It's not British, but...Aaron Copland on Alto

The CD opens with Billy the Kid: Ballet Suite. This evocative score was originally written for the Ballet Caravan at the behest of the American author and impresario, Lincoln Kirstein. It was premiered in Chicago during October 1938. The following year Copland made an orchestral suite which was first heard at the Radio City, New York, on 9 November 1940. The story of the ballet presents Billy’s life, from his childhood, living on the American frontier, and his turning to crime and death. The Suite presents six vignettes, including The Open Prairie, Street in a Frontier Town, Card Game at Night, Gun Battle, Celebration after Billy’s Capture, and The Open Prairie Again. Traditional folk tunes are moulded by Copland's distinctive style. The music alternates between lively, rhythmic passages and more serene, atmospheric moments, suggesting the vast landscapes and vibrant spirit of the Wild West – at least in the imagination of Hollywood. The composer admitted that it was the “first time that I attempted to tap the rich source of American folk music and give it a full orchestral setting.”

The present recording was released in 1958 on the Everest label (SDBR 3015). The liner notes do not explain that it was recorded in Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London, during 17 November 1958.

Copland as conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra is subtle throughout, rather than overdoing the “rootin’ tooton’ and shootin’” inherent in the story.

The same LP also featured Aaron Copland's Statements for Orchestra, completed in 1935. It was a commission by the League of Composers. The first two movements were premiered by the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy on 9 January 1936, with a full performance not being heard until 7 January 1942 by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Dimitri Mitropoulos. There are a series of six brief movements, with “suggestive titles” given as an aid to the public understanding what Copland had in mind when writing these pieces. These abstract, dissonant, movements are Militant, Cryptic, Dogmatic, Subjective, Jingo, and Prophetic. This is an exceptionally angular and effective performance of this work.

Copland's Symphony No. 3 was written between 1944 and 1946. It was commissioned by the Koussevitzky Music Foundation in honour of Serge Koussevitzky's late wife. The symphony was premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Koussevitzky in 1946. It is true to say that this symphony expresses the quintessential American sound Copland is known for, blending expansive, lyrical melodies with powerful, rhythmic drive. 

The Symphony is presented in four movements, with the final movement incorporating Copland's famous Fanfare for the Common Man. This fanfare, originally composed in 1942, leads to a triumphant and optimistic conclusion to the symphony. Throughout, Copland's use of rich orchestration and dynamic contrasts creates a vibrant and expressive musical landscape. It is often hailed as a representation of the “American spirit” and has become a staple in the orchestral repertoire. Like Appalachian Spring, it displays his ability to capture the essence of a nation through music. It remains an often tender and always inspiring essay, with emotional depth and technical brilliance. The Symphony was originally released in 1959 on Everest SBDR 3018, in stereo, and was recorded on 18 November 1958, once again at Walthamstow Assembly Hall.

The liner notes by Jeffrey Davis give a helpful introduction to this repertoire. They include several passages from Copland’s writings. Bearing in mind that these recordings are more than 67 years old, they are remarkable in both their depth and vivacity. At the time of the original vinyl releases, they were highly regarded technically.

I enjoyed these “historic” performances of three important compositions by Copland. Many conductors such as John Wilson, Leonard Slatkin, Leonard Bernstein, and James Judd have turned their attention to some or all these works. Yet there is something special about a recording of a piece made by its creator. There is restraint and clarity along with a freshness and leanness about these recordings that transcends time.

Track Listing:
Aaron Copland (1900-90)
Billy the Kid: Ballet Suite (1938)
Statements for Orchestra (1934)
Symphony No.3 (1946)
London Symphony Orchestra/Aaron Copland
rec. 1958
Alto ALC 1703

With thanks to MusicWeb International where this review was first published.