Symphony Listening Program - Copland

What

Symphony Listening Program - Copland

When

4/3/2025

Audio File
Daily scripts to use with students:

MONDAY: This week’s feature composer is Aaron Copland. The feature composition is an excerpt from Appalachian Spring. Copland composed Appalachian Spring in 1944 as a ballet about a celebration in a pioneer community. The story is about how everyone helps a newly married couple build their first farmhouse. The story takes place in the Appalachian Mountains. Composing this ballet was a challenge for Copland because he wanted his music to be interesting to listen to and, at the same time, help the dancers tell the story.

TUESDAY: This week’s feature composer is Aaron Copland. The feature composition is an excerpt from Appalachian Spring. Composing the ballet Appalachian Spring was a challenge for Copland because he wanted to write music that would be interesting to listen to and that would help the dancers tell the story about a celebration in a pioneer community. Copland began this part of the ballet with slow, gentle music. Next, he used a folk tune, “Simple Gifts.” He had learned this lively melody as a young boy. He decided to have the clarinet “sing” the song first, and then the oboe, strings, trumpets, woodwinds, and the entire orchestra take a turn with the theme. After the folk tune theme, the gentle sounding music returns.

WEDNESDAY: This week’s feature composer is Aaron Copland. The feature composition is an excerpt from Appalachian Spring. In his music for the ballet Appalachian Spring, Copland made the music interesting to listen to by beginning with slow, gentle music and then using the lively folk tune, “Simple Gifts.” The lively folk tune is played first by the clarinet; then the oboe, strings, trumpets, woodwinds, and the entire orchestra take a turn with the theme.

THURSDAY: This week’s feature composer is Aaron Copland. The feature composition is an excerpt from Appalachian Spring. In the ballet, Appalachian Spring, the dancers tell the story of a celebration in a pioneer community when everyone helps a newly married couple build their first farmhouse. After the slow, gentle beginning Copland decided that as each instrument took its turn to play the folk tune, theme, the music would be either faster or slower. Copland knew that by using contrasting musical ideas and changing the tempo, the music would be more interesting for the dancers and also help them tell the story.

FRIDAY: This week’s feature composition is an excerpt from Appalachian Spring. Do you remember the name of the composer? If you are thinking of Aaron Copland, you are right. To compose the ballet Appalachian Spring, Copland decided to use contrasting themes that would be both interesting to listen to and help the dancers tell the story of a celebration in a pioneer community.