Aaron Copland: Concert Report

As a music educator for over a decade I needed to pay homage to the time I spent in the classroom. The current state and future of music education in school is terrifying. So many people, myself included, can trace back to the some of the most important moments of our musical development to the what we learned with an elementary music educator. I still have the majority of songs I learned in the fourth grade committed to memory. As I developed lesson plans, it was important that I incorporate American Folk music. Tonight I offer the four pieces from Aaron Copland’s (1900-1990) Old American Songs Set I and II. Aaron Copland is a favorite and one of the most audience accessible composers of the 20th century. His most famous works include the ballets Appalachian Spring, Billy the Kid, and Rodeo, and his stirring Fanfare for the Common Man. The music of Aaron Copland often connects with listeners because of the beautiful simplicity found in his melodies. There is something about Copland’s music that reflects American style. His works have
appeared in major concert halls around the world and even became an unexpected part of popular culture when Rodeo was used in the, “Beef, it’s what’s for dinner” advertising campaign.

Copland originally wrote Old American Songs in 1950 and 1952 for voice and piano, and then arranged them for baritone and orchestra.
Tenor Peter Pears was accompanied on piano by Benjamin Britten for the premiere performance of Old American Songs on June 17th, 1950 at the Aldeburgh Festival in Suffolk, UK. Tonight I am including Zion’s Walls a revivalist song using the words and melody of 19th century farmer John G. McCurry. The whimsical children’s song I Bought Me A Cat was reminiscent Old MacDonald, barnyard sounds and all. The final piece in this set in the popular hymn At The River which dates back to 1865 and is originally attributed to the Reverend Robert Lowry. This arrangement was also presented at the memorial concerts commemorating the lives of Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein. I dedicate this set to all of my students, past and present, and to the phenomenal educators with who I worked over the
years.

Soliloquy from Carousel
Soliloquy is from the 1945 musical Carousel by Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) and Oscar Hammerstein II (1895-1960). Sung by the jobless carousel barker Billy Bigelow this epic piece of music can be considered one of the most important songs in the history the Broadway musical. Other works from the duo include Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, and The King and I. Mostly known for comedic and inspirational songs, Rodgers and Hammerstein were ahead of their time addressing social issues such as racism, sexism, classism, and the takeover of Austria by the Third Reich.