Aaron Copland

When you think about composers that conjure up images of America, Aaron Copland comes to mind. His life spanned most of the 20th century: November 14, 1900 - December 2, 1990. In the twenties, he was trying to find a serious style which sounded American, rather than European. In this period, his music conveyed the image of energy and power.

In the thirties, Copland wanted music to reach those who weren't interested in modern music. He wrote music for theater, ballet, and films and used folk influences. His most popular works were Billy the Kid and Rodeo for the ballet. He wrote music for Irwin Shaw's play Quiet City, and the film scores for Our Town and The Red Pony. He also wrote music for the full-length opera The Tender Land, Fanfare for the Common Man, Lincoln Portrait for speaker and orchestra, Quiet City, Concerto for Clarinet, Strings, Harp and Piano, the Old American Songs, and Appalachian Spring. You can find these on The Music of America. Watch Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony explore the music of Copland and the cityscapes, landscapes and political developments that shaped it.

In addition, he became an impressario of modern music, establishing the composition department at Tanglewood, helping young composers, and writing and lecturing on a wide range of modern music. He also wrote a music appreciation book, What to Listen for in Music.

Copland retired from composing in 1965, although occasionally he wrote short pieces. He did, however, decided to conduct, specializing in his own scores.