "DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS" (this is a real sleeper - the critics trounced it but it's a fine work in my opinion -besides, how can you go wrong with Jim Morris in the cast? )
Sam Barbers' "VANESSA".
Give these AMERICAN OPERAS' a try ( and throw out your preconceived notions of what Opera should be . Its new stuff !

Copeland is no Wagner.......2000-02-25

Okay, I must admit that the instrumental music of the Tender Land is one of the most beautiful works of Copeland's illustrious career, but if you're looking for a big dramatic story with Wagner horn wails, then looks elsewhere. Brunelle's interpretations are good, however I found one of the male vocalists to be rather lack-luster. I don't condone public humiliation so I won't say who it was. I've not heard any other versions of the full opera, so I cannot make any comparisons. However if you have only heard the highlights of this opera (ie- The Promise of Living), you might want to buy a CD containing the orchestral suite because I find much of the reccitativo (sp?) in this opera very tedious to listen to. I recommend the RCA Victor "Composers Conduct" series because Copeland conducts the suite himself with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Included also on the CD is the Appalachian Spring Suite, Morton Gould conducting his "Fall River Legend Suite" and his "Latin-American Symphonette" Again, if you're a big fan of American Opera, then this is your CD, but if you're just a fan of Copeland, get the orchestral suite!

So many unknown but great songs.......2000-01-06

I found this opera to contain a very well layed plot. To accompany the plot, Copland has added some very beautiful mealodies for both vocal and orchestral. The music is no surprise for the first time it is listened to. It's typical Copland. Out of my entire collection of music, I treasure this CD the most. The best part about it is that the oprea is in English! I can actually understand what the characters are saying. It's also a great opera to introduce to a preteen or a teen. There is no violence and a rape is only mentioned in a very 'proper' manner. I, myself, am a teen and I might not of ever started listening to opera if it wasn't for this one.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful
Pure joy
Copland's vocal work

A Copland Celebration Vol. 3

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

A Copland Celebration Vol. 2
A Copland Celebration Vol. 1
The Copland Collection: Orchestral Works, 1948-1971
Copland: Old American Songs/Canticle Of Freedom/Four Motets
The Copland Collection: Orchestral & Ballet Works, 1936-1948

ASIN: B000050HWV
Release Date: 2000-11-07

Tracks:

Old American Songs, Sets 1 & 2: The Boatmen's Dance - William Warfield
Old American Songs, Sets 1 & 2: The Dodge - William Warfield
Old American Songs, Sets 1 & 2: Long Time Ago - William Warfield
Old American Songs, Sets 1 & 2: Simple Gifts - William Warfield
Old American Songs, Sets 1 & 2: I Bought Me A Cat - William Warfield
Old American Songs, Sets 1 & 2: The Little Horses - William Warfield
Old American Songs, Sets 1 & 2: Zion's Walls - William Warfield
Old American Songs, Sets 1 & 2: The Golden Willow Tree - William Warfield
Old American Songs, Sets 1 & 2: At The River - William Warfield
Old American Songs, Sets 1 & 2: Ching-A-Ring Chaw - William Warfield
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: I. Nature, The Gentlest Mother - Aaron Copland
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: II. There Came A Wind Like A Bugle - Aaron Copland
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: III. Why Do They Shut Me Out Of Heaven? - Aaron Copland
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: IV. The World Feels Dusty - Aaron Copland
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: V. Heart, We Will Forget Him - Aaron Copland
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: VI. Dear March, Come In! - Aaron Copland
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: VII. Sleep Is Supposed To Be - Aaron Copland
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: VIII. When They Come Back - Aaron Copland
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: IX. I Felt A Funeral In My Brain - Aaron Copland
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: X. I've Heard An Organ Talk Sometimes - Aaron Copland
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: XI. Going To Heaven! - Aaron Copland
Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson: XII. The Chariot - Aaron Copland
In The Beginning - Aaron Copland
Lark - Aaron Copland

Tracks:

The Tender Land: Act One: The Day Before Graduation (Late Afternoon): Gently Flowing - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Act One: The Day Before Graduation (Late Afternoon): Moderate Tempo: 'Once I Thought I'd Never Grow Tall As This Fence' - Joy Clements
The Tender Land: Act One: The Day Before Graduation (Late Afternoon): Moderately Fast: 'Do You Suppose They're Makin' Food In There?' - Richard Fredericks
The Tender Land: Act One: The Day Before Graduation (Late Afternoon): Somewhat Faster: 'We've Been North'/'We've Been South' - Richard Cassilly
The Tender Land: Act One: The Day Before Graduation (Late Afternoon): With Motion: 'Halloo, Halloo' - Norman Treigle
The Tender Land: Act One: The Day Before Graduation (Late Afternoon): Moderately: 'If You Boys Work As Smooth As You Talk, We'll Make Good Time In The Fields' - Norman Treigle
The Tender Land: Act One: The Day Before Graduation (Late Afternoon): Trifle Slower: 'The Promise Of Living With Hope And Thanksgiving' - Richard Cassilly
The Tender Land: Act Two: That Evening: Lively And Rough - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Act Two: That Evening: Quite Slow: 'Thank You, Thank You All' - Joy Clements
The Tender Land: Act Two: That Evening: Very Broadly: 'Ah, Laurie, You Are A Puzzle' - Norman Treigle
The Tender Land: Act Two: That Evening: Briskly: 'Stomp Your Foot Upon The Floor' - Richard Cassilly
The Tender Land: Act Two: That Evening: Somewhat Slower: 'The World Seems Still Tonight' - Richard Cassilly
The Tender Land: Act Three: Later That Night/Then Graduation Day (Dawn): Introduction: Starting Slowly - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Act Three: Later That Night/Then Graduation Day (Dawn): As At First: 'Daybreak Will Come In Such A Short Time' - Richard Cassilly
The Tender Land: Act Three: Later That Night/Then Graduation Day (Dawn): Fast Tempo: 'That's Crazy!' - Richard Fredericks
The Tender Land: Act Three: Later That Night/Then Graduation Day (Dawn): Broadly: 'The Sun Is Coming Up As Though I'd Never Seen It Rise Before' - Joy Clements
The Tender Land: Act Three: Later That Night/Then Graduation Day (Dawn): (Still Slower): 'You Are Strange To Me' - Claramae Turner

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful.......2007-04-22

I must confess I am unfamiliar with Copland's "The Tender Land" except for this reissue, which I find to be absolutely magnificent. I realize this is a truncated performance, eliminating what I assume to be a fair amount of spoken dialogue. But I don't care. What is presented here is simply one of the finest American compositions - forget American - one of the finest compositions of the 20th century. Period.

Pure joy.......2005-07-29

The recording of Copland's The Tender Land is alone worth getting this disc. The rest of the vocal works are just a bonus, a very good bonus! Copland directs a definitive account of his opera, and in this compressed version leaves out all the spoken parts of the full length opera, no doubt depriving us of a lot of good music but on the other hand giving listeners a very concise version that is even stronger musically (although dramatically a little lacking in logic because of the missing parts - for example without knowing of the confrontation during the party scene you would find the boys' departure the next morning puzzling, and the CD notes does not elaborate on the plot, which is about the only negative thing you can say about this set). Listening to the opera in this abridged version gives you the feeling of one hit after another, there is not a single weak point in the score and Copland has a gift for word-setting that can turn clumsy texts such as "girls come and go, some are good, some are not so good" into goosebumps stuff (a lovely dedication to Laurie sung by Grandpa). Other high points include the stunning transformation of the traditional Walls of Zion into the quartet piece The Promise Of Living and a rollicking Party Scene, which contains the best in Copland's clever orchestration and rythmic vitality - it seems all of the composers best traits have all come together in this work. Martin's Act 2 Song 'Laurie...You Know, Laurie' is a rare gem or an aria and beautifully sung. Other hidden gems include the comical 'We've Been North'. The cast is impeccable and the entire performance is flawless. Add to that one of those scores that simply win you over from start to finish, and you can't but fall in love with this music. I once thought that nothing could better Appalachian Spring but that was before I discovered this neglected work.

Copland's vocal work.......2002-08-08

And so on this third set of the celebration of Aaron Copland's music, all attention is on his vocal work including the opera, "The Tender Land".

I can't completely explain why I give this five stars after giving the first two sets four stars each. This is just the way the opera, in particular, strikes me. I'm no great opera fan, and to my knowledge, America just has not yet proved itself in the operatic field although it's tried. It will take time, but I do see Copland's work as someday being considered the best example of American opera. This is all subjective opinion, obviously, and I'm sure there are those more knowledgeable who will disagree. So be it.

Tracks:

A Railroad Ballad For Orchestra
Lincoln Portrait
The Promise Of Living
The Boatmen's Dance/The Dodger/Long Time Ago/Simple Gifts/I Bought Me A Cat
Jubilee Variations
Ceremonial Fanfare
An Outdoor Overture

Customer Reviews:

Vintage Americana.......2006-09-08

This album is a wonderful collection of lesser heard Copland gems. The performances have the excitement one always expects from Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops, and it is ever a special treat to hear Sherrill Milnes. A very enjoyable CD.

Copland: Appalachian Spring; The Tender Land (Orchestral Suite); Billy the Kid (Ballet Suite)

Average customer rating:

A Excellent CD

Copland: Appalachian Spring; The Tender Land (Orchestral Suite); Billy the Kid (Ballet Suite)

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000003EQB
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Appalachian Spring
The Tender Land: Introduction and Love Music
The Tender Land: Party Scene
The Tender Land: Finale: The Promise of Living
Billy the Kid -- Ballet suite

Customer Reviews:

A Excellent CD.......2000-01-26

This CD gives you two of Aaron Copland's most popular ballets, with Appalachian Spring being a performance conducted by the composer himself. Both Copland and Ormandy give wonderful readings of both works and the Boston Symphony and Philadelphia Orchestra are excellent. This CD also includes a wonderful performance of a work that I feel is often unfairly neglected, the Tenderland Suite. In my opinion, this is some of Copland's best and most beautiful music, and the conductor's excellent reading with the Boston Symphony deserves to be listened to.

Average customer rating:

Testament of Freedom
Wonderful Piece of Americana
A Great Recording of Great Choral Works
One of my favorite CD's
Disappointing

Testament
Leonard Bernstein , Aaron Copland , Howard Hanson , Ronald A. Nelson , Randall Thompson , Dallas Wind Symphony , and Turtle Creek Chorale
Manufacturer: Reference Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Thompson: Frostiana; Testament of Freedom
The Assault on Reason

ASIN: B000001595
Release Date: 1993-03-09

Tracks:

Behold Man
Song of Democracy
The Pasture (Frostiana)
Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening (Frostiana)
Allelujah
The Promise of Living (The Tender Land)
Simple Gifts
Make Our Garden Grow
The Testament Of Freedom: The God Who Gave Us Life
The Testament Of Freedom: We Have Counted The Cost
The Testament Of Freedom: We Fight Not For Glory
The Testament Of Freedom: I Shall Not Die Without A Hope

Customer Reviews:

Testament of Freedom.......2007-07-12

I sung the Testament in a men chorus in 1966.Most of the men were veterans as was I. I only wish the powers to be would include it in the July celebration in Washington D.C.

Wonderful Piece of Americana.......2007-01-27

I bought, and was very disappointed in, the New York Choral Society's recording of "Testament of Freedom" a couple of years ago. The diction was indisctinct, the voices were overpowered by the instruments, and the sound in general left a lot to be desired. I was delighted when I accidentally stumbled on this CD and found out that "Testament of Freedom" was included.

The Turtle Creek Chorale does an excellent job with the title piece. The vocal sound of the group is wonderfully rich, and the balance between the instruments and voices is about as good as you can get with a piece that calls for such a large instrumental ensemble. Plus, I prefer the men's choir arrangement of "Testament," largely because I remember singing it for Region Choir auditions over 10 years ago. My only complaint is that in some parts of "We Have Counted the Cost," it's hard to understand the words if you don't already know them; same thing with "We Fight Not For Glory." But these are minor quibbles.

"Testament" is a must-own CD for any American music lover, as it feautures the work of a criminally-underperformed composer. It's worth buying for the performance "Testament of Freedom" alone, although all the tracks are excellent, particularly the "Alleluia". 5 out of 5.

A Great Recording of Great Choral Works.......2006-01-02

I had to write this review because it is a crime that this wonderful CD has a ho-hum overall rating just because one of the two previous reviewers didn't bother to find out what it was before he ordered. Yes, Amazon had it mislabled (it's better now, but still misleading by putting Bernstein's name first), but I had no trouble figuring out that it was a men's ensemble. In fact, that's the primary reason I chose this CD.

The feature work on this CD is the "Testament of Freedom" by Randall Thompson. For this work, Mr. Thompson chose to set various writings of Thomas Jefferson to music. In doing so, he has helped preserve these sometimes forgotten texts and at the same time, demonstrated why he is one of America's best loved choral composers. Unfortunately, there are not many recordings of this work, and many of those you'll find are sung by mixed choirs. This work was intended for, and sounds best when sung by, a men's chorus. That alone sets this CD apart.

The biggest weakness of this recording is the balance between the wind ensemble and the chorus. In the forte sections, the chorus gets drowned out a bit. That's always a danger in master works, particularly when you pit voices against winds. However, I found this to be a minor flaw and have heard much worse examples.

I recommend this CD for all who love choral music and particularly for those who have yet to experience the music of Randall Thompson. It is also interesting to note that the words of Thomas Jefferson, written so long ago, still ring true in these trying times (especially the third and fourth passages).

(The following acquired from http://www.turtlecreek.org/music/linerpages/testament.htm)
Lyrics:

The Testament of Freedom
Text: Thomas Jefferson

The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time; the hand of force may destroy but cannot disjoin them.

---A Summary View of the Rights of British America (1774)

We have counted the cost of this contest, and find nothing so dreadful as voluntary slavery. Honor, justice, and humanity forbid us tamely to surrender that freedom which we received from our gallant ancestors, and which our innocent posterity have a right to receive them from us. We cannot endure the infamy and guilt of resigning succeeding generations to that wretchedness which inevitably awaits them if we basely entail heredity bondage upon them. Our cause is just. Our union perfect. Our internal resources are great...We gratefully acknowledge, as signal instances of the Divine favor towards us, that His Providence would not permit us to be called into this severe controversy until we were grown up to our present strength, and been previously exercised in warlike operation, and possessed of the means of defending ourselves. With hearts fortified with these animating reflections, we most solemnly, before God and the world, declare that, exerting the utmost energy of those powers which we have been compelled by our enemies to assume, we will, in defiance of every hazard, with unabating firmness and perseverance, employ for the preservation of our liberties; being with one mind resolved to die freemen rather than to live as slaves.

---Declaration of Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms (1775)

We fight not for glory or for conquest. We exhibit to mankind the remarkable spectacle of a people attacked by unprovoked enemies, without any imputation or even suspicion of offense. They boast of their privilege and civilization, and yet proffer no milder conditions than servitude or death. In our native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright and which we ever enjoyed until the late violation of it; for the protection of our property, acquired by the honest industry of our forefathers and ourselves; against violence actually offered; we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before.

---Declaration of Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms (1775)

I shall not die without hope that light and liberty are on steady advance... And even should the cloud of barbarism and despotism again obscure the science and liberties of Europe, this country remains to preserve and restore light and liberty to them... The flames kindled on the 4th of July, 1776, have spread over too much of the globe to be extinguished by the feeble engines of despotism; on the contrary, they will consume these engines and all who work them.

---Letter to John Adams, Monticello (1821)

One of my favorite CD's.......2005-08-10

The actual title of this CD is Testament, and the principle performing group is the Dallas-based Turtle Creek Chorale. I am perplexed by Amazon's listing this magnificent recording under a generic descriptive title and then naming the accompanying Dallas Wind Symphony as the only "performer." Someone must have been asleep at the wheel.

Now to the recording itself -- I love choral music, and am especially drawn to male voices. I even enjoy hearing all-male college glee clubs singing their boisterous drinking songs. What a joy then to happen upon this recording which features strong, well trained voices in addition to exquisite pieces of music, some of which are among my favorites. The highlight of the CD for me is Randall Thompson's, "Testament of Freedom." The CD is worth its price just for this one 24-minute jewel. The rest is like tasty icing on a cake.

Disappointing.......2002-02-20

I was disappointed with this album. First, it did not notice that the Turtle Creek Chorale is an all male ensemble. ... Secondly, the quality of the recording is poor. The sound is muddy and lacks brightness. I had to turn my stereo way up just to hear it. The orchestra sounds great, but the mix of the voices is very poor. I definately do not recommend.

The Tender Land (Complete Chamber Version)

Average customer rating:

Fabulous!
Copland: Composer for the American Depression Era
The Chamber Version Works Really Well
Copland was, and still is, a genius.

The Tender Land (Complete Chamber Version)
A. Copland , Richard Zeller , Jeffrey Peyton , and Third Angle New Music Ensemble
Manufacturer: Koch Int'l Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Copland: The Tender Land (complete opera)

ASIN: B00002EPMT
Release Date: 1999-11-30

Tracks:

The Tender Land: Act I: Introduction - A. Copland
The Tender Land: Act I: Beth & Ma Moss Entrance (Beth) (Ma Moss) - A. Copland
The Tender Land: Act I: Mr. Splinter's Entrance (Mr. Splinters) (Ma Moss) (Beth) - A. Copland
The Tender Land: Act I: This Is Like the Dress I Never Had (Beth) (Ma Moss) - A. Copland
The Tender Land: Act I: Laurie's Aria (Laurie) (Ma Moss) - A. Copland
The Tender Land: Act I: Remember The Boy Who Used To Call (Laurie) (Ma Moss) - A. Copland
The Tender Land: Act I: Martin And Top Entrance (Top) (Martin) (Laurie) - A. Copland
The Tender Land: Act I: We've Been North, We've Been South (Martin) (Top) (Laurie) (Grandpa Moss) - A. Copland
The Tender Land: Act I: Hire A Stranger (Grandpa Moss) (Martin) (Top) (Laurie) (Ma Moss) - A. Copland
The Tender Land: Act I: The Promise Of Living (Martin) (Laurie) (Ma Moss) (Grandpa Moss) (Top) - A. Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: Introduction - Party Scene (Top) (Mrs. Jenks) (Martin) (Laurie) (Ma Moss) (Mr. Splinters) (Grandpa Moss) - A. Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: Thank You, Thank You All (Laurie) (Grandpa Moss) (Ma Moss) - A. Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: Stomp Your Feet - Square Dance (Ma Moss) (Top) (Martin) (Mr. Splinters) (Mr. Jenks) - A. Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: Zion's Walls (Grandpa Moss) - A. Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: Long Time Ago (Ma Moss) - A. Copland

Tracks:

The Tender Land: Act II: Something Strange Is Goin' On (Ma Moss) (Mr. Splinters) - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: I Was Goin' A-Courtin' (Martin) (Grandpa Moss) (Top) (Ma Moss) (Mrs. Splinters) - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: Love Scene a) You Dance Real Well (Martin) (Laurie) - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: Love Scene b) Love Duet (Laurie) (Martin) - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: Hey Bums! (Grandpa Moss) (Laurie) (Ma Moss) (Top) (Martin) (Mr. Splinters) (Mrs. Splinters) (Mr. Jenks) (Mrs. Jenks) - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: Interlude - Transition (to Original Act III) - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: Is There Someone in There That's Called Laurie (Martin) (Laurie) - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: Daybreak Will Come (Laurie) (Martin) - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: Is That How You See Laurie? (Top) (Martin) - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: The Sun Is Comin' Up (Laurie) - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: Laurie's Leaving (Beth) (Laurie) (Ma Moss) - Aaron Copland
The Tender Land: Act II: Ma Moss' Final Aria (Ma Moss) - Aaron Copland

Amazon.com

This is the world premiere recording of the chamber version of Copland's The Tender Land, which the composer himself approved. Those who love Appalachian Spring and its wide-open, American, innocent but energetic idiom will discover much of the same feeling of warmth and homespun verisimilitude here. The performance is excellent. The chamber orchestra plays handsomely and with great sentiment under Murray Sidlin (who also did the arrangements), and the singers react to the music as if they were living each moment for the first time. Suzan Hanson makes the most of Laurie, singing with the right combination of winsomeness and reality, and her love music with Martin, sung with charm by tenor Robert MacNeil, makes for some beautiful listening. Milagro Vargas is protective as Ma, while Richard Zeller's baritone is a bit light and young-sounding for Grandpa. Douglas Webster sings the role of Top, Martin's fellow wanderer, with real verve. Indeed, the quintet that ends Act One, "The promise of living," in which all five lead characters take part, is simply ravishing. The rest of the cast is excellent. Try not to do without this recording; it's a beauty. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous!.......2002-04-26

Excellent orchestrations. The chamber setting emphasizes the vocal demands placed on the singers.

The vocal casting is superb. Honest voices singing honest roles.

This combination affords the listener the chance to enjoy this opera as it is intended. The opera is often described as unlistenable, mostly due to the over production of sound. "The Tender Land" was never intended to sound Wagnerian.

Copland: Composer for the American Depression Era.......2001-11-06

I will never forget the day that I first found a 33 1/3 recording of The Tender Land in Bailey's Music Rooms on Church Street in Burlington, Vermont. I made my way up the hill to the Billings Student Center, found an empty listening booth, opened up the record, and started it spinning. When I heard the glorious ending of the First Act: "The Promise of Living," I dissolved into tears.
Now it is many years later, and there's a new recording, this time a more complete version, but a chamber version at that. I can only say that this work still moves me even today as it did then, and the chamber version seems a much better rendition than the one I originally owned for two reasons: First, because it's more complete, so the plot makes better sense. Second because it is a chamber version, it has a greater tendency to evoke the stark realities of Midwest farmlife in the depression era. Copland essentially grew up as a composer during that era, and it is worth studying some of his starker piano pieces, especially the Piano Variations and the Piano Sonata, to see how he evolved from a spare style that beautifully evoked the America of his day to the more substantial works that came later: Appalachian Spring, Billy the Kid, Rodeo, and this great opera called The Tender Land. If anything, this opera is proof that the lessons he learned during the Depression were not lost on him, and became the basis for all the great music that followed.

The Chamber Version Works Really Well.......2000-11-12

I saw Sidlin's chamber version of this opera in Pittsburgh a few years ago and walked out of the concert with a warm glow inside. I've been beating the drum for this gentle little opera ever since, and I am glad to have his recording now.

This is wonderful music, and if all you know of Copland is Appalachian Spring and the other popular suites, you are in for a real treat. The quintet that closes the First Act, "The Promise of Living" is stirring and may cause you to hit that "repeat" button on your remote more than once.

The chamber version is thinner and leaner sounding than the full version, and as such it places greater demands on the singers. The chamber version is definitely a singer's opera; the orchestra is just along for the ride. Luckily, they're up to it. I noticed no weak spots among the cast. Ironically, the Brunelle/MN/Virgin recording uses the full orchestral version but the voices sound all wrong, as if the singers had just accidently wandered in from a Broadway play.

This is the one to get. Compleatists might want to seek out the Brunelle version too, but start with this one.

-Ed

Copland was, and still is, a genius........2000-02-04

Just recently, I was introduced to Copland when I had to sing "THE TENDER LAND" for a choral event. I found this peice to be deeply moving, and I looked elsewhere for the CD. After listening to the whole thing, I was pratically moved to tears by the shear beauty and power of the theme of the music. I always enjoyed Copland's work, like the Appalation Spring, or Rodeo, but this takes the cake. I give it a five star rating.

Average customer rating:

Another adventurous collection from the wonderful Ms. Upshaw
World So Wide
Dawn, why?
A Wonderful Selection of Arias from American Operas
"All velvet and diamonds."

The World So Wide

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Angels Hide Their Faces: Dawn Upshaw Sings Bach and Purcell
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Girl with Orange Lips
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ASIN: B000006E4F
Release Date: 1998-05-26

Tracks:

Laurie's Song
This is Prophetic
What a Movie
Oh Yemanja (Mother's Prayer)
Willow Song
Lonely House
Give Me Some Music
Ain't it a Pretty Night

Amazon.com

This refreshing jewel of 20th-century opera arias allows Upshaw to put her personal stamp on music written for a variety of voice types. While some are more successful than others, they're all performed with intelligence and musciality--an Upshaw trademark. Her consistently even tone along with her commitment to sensitive interpretation and precise diction is impressive. The most beautiful of these arias (Copland's "The World So Wide," Floyd's "Ain't It a Pretty Night") capture the brilliance of American homegrown musical lyricism, as the cornucopia of musical sounds flows like a waterfall from magical orchestral mountains. Upshaw's jubilance inspires joy for the listener as well. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

Another adventurous collection from the wonderful Ms. Upshaw.......2006-08-24

On reflection, it's amazing that Dawn Upshaw has made a major career for herself without recording a note of Verdi, Wagner, Puccini, or Strauss. She's far from being a bread-and-butter soprano, as this marvelous colleciton of mostly obscure arias from mostly obscure American operas displays. The title aria form copland's The Tender Land sets the overall tone of rapt, romatnic charm. Her voice is too light to sing Barber's Celopatra onstage, but it works well in the studio, and the more popsy numbers, such as Delilah's big song from Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti, call on Upshaw's excellent crossover skills. Another revelation is how good Joh Adams's Nixon in China music sounds when performed expressively by a major artist.

Renee Fleming released a similar collection on Decca ("I Want Magic"), but the two CDs couldn't be more different. Upshaw is touching, informal, spontaneous, and charming. Fleming tires for the big effects, boosting the music (not too successfully) into the ralms of grand opera.

In all, I'm deeply grateful for every unusual program Upshaw delivers. Now that there are more than a dozen of them, we can see how beautifully she has managed a career devoted to music that few other major stars come close to trying.

World So Wide.......2001-08-26

This is not one of my favorite Dawn Upshaw albums, mainly because of the choice of music. The selections, generally, are quite dark and often lack lyrical continuity, which certainly has nothing to do with Upshaw. However, as a lost art form, they are still quite worth recording, but don't expect an easy-listening experience or to be humming the tunes around the house as is the case with Upshaw's broadway albums. That being said, Upshaw does a fantastic job with this selection of music, though she is a bit bright at times. The album is worth buying simply for the recording of the "Willow Song" from the Ballad of Baby Doe. Upshaw's interpretation is wonderful and the voice is obviously well-suited to the piece. In fact, I'm tempted to prefer her version over Beverly Sills' original. Bernstein's "What a Movie" shows Upshaw at her funniest-a great piece. And, as usual, one is amazed by her fantastic technique, which makes up for the brightness in the voice.

Dawn, why?.......2001-05-12

I used to be a huge Dawn Upshaw fan back when she put out her first few recordings. But, now she is one of my very least favorite singers. Why? The excessive nasality, the ridiculous swooping, and the overdone ...mannerisms. On top of that, she has lost the roundness in her upper register (as evidenced by places in Ain't it a Pretty Night). This music doesn't need someone to treat it like a cabaret showtune to be effective, it just needs to be beautifully sung. Once upon a time, I thought Ms. Upshaw was just the person to do this kind of performance...

I realize that there are diehard Upshaw fans out there that will completely disagree with me. This is just a warning to those that dislike this sort of approach to singing.

A Wonderful Selection of Arias from American Operas.......2001-04-27

The music on this CD is very beautiful and represents a wide variety of American opera. Dawn Upshaw does tend to scoop every now and then, but overall she does a good job. I would recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys opera.

"All velvet and diamonds.".......1999-10-08

"Beautiful" has pretty much gone out of fashion as a much abused and now empty word. And yet, I can't think of a word that would more accurately describe Dawn Upshaw's "The World so Wide." It is just that: sheer beauty. The incredible dynamic range of Upshaw's voice is a perfect match for this thoughtful selection of stylistically very different, and demanding contemporary pieces. Going from ironic, witty grit of Bernstein's "What a movie," to poignant restraint of "Mother's Prayer," and softly romantic exuberance of Moore's "Willow Song," this brilliant this CD doesn't disappoint for even a moment. In its last piece, Floyd's "Ain't it a Pretty Night," where Upshaw sings, literally, to the stars, she seems to effortlessly soar just as high. A great CD, it is indeed "all velvet and diamonds."