Aaron Copland

Aaron Copland (1900–1990) was an American composer noted for orchestral suites and ballets such as Appalachian Spring, Rodeo and Billy the Kid, and for helping define an accessible American classical style in the mid-20th century.

Copland composed orchestral, ballet and film works and in the 1930s–40s developed a populist, improvisatory-sounding yet academically grounded style aimed at an American musical identity. His notable pieces include Appalachian Spring, Rodeo, Billy the Kid, El Salón México and Fanfare for the Common Man.

Two DeBaser reviews present a mixed reception of Copland: admiration for his evocative, spacious orchestral writing and criticism of his populist classicism. Key works discussed include Appalachian Spring, Rodeo, Billy the Kid and El Salón México. Reviews debate Copland's role in shaping a distinctly American classical voice.

For:Listeners of classical and American orchestral music, students of 20th-century music, fans of ballet scores and film music.