You can view many elements of the copland collection online, via the music divisions the library of congress presents. An evening of copland program notes join music director andrew litton and your colorado symphony for a special onenightonly event. Goodman also commissioned bela bartoks contrasts, for clarinet, violin and piano. Copland wrote some of the concerto while on tour in south america, and actually identified one of the themes as brazilian. Concerto for clarinet and wind ensemble ticheli wind. Cmuse is a participant of the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program it is designed to provide an aid for the websites in earning an.
Morihiko nakahara, conductor stephen williamson, clarinet glass anniversary concert overture formerly known as overture for 2012 gershwin an american in paris copland clarinet concerto. The concerto was later choreographed by jerome robbins for the ballet pied piper 1951. Beloved american composer aaron copland is highlighted in these programs which feature the billy the kid suite, and guest artist, russianborn alexander fiterstein, performing coplands clarinet concerto, written in the late forties for benny goodman. The clarinet concerto ends with a fairly elaborate coda in c major that finishes off with a clarinet glissando or smear in jazz lingo. Aside from the obvious virtuosic aspects of spohrsclarinet concerto no. Coplands third symphony, commissioned by the koussevitsky foundation, represents perhaps the composers most ambitious work in this traditional vein. New york philharmonic principal clarinet stanley drucker talks about aaron coplands clarinet concerto. This includes aaron coplands sublime concerto for clarinet. Coplands concerto for clarinet breaks the timehonored concerto mold in many ways, including his use of two movements rather than the traditional three. The piece shares its title with a 1964 poem by theodore roethke, the last two lines of which are printed at the. The clarinet, valued for its versatility, range and pure sinusoidal timbre, has enjoyed the attention of many of classical musics greatest. Aaron copland s concerto for clarinet biography of aaron copland aaron copland was born in brooklyn, new york, on november 14, 1900.
This makes the fresh breath of air that is coplands clarinet concerto. However, the concerto shares many characteristics with french neoclassical works of the 1920s and scfs, and demonstrates a highly skilled construction that. Martin frost, clarinet norwegian chamber orchestra. Program notes wolfgang mozart clarinet concerto in a. This concerto is consistently tonal, highly accessible, recognizably american in its vibrancy and eclecticism, and above all very fun, and i am very happy to report that it gets better on each successive listen. Spohr met the clarinet virtuoso johann simon hermstedt in 1808. Copland violin sonata recently i have been listening to the sonata for violin and piano by aaron copland, in preparation for my including it in a broadcast of a variety of 20th century music at our local npr radio station in californias bay area. After setting it aside when he was unable to come up with a suitable theme for the second movement, copland completed the work during his annual sojourn at tanglewood in the following year. Coplands clarinet concerto, written for the great benny goodman, incorporates elements of jazz and south american popular music. The clarinet concerto 1948, written for benny goodman, represents one such venture, although the stylistic influence of american jazz is also. But he was always interested in classical music as well, and recorded mozarts clarinet concerto, k. Included are many items from coplands personal correspondence.
It is dedicated to clarinetist david oppenheim, whom bernstein met while studying conducting with serge koussevitzky at tanglewood during the. Coplands four motets 1921 were his first compositions for chorus, and the first. Unless indicated, all program notes are researched and. Appalachian spring indianapolis symphony orchestra. Frank tichelis concerto for clarinet takes inspiration from aaron copland, leonard bernstein and george gershwin. Osms principal clarinet, gary bovyer, will be our featured soloist. Aaron coplands compositions, including this sonata, are part of a very large special collection in the librarys music division. I have always loved aaron coplands concerto for clarinet, scored for strings with harp and. We close the program with beethovens witty second symphony. Libby larsen deep summer music copland clarinet concerto tchaikovsky symphony no. Program notes by phillip huscher wolfgang mozart born january 27, 1756, salzburg, austria.
Home about us news coplands clarinet concerto featuring robert dilutis the fourth masterworks concert principal clarinetist robert dilutis of the annapolis symphony orchestra is the featured artist of the fourth masterworks concert of the 20192020 season, beethoven discovers america. Stanley drucker coplands clarinet concerto by stanley drucker. For copland, incorporating jazz idioms made his music sound clearly american to audiences. Program notes by jennifer delapp copland for chorus aaron coplands music for chorus reveals his stylistic range, from accessible to challenging, simple to grand, from student works to his mature. Sonata for clarinet in bb and piano francis poulenc. The concerto was apparently the result of such an order from jazz clarinetist, benny. Written in two movements, rather than the traditional threemovement concerto form, the first movement, marked slowly and expressively, showcases.
Clarinet, harp, orchestra, piano sheet music book by aaron copland 19001990. Program notes wolfgang mozart clarinet concerto in a major. It is written in two movements, rather than the traditional threemovement concerto form. An evening of copland program notes by colorado symphony. Washington street, suite 600, indianapolis, in 46204 32 e. In a 1976 interview, copland talked about the need for an authentically american style as he looked back 50 years to his 1926 piano concerto. The renowned jazz clarinetist benny goodman asked copland to compose a work for him. The piece shares its title with a 1964 poem by theodore roethke, the last two lines of which are printed at. Kansas city symphony program notes by ken meltzer 26 201819 season edouard lalo 18231892 concerto in d minor for cello and orchestra 1877 24 minutes solo cello, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns. Washington street, suite 600, indianapolis, in 46204. The clarinet concerto is cast in a twomovement form, played without pause and connected by a. Coplands clarinet concerto featuring robert dilutis.
Aaron copland s clarinet concerto also referred to as the concerto for clarinet, strings and harp was written between 1947 and 1949, although a first version was available in 1948. The moods run from garish and lusty to lyrical and sentimental. Appalachian spring clarinet concerto quiet city by paula engerer on amazon music. The works incorporation of popular elements, particularly jazz, has led to the perception that it is a lightweight representative of coplands output. Four dance episodes from rodeo aaron copland 19001990 although he never received a traditional musical education as a youngster, at the age of 21 copland became the first american student accepted to study with the legendary nadia boulanger in paris. The music copland prepared an extensive program note for the boston symphonys premiere, some of which he condensed and revised for the book copland. The opening is a wonderfully expressive slow movement whose bittersweet sentiment was strongly colored by coplands stage and film music style. Herman and goodman approached aaron copland at about the same time, the former in the summer of 1946, the latter in early 1947. Goodman played the premiere of the concerto in 1950, a little over two years after copland had begun writing it, in a radio broadcast with the nbc symphony orchestra.
Interestingly, the work begins and ends with the echo, that is, the clarinet. The prince, an amateur clarinetist himself, commissioned spohr to write a concerto for his clarinetist. However, the concerto shares many characteristics with french neoclassical works of the 1920s and scfs, and. It was composed in the general form of an arch, in which the central. That period was spent conducting, teaching, and responding to commissions, or orders as milhaud called them. Hermstedt was the band conductor for a local prince.
Francis poulenc, like many composers, came from a wealthy family that. Aaron coplands clarinet concerto was written for jazz clarinetist benny goodman. Concerto for clarinet and string orchestra, with harp and. In the program book for the first performance, i pointed out that the writing of a symphony inevitably brings with it the questions of what it is meant to express. Aaron coplands clarinet concerto was written between 1947 and 1949, although a first. Nearly half of osls performances each year are presented free of charge through its education and community programs. Copland began work on his clarinet concerto while traveling in latin america in 1947.
It is demanding for the band and wildly demanding for the soloist. The show begins with focus on the famous goodman tune lets dance. Describing these formative years in his book, our new music. The third symphony, my longest orchestral work about 40 minutes in duration, is scored for a big orchestra. It is just seventeen minutes to aldridges less concise twentyseven. Winter chamber series united states marine band marines. Benny goodman and aaron coplands clarinet concerto arts. He prepared an extensive program note for the boston symphonys premiere, some of which he condensed and revised for copland. The same or similar music to in evening air had earlier appeared in the 1944 piano work midday thoughts, in the documentary film score the cummington story, and in the clarinet concerto, writes biographer howard pollack aaron copland. The clarinet concerto 1948, written for benny goodman, represents one such venture, although the stylistic influence of american jazz is also quite prominent. Concerto for clarinet and orchestra by aaron copland duration. The first movement, marked slowly and expressively, uses the clarinets.
On one occasion, the composer recalled that an audience member, after hearing appalachian spring in 1981, came up to him and said, mr. To use jazz materials seemed a quite easy way to sound american right away without any effort. Copland, aaron 1900 1990 concerto for clarinet and orchestra. The first and third movements feature endlessly energetic rhythms and shifting textures with no melodies you wont miss them at all. The concerto for clarinet and orchestra was composed in 1941 during one of the composers extended visits to the united states, lasting seven years. Program notes by daniel maki suite from billy the kid by aaron copland 1900 1990. Program notes by jennifer delapp copland for chorus aaron copland s music for chorus reveals his stylistic range, from accessible to challenging, simple to grand, from student works to his mature.
This program is part of minnesota orchestras american expressions festival, celebrating and exploring this countrys bold, imaginative and diverse classical music tradition. Jerome robbins created the pied piper to coplands clarinet concerto, and. The clarinet concerto ends with a fairly elaborate coda that finishes with a clarinet glissandoor smear in jazz lingo. The concerto, commissioned by the prominent clarinetist benny goodman, was premiered by goodman and the nbc symphony. Berkshire symphony orchestra saturday, april 25, 2009 8. He began piano study at the age of fourteen, and at seventeen he began the study of harmony with rubin goldmark, nephew of the composer carl goldmark. Clarinet concerto official website of composer kevin puts. Hilbert circle theatre 45 monument circle, indianapolis, in 46204 mail. Leonard bernsteins sonata for clarinet and piano, written during 194142 and published in 1942, was bernsteins first published piece. When benny goodman asked for a clarinet concerto, copland wrote this twomovement, jazz inspired piece. This twenty minute work is truly innovative and is a stand alone composition that could be. Aaron copland accepted the commission of a clarinet concerto from benny goodman in 1947.