Aaron Copland – Aaron Copland: Piano Concerto, El Salón México, Appalachian Spring, Old American Songs (2014/2022) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Aaron Copland – Aaron Copland: Piano Concerto, El Salón México, Appalachian Spring, Old American Songs (2014/2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:18:04 minutes | 1,42 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © Praga Digitals

‘Appalachian Spring’ and ‘El Salón Mexicó’ are archetypical of what many people consider to be the sound of American music, evoking the vast landscapes, cowboys and pioneer spirit. Yet, in the 20th century perhaps only Stravinsky was as adept in as many styles as Aaron Copland [1900-1990]. His Piano Concerto, first performed by Serge Koussevitsky, is a good example of Copland the modernist but he also wrote chamber music, ballets, operas and film scores, as well as teaching, writing and latterly conducting. The winter of 1950 saw Copland take a break from writing his superlative ‘Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson’ and, inspired by a Pears and Britten recital in late 1949, he took five of his favourite American songs and arranged them for voice with piano. Pears and Britten liked them so much that they gave the premiere together at the Aldburgh Festival in 1950.

The distinguished black singer William Warfield and the composer gave the American premiere at Town Hall, New York in January 1951. They were so popular that Copland made a second set for Warfield and himself, changing some of the words to avoid racist implications. Both sets are given here. El Salón México RTV1 Salt Lake City 10 Feb 1959, Utah Symphony Orchestra/Maurice Abravanel Appalachian Spring Watford Town Hall, 15-16 June 1961, London Symphony Orchestra/Antal Dorati Old American Songs New York Manhattan Center, 10-12 January 1962, William Warfield [baritone], Columbia Symphony/Aaron Copland Piano Concerto New York old Philharmonic Hall, Lincoln Center, 13 January 1964, Aaron Copland [piano], New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Leonard Bernstein.

Tracklist:

1-01. Aaron Copland – I. Andante sostenuto (06:49)
1-02. Aaron Copland – II. Molto Moderato (molto rubato) (09:31)
1-03. Utah Symphony Orchestra – El Salón México (10:53)
1-04. London Symphony Orchestra – I. Very slowly (02:42)
1-05. London Symphony Orchestra – II. Fast – Allegro (02:44)
1-06. London Symphony Orchestra – III. Moderato. The Bride and her Intented (03:26)
1-07. London Symphony Orchestra – IV. Fast. The Revivalist and his Flock (03:51)
1-08. London Symphony Orchestra – V. Allegro. Still faster – Solo dance of the Bride (02:49)
1-09. London Symphony Orchestra – VI. As at first. Meno mosso (02:21)
1-10. London Symphony Orchestra – VII. Doppio movimento. Calm and flowing. Variations on a shaker Hymn (03:19)
1-11. London Symphony Orchestra – VIII. Moderato. Coda (03:36)
1-12. William Warfield – I. The Boatmen’s Dance (Minstrel song, 1843) (03:16)
1-13. William Warfield – II. The Dodger (Campaign song) (02:07)
1-14. William Warfield – III. Long Time Ago (Ballad) (03:12)
1-15. William Warfield – IV. Simple Gifts (Shaker song) (01:46)
1-16. William Warfield – V. I Bought Me a Cat (Children’s song) (02:07)
1-17. William Warfield – VI. The Little Horses (Lullaby) (02:58)
1-18. William Warfield – VII. Zion’s Walls (Revivalist song) (02:08)
1-19. William Warfield – VIII The Golden Willow Tree (Anglo-American ballad) (03:35)
1-20. William Warfield – IX. At the River (Hymn tune) (03:13)
1-21. William Warfield – X. Ching-A-Ring Chaw (Minstrel Song) (01:32)

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