American Composer Aaron Copland - Essay Example

American Composer Aaron Copland Introduction Aaron Copland was an American composition teacher, composer and later conductor of hisown and other American music. Copland is renowned for his work especially in 1930s and 1940s.He was a master worker who he had diverse skills in field of music and compost diverse pieces of work. Among his most famous work includes Billy the kid, Fanfare for the common person and Rodeo. He compost various guitar songs such as Variation in piano and Four Blues of piano. He was the founder of American music and introduced the American style of music. Copland studied piano and was a good dancer. Various aspects of life and times of Aaron Copland as an American musician are covered in the subsequent sections (Copland and Shirley, 2006). Aaron Copland Lifetime Born in Brooklyn, Aaron Copland grew up in a Jewish conservative family from November 14, 1900. He was the last born in a family of five children. He started attending school and the age of seven, in 1906 at public school 111 in Brooklyn. Copland started making his songs at the piano in 1909. This marked the beginning of his career as a musician at an early age of ten. In 1914, Copland began studies with the first professional piano teacher, Ludwig, at Brooklyn. In 1917, Copland held the first public performance as a pianist and the following year, he graduated from Boys High School, Brooklyn (Copland and Shirley, 2006) Aaron Copland Education and Career Development In 1921, Aaron Copland enrolled at the newly established American Conservatory at Fontainebleau in May, attended classes with Nadia Boulanger and together, they began composition studies. In October 1922, several composition works of Copland and Nadia remained published. Among their published work in 1921 included Passacaglia for piano among other works. In 1925, Copland had the first orchestral performance termed as Symphony for Organ and Orchestra at Aeolian Hall and Boston. In addition, the year marked his initial time visiting MacDowell Colony to work for the music of the theatre. In 1928, Copland initiated Copland-Session Concert with Rodgers Session. The concert was mainly devoted to contemporary music and remained based in New York. Copland then assisted in the establishment of Cos Cob Press, which was highly devoted to publishing works of the young American composers (Oja, 2000). His establishment of the Cos cob press helped in nurturing talents of the young American. It was an initiative that led to development of young, ambitious composers who were very competent and talented (Copland and Sheston, 2007). In 1929, Coplan won the RCA Victor Composer Competition with Dance Symphony. Three years later, Aaron Copland had his first visit to Mexico, organized by Carlo Chavez and included all Copland work. Visit to Mexico was important in that it gave it an international recognition. Copland was, therefore, able to gain new experiences that helped greatly in shaping his future in the music industry. In 1935, Copland joined Harvard University as a lecturer. He replaced Walter Piston, who left in the spring semester. Copland then organized five concerts for his new school, devoting one concert each to his five composers. In 1939, Copland composts the second Hurricane, an opera play performed by both adult and children in the New York City (Copland and Shirley, 2006) Awards and Honors for Aaron Copland Copland won the Academy Awards for the best original musical score for the film Heiress in 1950.In 1951, he received Fulbright Fellowship to stay abroad for 6-months.While abroad, Copland visited American Academy in Rome and also visited Israel. Interestingly, Copland worked with other composers from abroad for the first time and became the first American native to occupy the Poet seat. In 1961, he received MacDowell Colony Medal of honors for his distinguished work in the field of music. He earned appointment as the president of MacDowell Colony where he served for seven years, until 1968. Copland received the Presidential Award of Freedom, the highest honor for civilians in America. The honor was for the recognition of his hard work and dedication to the music industry in America. In addition, the honor aimed at celebrating his landmarks that he had brought about in the music industry. In 1970, he received the Commanders Cross of Order of Merit from West Germany and Howland Memorial medal from the University of Yale. He received membership awards from the Institute de France and Britain Royal Society of Philharmonic. Through these awards, Copland gained international recognition for his success in music industry. In 1979, he received Kennedy Centre Honors, the first fully recorded Copland piano music. Moreover, Copland won Congressional Medal of Honor and by National Medals of Art awards that remained bestowed by President Ronald Reagan. These awards are the highest honor a civilian receive in America (Copland and Shirley, 2006). Death of Aaron Copland Aaron Copland passed on at the age of 91 years old in December 2, 1990, at Phelps Memorial Hospital Centre North Tarrytown, New York City. His death marked the end of his long success in the music industry. Aaron Copland Music Style Classical Music Aaron Copland major style of music was classical music. For example, he formed Copland-Session concert together with Rodgers that performed classical music in New York regularly to popularize the classical music. His choice of style remained primarily affected by his studies in France where he met many artists. Popularly then was jazz music. To attract the European market, he adapted jazz music style while in France, and compost a number of works. He received requests to write a piece of Boston Symphony Orchestra by French famous musician composer, Serge. Symphony for Organ and Orchestra formed his professional music entry in the America .Other works composed in jazz idioms included Music for the theater and Piano Concerto (Jones, 2011). Jazz musical style became the primary style for Copland entry in the music industry. However, he was determined to liberate Europe influence and had plans to form more symphonic and contemporary music (Murchison, 2012). He wanted to distinguish his musical style and still maintain his audience in America. The uprising of American Classical Music Classical music took root in America in 1920’s. Copland interest in music decreased significantly in Jazz music due to his ambitions to come up with the new style of music. Copland concerned himself so much with both his classical music and his firm that was responsible for organizing and producing classic music. Together with Rodger Session, he formed Copland-Session concert that was performing in New York City regularly. Through this concert, Copland was able to popularize his newly adapted music style together with Rodgers. It is around this time during the rise of classical music that American Music Festival materialized as Yaddo American Music Festival. Copland, in his attempt to popularize classical became not only the best composer by 1932 but also the leader of the community of American Classical Music (Compton, 2009) To develop further his career, Copland also developed an interest in Mexico folk songs .He developed new sounds that had origin in Mexico folk songs. This shows him through his most popular and successful times in his career as a music composer. Through enveloping interest in the folk song, he was targeting to develop symphonic music that was more popular by then. Copland was also strategizing on how to access wider audience through his composition. Apart from music, Copland also developed series of movies and ballets. His most renowned composition included Mice and Men, Heiress among other film composition. Copland through the adoption of various music styles was able to attract a huge audience from Europe, America and Latin America .His diversity in music style further developed his competency as a composer, teacher and a singer (Compton, 2009). Aaron Copland Master Worker Aaron Copland was indeed a master worker. In his lifetime, he showed various competence and skills that enabled him perform a variety of work. Copland was a composer, a composition teacher a dancer, a critic writer and a musician. Copland as a Composer Copland compost several works in his career as an artist. He composts several types of music. Some of the music compost included jazz music that acted as his first work. Others include Mexico folk music and American classical music. Copland was able to compose his work from his massive expertise gathered over time (Crawford, 2005). Copland was also a film composer. In his late works, he composts a couple of movies and ballet. Among his most renown, works included Men and Mice and Heiress. Copland as a Conductor Copland trained to be a conductor in 1921 while in Paris, France. However, he first conducted his own work, Hollywood score. By 1940s, he made an appearance as a guest conductor and by 1950s, his competencies increased, and he was able to conduct other composers. Copland developed his unique style of conducting that made him succeed faster. He believed in helping other composers and minority artist grow. Due to his competencies, he earned a job offer in conducting but declined the offer. He preferred conducting as a guest conductor instead (Hubbs, 2004). Copland a Critique, Writer and Teacher Copland started his critique work in 1924. Copland began his musical profession as a teacher, classical music critic, and observer. He also worked as a performer lecture in Harvard University. Copland reviewed much music, trends and other works. He wrote a number of books such as what to listen to in a Music and Our New Copland therefore, distinguished himself as a very versatile individual who was a real master worker. Copland involved himself in an extensive range of occupation due to his outstanding competencies (Murchinson, 2008). Aaron Copland Piano Music and Song Copland compost a number of piano music and song. Some of his music and songs included; Piano Music Copland composts his first piano song in 1920.His first piano song was entitled The Cat and the Mouse .The second piano music was Passacaglia for the piano. Other piano songs included Four Blues for Piano, Piano Variation, Sunday Afternoon Music, The Young Entrepreneurs, Piano Sonata, Piano Fantasy, and Down a Country Lane among other works. Copland compost several piano songs due to his love of the piano at a very tender age of nine years. Copland’s Dance Songs Copland wrote and performed several dance masterwork music. He wrote several orchestral dance symphonies from around 1925. In the Naxos Copland, the foremost dance Symphony was conducted by Marin Alsop, the leader of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra that established Copland’s outtake of the symphony. Several dance music were wrote and performed by Copland. They included Dance Symphony, ballet Grohg Dance of Mockery, Allegro vivo, Dance of girl who moves as if in dream, and Andante moderato. Additional music included Dance of Adolescent, Lento, Finale, Lento and Prelude, and Andante. Copland compost much more dance symphony with Marin Alsop as the conductor. Copland Songs Aaron Copland composts several songs of varied styles. He composts jazz music, classical music, Mexico folk among other several songs .His first song, Night, was compost in1918.Other songs compost in 1918 includes My Heart in the East and Summer Vacation. He several vocal songs thereafter, he composts several other songs such as Pastorate, Alone, Old American song part two, Inscape, Happy Anniversary among other songs. Copland music was a collection of a rich variety of songs created with great competency. He composts several songs. Aaron Copland Effect on America Traditional Music Copland brought a score of changes to American traditional music. Through his works, he was able to change American traditional music as follows. Reduction in Europe Music Dominance in America In traditional American music, the European music dominated the local scenes. After his studies in France, Copland embraced the jazz music, which was the popular in Europe and America. However, Copland later changed the style of American music. He blended different sounds of Mexico folk songs and symphonic music to give an ideal American style of music. For his transformation role in American music, he was commonly referred to as the Dean of America Music (Starr, 2003). Introduction and Popularizing Classical Music Copland interest in Classical music led to the establishment and popularity of classical music in America over the jazz music. The formation of Copland-Session Concert introduced and nurtured the interest of young artist to the classical music .As a consequence of his course, the popularity of the traditional jazz music declined drastically. Copland therefore changed the course of American traditional music (Fishman, 2007). Nurturing Talents of Young Artists Copland facilitated the growth and development of American music by nurturing upcoming talents. Many young Americans with talents in music were therefore able to utilize their potential (Oja, 2000). Conclusion Aaron Copland played great and transformational role in growth development of American music. He was highly talented musician who applied his skills and knowledge in diverse area of music. Among his famous area of interest included music composition, conducting, and teaching, writing and criticizing various works of art. He greatly influenced American music and caused some degree of discourse from traditional music. Due of his outstanding work in music, Copland received several awards and honors both in America and from foreign countries like Germany. References Compton, J. (2009). Arts America: Enjoying the best art museums, theater, classical music, opera, jazz, dance, film, and summer festivals in America. Las Vegas, Nev: Huntington Press. Copland, A., Crist, E. B., & Shirley, W. D. (2006). The selected correspondence of Aaron Copland. New Haven: Yale University Press Copland, A., Sheston, S., (2007). The Copland Piano collection: 13 piano pieces. New York: Boosey & Hawkes. Crawford, R. (2005). Americas musical life: A history. New York : Norton. Fishman, L. P. (2007). Theoretical issues and presumptions in the early music of Aaron Copland. Hanover: Brandeis University Press. Hubbs, N. (2004). The Queer Composition of Americas Sound: Gay Modernists, American Music, and National Identity. Berkeley: University of California Press. Jones, J. B. (2011). Our musicals, ourselves: A social history of the American musical theater. Hanover : Brandeis University Press Murchison, G. (2012). The American Stravinsky: The style and esthetics of Copelands new American music, the early works, 1921-1938. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press Oja, C. J. (2000). Making music modern: New York in the 1920s. Oxford: Oxford University Press Starr, L. (2003). The Dickinson songs of Aaron Copland. Hillsdale: Pendragon Press Read More