Antheil / Copland: Orchestral Works

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Thanks to the CD revolution, Everest is able to bring into print its astonishing backlog of classical music from the 1950s. One of the works on this disc worth mentioning is the reasonably obscure Symphony 4 by George Antheil, probably the most reviled American composer of the century. Curiously, this symphony is rather controlled and cogent; nowhere does Antheil seem conscious of the American sypmhonies of the previous decades (Hanson, Harris, et al.). The Copland Statements for Orchestra is a bit more problematic, as Copland tries for discord and fails. He was never the experimenter. Get this for the Antheil. --Paul Cook

Tracks:

Military March No. 1 In D Major, Op. 39: Pomp Ad Circumstance
Waltz Fom Der Rosenkavalier Suite
'Von der Schonheit' From Das Lied von der Erde
'De l'aube a midi sur la mer' From La Mer
Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Op. 25 'Classical Symphony': III. Gavotta. Non troppo allegro
L'histoire du soldat Suite - IV. The Royal March
L'histoire du soldat Suite - V. The Little Concert
Le tombeau de Couperin - V. Menuet
Le tombeau de Couperin - VI. Toccata
Sinfonia From Pulcinella Suite
Walzer From Funf Klavierstucke, Op. 23
Interlude From Wozzeck, Act III
Prologue From Music Ffor The Theatre
'Shine On Harvest Moon'
'Alexander's Ragtime Band' - Irving Berlin
'Over There'
'How You Gonna Keep'em Down On The Farm (After They've Seen Paree)?'
'The Man I Love' From Stride Up The Band
'West End Blues'

Amazon.com

The first two-thirds of this disc is a fascinating cram course in concert music around the time of World War I. The programmer has put together some fascinating juxtapositions--for example, Strauss's Rosenkavalier leads almost seamlessly into Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde, and Schoenberg sounds out of context with everybody (including Berg). The selections are all short, and performance quality runs from great to mediocre, but this is still a thought-provoking educational experience, even though Bartók and Ives are conspicuously missing. The popular selections are less interesting, often campy, and although vintage recordings are used, they aren't always the right vintage. And someone missed a point by separating Copland's jazzy "Music for the Theatre" from Louis Armstrong, who could have followed immediately. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Music and the Great War.......2007-05-14

This is a fascinating compendium of popular and classical music from the World War One period. It evokes all the turmoil, anguish, and also humor, of the age, and is a vital CD to own if you have an interest in the Great War and the music it inspired or was inspired by.

How a Century Has Change Our Perception of War.......2005-10-29

War. Tough subject these days - tough subject since the beginning of time. Yet Americans tend to mend wounds and gradually allow the atrocities of yesteryear to fade into coated cases that signal more memories of 'how things used to be' rather than learning from the tragedies with which war has scarred the planet. National Public Radio issued this excellent memoir at the turn of the millennium and one wonders if it now has the same response that greeted it in 1999.

Linda Kobler reconstituted this mix of classical and popular music with a keen sense of history. The CD is twice divided (in both the classical and the popular music) into 'Before the War' 1901 - 1917, 'During the War' 1917 - 1922, and 'After the War' 1922 - 1928. In the first era are the works of Elgar ('Pomp and Circumstance'), Strauss (a waltz from 'Der Rosenkavalier'), Mahler (excerpt from 'Das Lied von der Erde'), and Debussy ('La Mer') joining the songs 'Shine On Harvest Moon' and 'Alexander's Ragtime Band'. The War period is represented by Prokofiev's 'Symphony No. 1', Stravinsky's 'L'histoire du soldat', and Ravel's 'Le tombeau de Couperin' in tandem with 'Over There'. After the war include Stravinsky ('Pulcinella Suite'), Schoenberg (Waltz from 'Five Piano Pieces'), Berg (excerpt from 'Wozzeck') and Copland ('Music from the Theatre') with popular songs 'How you gonna keep 'em down on the farm', 'The Man I Love', and 'West End Blues'.

The excerpts selected for this survey are exceptionally good: orchestras include NY Phil, LA Phil, Philadelphia Orchestra, London Symphony, and the Columbia Symphony under such batons a Ormandy, Bernstein, Salonen, Tilson Thomas, Schippers and Stravinsky; soloists include Glen Gould, Robert Casadesus, Lili Chookaskian, Louis Armstrong, et al. The sonics are very fine and the performances are each from significant full recordings remaining in the catalogue.

The booklet accompanying this concert of memories is written by Linda Kobler who uses each selection as a pivotal point in the atmosphere of the globe that accompanied the Great War: it is very well written and informative. This is one of those recorded collections that goes far beyond an accumulation of bits and pieces and instead gives food for thought about how our political and social actions intertwine with the arts in a prophetic way. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, October 05

Excellent Recording!.......1999-03-13

(It was called The "Great" War, because nobody knew about WWII at the time and it was the biggest war anyone had ever seen.)

I think this CD may be a bit choppy to "easy" listeners, but for anyone who has a sincere interest in delving into the musical senses of earlier generations it's VERY good! I recommend the entire NPR Milestones of the Millennium series to such aficionados.

Good music, bad title.......1999-02-11

Since when is war great? Life in the trenches waiting for the germans to attack you worrying about whether mustard gas is gonna loft your way isn't exactly like sipping chablis.

The Copland Collection: Orchestral & Ballet Works, 1936-1948

Average customer rating:

Bought this for Concerto for Clarinet
Aaron Copland: Populist and Conductor
Tribute to Lincoln
A great way to get your dose of Copland....
Well balanced retrospective, -or- Listen to this!

The Copland Collection: Orchestral & Ballet Works, 1936-1948

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Copland Collection: Orchestral Works, 1948-1971
Copland: Music for Films
A Copland Celebration Vol. 3
A Copland Celebration Vol. 1
Samuel Barber / Thomas Schippers

ASIN: B0000027BJ
Release Date: 1991-01-18

Tracks:

El Salon Mexico
An Outdoor Overture
Billy The Kid: Introduction: The Open Prairie
Billy The Kid: Street In A Frontier Town
Billy The Kid: Prairie Night (Card Game At Night)
Billy The Kid: Gun Battle
Billy The Kid: Celebration (After Billy's Capture)
Billy The Kid: Billy's Death
Billy The Kid: The Open Prairie Again
Quiet City
John Henry
Our Town
Las Agachadas
Fanfare For The Common Man

Tracks:

Rodeo (Four Dance Episodes): I. Buckaroo Holiday
Rodeo (Four Dance Episodes): II. Corral Nocturne
Rodeo (Four Dance Episodes): III. Saturday Night Waltz
Rodeo (Four Dance Episodes): IV. Hoedown
The City: New England Countryside
Of Mice And Men: Barley Wagons
The City: Sunday Traffic
Our Town: Grovers Corners
Of Mice And Men: Threshing Machines
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): Very Slow
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): Fast
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): Moderato
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): Fast
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): Still Faster
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): As At First (Slowly)
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): Calm And flowing
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): Moderato; Coda
Letter From Home
Danzon Cubano

Tracks:

Lincoln Portrait: Lento
Lincoln Portrait: Subito Allegro
Lincoln Portrait: 'Fellow Citizens, We Cannot Escape History...'
Symphony No. 3: I. Molto Moderato-With Simple Expression
Symphony No. 3: II. Allegro Molto
Symphony No. 3: III. Andantino Quasi Allegretto
Symphony No. 3: IV. Molto Deliberato
Concerto For Clarinet, Strings, Harp, & Piano

Amazon.com

Aaron Copland made numerous recordings of his own music, including an extensive series for CBS during the 1960s and '70s, mostly with London orchestras. He was not an especially proficient conductor--consequently, the performances he conducted often lacked pace and rhythmic punch. His last recordings of his most popular scores have been reissued by Sony on an exceptionally well-remastered 3-CD set. These accounts do a good job of conveying the overall shape of the pieces, and they deliver telling characterizations of many episodes. Details emerge that are lost in some other accounts, and there is an appealing gentleness and sweetness to the approach. But the readings do not have as much grip as those of Bernstein and Slatkin, among others, and in spite of the authority they automatically possess, they are not necessarily preferable. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Bought this for Concerto for Clarinet.......2007-07-14

The sum is greater than the parts. This is a great Copland collection and shows his diversity. Yet as divers and the three CD are they are all distinctively Copland. Benny Goodman is usually associated with jazz yet he was also diverse in his career. "Concerto for Clarinet, Strings, and Harp & Piano" is a mantra that will carry you to a timeless place.

An added plus is the many other popular pieces that you know you heard but did not realize it was Copland especially the music from movies.

You may have to play the set a few times before being able to recognize the different tracks by name. The down side is many of Copland's works are outside of the date range of this collection.

Aaron Copland: Populist and Conductor.......2005-03-29

If you want a prime collection of Copland's more accessible works, this is it. Yes, it's true that Bernstein's recordings of individual pieces are often bolder and livelier; but this set offers the composer's own authoritative view of his work, and for that reason alone it is priceless. In addition, it includes virtually all the orchestral pieces he composed during his "populist phase," from El Salon Mexico (1936) to the Clarinet Concerto (1948). You won't find some of these lesser-known gems, such as An Outdoor Overture (1938) or Letter from Home (1944, written--like Rhapsody in Blue--for Paul Whiteman), on typical single-disc Copland compilations. I'd even go so far as to claim this as one of the four indispensable compilations of American instrumental music from the first half of the twentieth century (the others on my list--in case anyone cares--are Joshua Rifkin playing Scott Joplin, Oscar Levant playing Gershwin, and the Blanton-Webster band recordings of Duke Ellington).

What amazing riches flowed from Copland's pen during the period covered by these three discs! Billy the Kid (1939), Quiet City (1940), Our Town (1940), Fanfare for the Common Man (1942), Rodeo (1942), Lincoln Portrait (1942), Appalachian Spring (1944), and the Third Symphony (1946)--all are here. Some of this music is so familiar, so deeply ingrained in America's cultural consciousness, that we might be tempted to take it for granted. But imagine how much poorer the American concert repertoire would be without it. It's almost impossible, at this point, to conceive of a time when this wonderful music--which is to America roughly what Mussorgsky's music is to Russia, Grieg's to Norway, and Falla's to Spain--didn't exist. It was during the dozen years covered by this collection that Copland pulled away from the pack of his talented contemporaries (Hanson, Thomson, Harris, etc.) and, in a way, but with greater technical sophistication, filled the void left by the tragically early death of Gershwin, whose heyday, 1924-1935, immediately preceded the composition of the works on this collection.

The ballet music is all presented here in the familiar orchestral suites Copland arranged. Most of the selections are played by the London Symphony Orchestra, although the New Philharmonia and the just-plain Philharmonia get cracks at a few key works. The last-named orchestra, for instance, takes on the biggest piece on the program, Copland's Third, the closest thing American music has to a Beethoven's Ninth (although the work's sublime rhetoric has never completely convinced me--it's neither my personal favorite by Copland nor my favorite American symphony . . . but it sure has its moments). In addition to the fine orchestral playing, another treat is that Henry Fonda narrates the Lincoln Portrait--an almost inevitable pick, given the virtually mythic way his acting style embodied the American spirit and the fact that he had portrayed the sixteenth president in John Ford's classic film Young Mr. Lincoln (1939).

The set concludes with what, over the years, has become my favorite work by Copland, the Concerto for Clarinet, Strings, Harp, & Piano, written for and performed here by surely the last century's greatest clarinetist, Benny Goodman. This work effects a concise synthesis between Copland's mature style and his earlier jazz stylings from the 1920s; in addition, the searing eloquence of the opening slow movement seems to me the most profound lyrical writing Copland ever achieved. Stoltzman's recording, ironically enough, swings harder than the king of swing's, but this collaboration between the composer and the man who commissioned it is for the ages.

The only major "populist" scores written after the period this collection covers are the film scores to The Red Pony (1948) and The Heiress (1949). Both can be acquired on an essential Leonard Slatkin CD for RCA. And since this collection doesn't include chamber music, the great Violin Sonata (1943), a kind of more intimate counterpart to Appalachian Spring, will have to be sought elsewhere. (One good option is Gil Shaham/Andre Previn on DG.) A serious Copland collector will also want to grab the other two volumes of the Copland Collection itself. The early set features important works such as the Organ Symphony (1924), Music for the Theater (1925), and the Short Symphony (1932)--but both of the other collections also include long, thorny pieces like the early Symphonic Ode and the late Connotations that can be rather difficult for the average enthusiast to enjoy.

Most of the essential, universal Copland is to be found on this second installment of the Copland Collection, and I would definitely recommend it as the place to start exploring Copland's magnificent contribution to American music. It has been a wonderful and treasured companion of mine for many years, and it also serves to conjure up a timely and inspiring vision of open prairies, nocturnal cityscapes, and the populist, humane values that America should, ideally, epitomize.

Tribute to Lincoln.......2001-10-28

I purchased this set of Copeland CD's because I wanted the Tribute to Lincoln narrated by Henry Fonda. This is a masterful recording especially for Americans in this time. The Tribute sends chills down my spine whenever I her it. My greatest joy however, was how much I have enjoyed all of the CD's in the set. I tend to be much more of a classical listener. I have heard Copeland but not in any organized fashion. This set has brought a new and delightful experience to my listening options.

A great way to get your dose of Copland...........2000-06-30

The 2nd of this three CD collection is wonderful. My favorite though is the third one. Doesn't mean this isn't good. This Sony Copland Collection set is worth the money for. Copland is sooo much more then Appalachian Spring, Fanfare for the Common Man, Rodeo, etc... But you get a lot of typical Copland on these CDs. Songs we all know and love. But there are some unfamiliar good ones too. Concerto for Clarinet took me by storm. So did Letters from Home. Good quality, good booklet, good recording, good playing (how Copland got the London Symphony to play something right I will never know), good everything. It's not perfect because it doesn't compete with THE best Copland like the third CD set of this collection, or the The Tendeer Land. Oh, these three CD sets don't cover all Copland, but it does for the most part. It doesn't have many chamber works, two choral works, and his two operas. You can cover some of those with the full version of Tender Land and of Second Hurricane (which also comes with the choral work, In the Beginning). But this is a good series. I highly recommend it!

Well balanced retrospective, -or- Listen to this!.......1999-08-11

Mr. Copland's works, as always, are exceptional This album, which consists of his work both as a composer and as a conductor, brings his music to life in a way no other conductor can. This is a well mastered and well produced work and worth the listen. To hear Arron Copland's music as he intended is wonderfull.

Average customer rating:

Not just monumental, but momentous
Spectacular Performances of Wind Band Classics

Monumental Works for Winds

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
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Winds of Nagual
Orff: Carmina Burana Suite; Bird: Serenade for Wind Instruments; Reed: La Fiesta Mexicana
Strike Up the Band!
Persichetti: Divertimento; Masquerade; Parable
Collage: A Celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the Peabody Institute 1857-2007

ASIN: B000I2IUX4
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Tracks:

Aida: Triumphal March
Symphonies Of Wind Instrumentals
Adagio-Allegro
Adagio Sostenuto
Allegretto
Vivace
Schwanda The Bagpiper: Polka And Fugue
Emblems
Over The Hills And Far Away-Children's March
Crown Imperial-Coronation March

Customer Reviews:

Not just monumental, but momentous.......2007-03-09

This display of virtuosity from "The President's Own," the U.S. Marine Band, now ranks right alongside the extensive discography of the Eastman Wind Ensemble with Frederick Fennell in my pantheon of wind ensemble/wind band/concert band recordings. Start with the Persichetti Symphony #6, where all discussions of transcendent 20th Century wind ensemble writing must start -- this actually surpasses Fennell in my estimation, because there is not a ragged bar in it (once or twice, the Eastman rushes a little as it transmits its enthusiasm for this great work). But then add in Stravinsky's Symphonies of Wind Instruments and the other great performances on this disk and you a stupendous, fulfilling piece of programming and consummate performance.

Spectacular Performances of Wind Band Classics.......2006-11-12

I'm not quite sure why this album is entitled 'Monumental Works for Winds.' Why 'monumental'? Be that as it may, most of the works included here are among the most popular and most often played by good (emphasis on the word 'good') wind bands. Of course, some of them are actually transcriptions. The works here originally written for wind band are Copland's 'Emblems', Persichetti's Symphony No. 6, Grainger's 'Children's March' and Stravinsky's 'Symphonies of Wind Instruments'. The other works are orchestral pieces that in their originals have a preponderance of wind/brass sonorities.

The first track, Verdi's 'Triumphal March' from Aida, was transcribed by that bandmaster of a bygone era, Giuseppe Creatore (now mostly remembered as 'the great Creatore', so-called by Professor Harold Hill in 'The Music Man.') It is indeed a monumental piece if only because one cannot hear it without thinking of an opera stage crowded with elephants, soldiers and Egyptian dancing girls. It is given a terrific performance by the United States Marine Band who let us know immediately that they are among the very best such ensembles in the world.

Stravinsky's great neoclassic 'Symphonies of Wind Instruments' is given in its original 1921 version. The playing here is extremely subtle, with conductor Michael J. Colburn fashioning a flexible, almost impressionistic rendition. One becomes aware of just how expert this band is. The clarinet section is one of the best I've ever heard with their ability to play softly and smoothly very much like a good violin section might.

Perschetti's mighty symphony for band, his No. 6, has been recorded many times and is surely one of the greatest works for wind band ever written by an American. The rhythmic snap of the Marine band must be heard to be appreciated, and again the clarinets are peerless in the Adagio movement. Weinberger's 'Polka and Fugue' from his opera Schwanda the Bagpiper is well-known from its initial full-orchestra recording by Felix Weingartner. The transcription by Glenn Cliffe Bainum is expert. The upper winds are given complex pianissimos to perform and acquit themselves admirably. The flute and piccolo pianissimos are breathtaking. The brass are stupendous in the final moments of the fugue.

I had never heard Copland's 'Emblems' before, although I'd read of it. It is an eleven minute work written in 1963 and is typical of his more knotty abstract style. However, his use of 'Amazing Grace' as a recurring theme gives it an unmistakably folkloric American cast. It's a brilliant piece given a brilliant performance.

The final two tracks, Grainger's 'Children's March' from Over the Hills and Far Away, and Walton's 'Crown Imperial March' are British to the core, arising as they do from the strong and deep current of British wind band music. The Grainger (actually written when Grainger was serving as a musician the US Army!) is given a winsome performance while the Walton, written for the coronation of King George VI (and transcribed for band by W.J. Duthoit) is suitably noble, and nobly played.

Make no mistake, this is a superb CD from beginning to end and stands among the best wind band recordings of recent times.

Scott Morrison

The Copland Collection: Orchestral Works, 1948-1971

Average customer rating:

Copland's conduction of GREAT CITY is better than Slatkin's
Another masterpiece...

The Copland Collection: Orchestral Works, 1948-1971

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The Copland Collection: Orchestral & Ballet Works, 1936-1948
Aaron Copland: The Essence of America [Box Set]
Copland: Symphony No. 3; Quiet City
A Copland Celebration Vol. 2
A Copland Celebration Vol. 1

ASIN: B0000027JC
Release Date: 1991-09-26

Tracks:

The Red Pony, Film Suite For Orchestra (1948): I. Morning On The Ranch
The Red Pony, Film Suite For Orchestra (1948): II. The Gift
The Red Pony, Film Suite For Orchestra (1948): III. Dream March And Circus Music
The Red Pony, Film Suite For Orchestra (1948): IV. Walk To The Bunkhouse
The Red Pony, Film Suite For Orchestra (1948): V. Grandfather's Story
The Red Pony, Film Suite For Orchestra (1948): VI. Happy Ending
Preamble For A Solemn Occasion (1949): Preamble For A Solemn Occasion
Orchestral Variations (1957): Theme: Grave
Orchestral Variations (1957): Variation I - Varation XX
Orchestral Variations (1957): Coda: Subito lento moderato
Dance Panels (1959, Revised 1962) (Ballet In Seven Sections): I. Introduction: Moderato (Tempo di Valzer); Espressivo un poco rubato
Dance Panels (1959, Revised 1962) (Ballet In Seven Sections): II. Allegretto con tenerezza (un poco rubato)
Dance Panels (1959, Revised 1962) (Ballet In Seven Sections): III. Scherzando; Moderato
Dance Panels (1959, Revised 1962) (Ballet In Seven Sections): IV. Pas de trois. Lento
Dance Panels (1959, Revised 1962) (Ballet In Seven Sections): V. Con brio
Dance Panels (1959, Revised 1962) (Ballet In Seven Sections): VI. Con moto
Dance Panels (1959, Revised 1962) (Ballet In Seven Sections): VII. Molto ritmico; Coda; come prima; Moderato

Tracks:

Connotations (1961-1962) For Orchestra
Down A Country Lane (1962)
Music For A Great City (1963-1964): I. Skyline
Music For A Great City (1963-1964): II. Night Thoughts
Music For A Great City (1963-1964): III. Subway Jam
Music For A Great City (1963-1964): IV. Toward The Bridge
Inscape (1967)
Three Latin-American Sketches: 1. Estribillo (1971)
Three Latin-American Sketches: 2. Paisaje Mexicano (1959)
Three Latin-American Sketches: 3. Danza de Jalisco (1959)

Customer Reviews:

Copland's conduction of GREAT CITY is better than Slatkin's.......2005-09-05

SKYLINE is a fun track that's based on the premise of Big City Overload. And naturally it's immediately followed by the low-key introspective NIGHT THOUGHTS.

Consider Lenny Bernstein's main theme from his MASS. I'm talking about the tune that was done klezmer-style and chorale-style. When the chorale sings it, it contains a descending 4-note phrase. Followed by a descending 5-note phrase. Okay--now listen for a certain passage in NIGHT THOUGHTS that sounds similar to Bernstein's passage. The only basic difference is that both of Copland's phrases are 5-note phrases. And let me add that Copland's NIGHT THOUGHTS was written years before Bernstein's MASS.

Another masterpiece..........2000-06-30

The third of the Copland Collection from Sony is much like the other two: Wonderful playing, orchestration, recording, and booklet. This is my favorite of the three of the CD sets though. Music is very 'Copland' like. The Red Pony is from the movie is an excellent suite. Dance Panels is the least known of the 4 ballets by Copland. But just like Appalachian Spring and Billy the Kid, it is very Copland, very exciting, and very good. Unlike the other three you may find on the 2nd CD set of this series, this is the entire ballet not just the suites. Down A Country Lane is now one of my favorite Copland works. So soothing, it can really paint the picture of a beautiful country road on a spring day. Music for a great city is actually from a movie (booklet tells all). Each of the four movements describes the big city just as we all have known it. All the other works are nothing to look down upon either. Most works are conducted by Copland with the London Symphony (he really knocked them into shape). A couple were conducted by Bernstein which are still up to standard. Great CD collection! Buy all three.

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Spring Classics

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Summer Classics
Autumn Classics

ASIN: B0000064XN
Release Date: 1998-03-10

Tracks:

Allegro from 'Spring' concerto NO.1 in E - Moscow Virtuosi/Vladimir Spivakov
May - 'White Nights' from the seasons - Xiang-dong Kong
'The Last Spring' from Two Elegiac Melodies - Guildhall String Ensemble/Salter
Spring from Four Seasons - Richard Stoltzman/Guildhall String Ensemble/Salter
Movement I from Symphony No. 1 'Spring' - Levine/Philadelphia Orch
Simple gifts from Appalachian Spring - Kapp/Phil Virtuosi
'The Adoration of the Earth' from The Rite of Spring - Slatkin/Saint Louis SO
Spring Song - Fiedler/Boston Pops Orch
Largo e pianissimo sempre from 'Spring' - Moscow Virtuosi/Vladimir Spivakov
Rondo from Violin Sonata No.5 'Spring' - Pinchas Zukerman/Marc Neikrug
Rondes de printemps from Images - Munch/Boston Sym
'Spring' from 'Les Quatres Saisons' - Abbado/Munich RO
Allegro from 'Spring' - Moscow Virtuosi/Vladimir Spivakov

Average customer rating:

A Cut Rodeo undermines an otherwise excellent bargain
Buy this one for Lincoln Portrait

Copland: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000029Q5
Release Date: 1996-04-16

Tracks:

Fanfare For The Common Man
Rodeo: Three Dance Episodes: I Buckaroo Holiday
Rodeo: Three Dance Episodes: II Saturday Night Waltz
Rodeo: Three Dance Episodes: III Hoe-Down
An Outdoor Overture
The Red Pony: Suite for Orchestra: I Morning On The Ranch
The Red Pony: Suite for Orchestra: II The Gift
The Red Pony: Suite for Orchestra: III a) Dream March
The Red Pony: Suite for Orchestra: III b) Circus Music
The Red Pony: Suite for Orchestra: IV Walk To The Bunkhouse
The Red Pony: Suite for Orchestra: V Grandfather's Story
The Red Pony: Suite for Orchestra: VI Happy Ending
Lincoln Portrait: Lento - Subito allegro

Customer Reviews:

A Cut Rodeo undermines an otherwise excellent bargain.......2003-05-04

For the most part, this is an excellent CD, with great performances throughout. Of note is Andre Previn's moving, wonderful account of the Red Pony suite, bringing out much more of the work's excitement than Copland's own more measured, standard reading. Unfortunatly, the dance episodes from Rodeo are a dissapointment. First, there are only three instead of the customary four episodes, and, even stranger, a large part of Buckaroo Holiday is cut towards the beginning. For the other works on this CD though, this is a fine purchase.

Buy this one for Lincoln Portrait.......2000-11-14

Leonard Bernstein is still the one to look for on Rodeo, but unfortunately, he never made a recording of Lincoln Portrait, which came as a shock to me, since he was probably the greatest interpreter of Copland's music. Fortunately, I found this recording with the great statesman Adlai Stevenson giving an emotional reading accompanied by the great Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy. If you're looking for Lincoln Portrait, this is the CD to look for. Look to Bernstein for Rodeo.

Average customer rating:

Copland: Works for Piano Duo

Manufacturer: Phoenix USA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00022EW4Q
Release Date: 2004-04-15

Tracks:

Dance of the Adolescent
MUSIC FOR THE THEATRE: 5 movements
El Salon Mexico
BILLY THE KID: 6 movements
Two Dance Episodes from RODEO
Danzon Cubano
Danza de Jalisco

Album Description

Throughout his long and distinguished career Aaron Copland (1900-1990) held a leading position in American classical music. The diversity of his output is extraordinary: it ranges from early avant-garde works to the folkloric and immediately accessible compositions, to experiments with atonality and serialism. Yet, regardless of the stylistic approach, Copland's music, always characterized by clearly shaped structures and easily recognizable and economical thematic material, consistently upholds his highly-set musical ideals. The piano was central to Copland's creative work. He always composed at the keyboard and its sonorities and gestures are clearly discernable in his music. Not only was the piano featured in numerous larger scores but many of his orchestral works were, essentially, original pianistic conceptions written down first for two pianos and orchestrated only later. Not surprisingly, the two- piano versions received several public performances, given by the pianist John Kirkpatrick and Copland himself. Another duo piano partner was the composer's friend and colleague Leonard Bernstein, who not only collaborated with Copland in performance but also made a two-piano arrangement of El Salon Mexico, heard on this CD. Also featured on this disc is the World Premiere recording of Copland's own version of MUSIC FOR THE THEATER for one piano, four hands.

Average customer rating:

Cornucopia for Copland Completists
Best Fanfare out there
A good selection of Copland pieces.
Buy the Dorati on its own, elsewhere
Very emotional

Copland: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Horne, Marilyn | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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Bernstein Century - Copland: Appalachian Spring, Rodeo, etc / Bernstein, New York PO

ASIN: B000004284
Release Date: 1996-04-09

Tracks:

Fanfare For The Common Man
Appalachian Spring: Very Slowly
Appalachian Spring: Allegro
Appalachian Spring: Moderato: The Bride And Her Intended
Appalachian Spring: Fast: The Revivalist And His Flock
Appalachian Spring: Allegro: Solo Dance Of The Bride
Appalachian Spring: Meno mosso
Appalachian Spring: Doppio movimento: Variations An A Shaker Hymn
Appalachian Spring: Moderato: Coda
Lincoln Portrait
Quiet City
Music For Movies: New England Countryside
Music For Movies: Barley Wagons
Music For Movies: Sunday Traffic
Music For Movies: Grovers Corners
Music For Movies: Threshing Machines

Tracks:

Ceremonial Fanfare
Old American Songs: I. Simple Gifts
Old American Songs: II. Ching-A-Ring-Chaw
Old American Songs: III. Long Time Ago
Old American Songs: IV. I Bought Me A Cat
Old American Songs: V. At The River
El salon Mexico
Dance Symphony: I. Lento -- Molto allegro -- Adagio molto
Dance Symphony: II. Adante moderato
Dance Symphony: III. Allegro vivo
Rodeo: I. Buckaroo Holiday
Rodeo: II. Corral Nocturne
Rodeo: III. Saturday Night Waltz
Rodeo: IV. Hoe-Down

Customer Reviews:

Cornucopia for Copland Completists.......2005-02-09

This is a collection for the true Copland fan. Because you don't buy this one for the serviceable but undistinguished renditions of the famous pieces - Fanfare, Appalachian Spring, Rodeo and El Salon Mexico. For those, look no further than Bernstein's seminal recordings with the NY Phil plus his second version of Appalachian Spring with the LA Phil, as well as Slatkin's with St. Louis. What a die-hard Copland-phile cannot live without, though, are the superb renditions of many of Copland's lesser-known but terrific compositions here that are rare or would otherwise take several purchases to cover: Mehta's Lincoln Portrait that is taut, brassy, dramatic and perfectly patriotic - with Gregory Peck fittingly authoritative and sounding close to what we would imagine when Abe Lincoln speaks; possibly the best version out there of Copland's underperformed masterpiece Quiet City from Marriner - just listen to the exquisite trumpet playing!; a charming Marilyn Horne singing excerpts from Old American Songs - poignantly evoking colonial Americana; Dorati's perceptive and atmospheric Dance Symphony; and a colorful Music for Movies from the London Sinfonietta playing highly American music with European flair. Furthermore, the Decca engineers provide demonstration-quality sound. Subtract one star for the casual Copland listener, but for the enthusiast: ****

Other references: Recommended by Gramophone, Penguin Guide and Classical Music: Third Ear.

Best Fanfare out there.......2003-05-19

The Fanfare for a Common Man could arguably be the best recording out there. Despite it's faster tempo, the LA Phil brass play it almost flawlessly(there are two notes of the entire song that the trumpets don't quite lock in). The trombones and percussion are phenomenol as well as the horns. The Appalachian Spring is done superbly also. The lesser known songs were a fresh introduction to less familiar Copland. The entire set(with the exception of the Lincoln portrait and Rodeo) is great. Definately recommended.

A good selection of Copland pieces........2001-12-09

I bought this 2-CD set because I needed a good selection of Copland pieces. It has served that purpose well. It features several less familiar pieces as well the popular Copland works. The CD contains Fanfare, Rodeo, Quiet City, El Salon Mexico and I Bought Me a Cat (to name just a few). The performance of Appalachian Spring (by Zubin Mehta and the LA Philharmonic Orchestra) is alright but not as good as the one where Copland himself conducts the Boston Symphony (check out that one on the RCA Victor Gold Seal Label -- it's marvelous). This CD does have a very beautiful performance of Portrait of Lincoln, narrated by Gregory Peck. He narrates with great dignity. I've heard at least one version where the Lincoln quotes are delivered in shouts as if from a pulpit. This one is more subtle.

Buy the Dorati on its own, elsewhere.......2000-06-24

The only redeeming value this grabbag has are the excellent Dorati presentations. The rest is middlin' to start and it tapers off from there. It tapers very far with the raw sound of Horne and the at-sea concepts of a young Zubin Mehta who obviously recorded this material before he was ready. His LA Phil isn't anything to write home about, either, which makes you wonder how just a few years earlier it was so superb for Leinsdorf and Wallenstein.

The manufacturer is just trying to make hay on some old recordings here. Dorati's are fairly recent, though, and you can buy his things elsewhere, so WHY would anyone want this?

Very emotional.......1998-10-05

i totally love this Aaron Copeland classic.

Average customer rating:

A great collection of Copland
Dancing extraordinaire

Copland: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00002ZZ5C
Release Date: 2000-02-15

Tracks:

Danzon Cubano - Dallas SO/Eduardo Mata
Billy The Kid: Intro: The Open Prairie - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Billy The Kid: Street In A Frontier Town - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Billy The Kid: Mexican Dance And Finale - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Billy The Kid: Prairie Night (Card Game At Night) - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Billy The Kid: Gun Battle - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Billy The Kid: Celebration (After Billy's Capture) - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Billy The Kid: Billy in Prison (His Escape) - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Billy The Kid: Billy in The Desert (Waltz) - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Billy The Kid: Billy's Death - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Billy The Kid: The Open Prairie Again - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Appalachian Spring: Very Slowly - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Appalachian Spring: Allegro - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Appalachian Spring: Moderato: The Bride And Her Intended - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Appalachian Spring: Fast: The Revivalist And His Flock - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Appalachian Spring: Allegro: Solo Dance Of The Bride - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Appalachian Spring: Meno Mosso - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Appalachian Spring: Doppio Movt: Vars Shaker Hymn - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Appalachian Spring: Moderato: Coda - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin

Tracks:

Fanfare For The Common Man - PO De La Ciudad De Mexico/Enrique Batiz
Rodeo: Buckaroo Holiday - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Rodeo: Corral Nocturne - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Rodeo: Pno Interlude & Saturday Night Waltz - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
Rodeo: Hoe-Down - Saint Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin
El Salon Mexico - Dallas SO/Eduardo Mata
The Red Pony - Ste: I. Morning On The Ranch - PO De La Ciudad De Mexico/Enrique Batiz
The Red Pony - Ste: II. The Gift - PO De La Ciudad De Mexico/Enrique Batiz
The Red Pony - Ste: III. Dream March - PO De La Ciudad De Mexico/Enrique Batiz
The Red Pony - Ste: III. Circus Music - PO De La Ciudad De Mexico/Enrique Batiz
The Red Pony - Ste: IV. Walk To The Bunkhouse - PO De La Ciudad De Mexico/Enrique Batiz
The Red Pony - Ste: V. Grandfather's Story - PO De La Ciudad De Mexico/Enrique Batiz
The Red Pony - Ste: VI. Happy Ending - PO De La Ciudad De Mexico/Enrique Batiz
Dance Sym: I. Intro: Lento - Molto Allegro - PO De La Ciudad De Mexico/Enrique Batiz
Dance Sym: II. Andante Moderato - PO De La Ciudad De Mexico/Enrique Batiz
Dance Sym: III. Allegro Vivo - PO De La Ciudad De Mexico/Enrique Batiz

Customer Reviews:

A great collection of Copland.......2004-03-26

I feel that this CD is exceptionally beautiful. "The Appalachian Spring" was simply gorgeous. The fast movements had a pure crispness to them that makes them most excellent, and the slow movements had such a beautiful style that it pulls at the human emotions. The only problem I have with this CD is the recording of "The Red Pony Suite", which I feel that the intonation is a bit off. But other than that, this CD is excellent, and I would definately recommend this collection of Copland.

Dancing extraordinaire.......2000-08-04

Most people forget that Copland and Stravinsky were contemporaries and that they had more than one thing in common. Stravinksy made music for the theatre and Copland did the same for the filmindustry. His most wellknown work reminds of film music, Appalachian Spring is a major opus, moving and timeless it evokes the impressions of an overwhelming nature. But his works that have connections with Latin-American music are his most original ones. Rodeo is a captivating piece of music, full of rhythm. Here we hear what inspired Bernstein, even more so in El salon Mexico and The Red Pony-suite. What makes these 2 CD's extra attractive is their immaculate sound reproduction. Listen to the full orchestra in Rodeo, if you have decent Hi-fi-equipment you will experience sound depth and clarity that are unusual for non-HDCD recordings.

Average customer rating:

Wizard of the Keyboard

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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ASIN: B000M05VN4
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Tracks:

Fantasia
Fugue
Allegro
Allegretto
Presto
No. 1 In B Major
No. 2 In E Major
No. 3 In G Sharp Minor
No. 15 In A Flat Major
Ritual Fire Dance
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The Girl With Flaxen Hair
Mazurka in E Minor
Nocturne No. 13 In C Minor
Mephisto Waltz No.1
Allegretto
Scherzo
Allegro Molto
Sostenuto
Allegro Moderato
Sostenuto E Pesante
Allegro Molto
Allegro Barbaro

Tracks:

1. = 112
2. Adagietto
3. = 112
1. Un Poco Allegro
2. In Slow Blues Tempo
3. Allegretto
4. Allegro Molto
Molto Moderato
2. Vivace
3. Andante Sostenuto
Marosszeker Tanze
1. Lento
2. Szekely Keserves: Rubato, Parlando/ Szekely Lament/Sxekler Klage/Complainte Szekely
3. 'Il Pleut Dans Mon Coeur Comme Il Pluet Sur La Ville'(Verlaine): Allegretto Malinconico
5. Tranquillo
6. Szzekely Nota: Poco Rubato/Szekely Folksong/Szekler Volkslied/Chanson Populair Szekely
Circus Polka For A Young Elephant
Ragtime Bass In C Sharp Major
Tango In D Major, Op. 165 No.2

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