The program included a performance of lincoln portrait with. Narrator sheet music book by aaron copland 19001990. Nov 10, 2004 iconic american composer aaron copland discusses his work lincoln portrait. Aaron copland was born in brooklyn, new york, on november 14, 1900. Iconic american composer aaron copland discusses his work lincoln portrait. In his program notes, copland explains that a lincoln portrait is divided into three main parts. Letter from aaron copland to arthur berger, september 8, 1944. Copland conducts copland cd, with copland conducting the complete original ballet version of appalachian spring in 1973, also henry fonda as. Aaron copland with marian anderson, rehearsing lincoln portrait. Sep 07, 2012 finally, at the 7 minute mark, the narrator enters, and the orchestra takes on an accompanying role.
Copland conducts copland, lincoln portrait, appalachian. After his remarks, a concert performance of the work by the u. The combination of spoken word and orchestra is more reliably moving than the sung word. Andre kostelanetz for a program of three new works by american composers. Copland lincoln portrait adlai stevenson, philadelphia. He then served over twenty years as an associate justice of the minnesota supreme court. Aaron copland lincoln portrait, for speaker and orchestra. Leonard bernstein conducts the national symphony washington, d.
Check out copland, a fanfare for the common man lincoln portrait canticle of freedom harris, r american creed portraits of freedom by seattle symphony chorale on amazon music. At subsequent performances, kostelanetz asked the narrators to autograph his score. Surrounded by coplands text, lincolns own words sound both human and divine. A biddulph cd with serge koussevitzky conducting the boston symphony orchestra. Apr 06, 2018 copland was again on the podium at the ravinia festival on july 6, 1963, when illinois governor otto kerner, jr. Copland wrote lincoln portrait for narrator and orchestra using text arranged. It reads that the words are meant to be read simply and directly, without a trace of exaggerated sentiment. A lincoln portrait by aaron copland wind band literature. With the voice of lincoln to help me when i was ready to risk the impossible. Narration provided by astronaut leland melvin, jepson school leaderinresidence. Victor kraft, 90 edgewood avenue, cranston, ri 0290544. Qmb 176full symphonic band score for aaron coplands lincoln portrait. However although the performance starts well, with the orchestra playing idiomatically and exactly in the lengthy purely orchestral opening, barry scott proves an unsatisfactory speaker.
Prairie morning, the second movement, is a peaceful, unhurried display of life on the prairie. To have brian dennehy as the narrator for these works. Jan 22, 2018 alan page played in nine pro bowls with the minnesota vikings. Lincoln portrait, for speaker and orchestra play streams in full or download mp3 from classical archives, the largest and best organized classical music site on the. The sound of freedom national endowment for the humanities. On the facing page is coplands own typewritten description of his work. I have a special and probably perverse affection for the lincoln portrait. Appalachian spring lincoln portrait fanfare for the common man label.
He was the youngest of five children in a conservative jewish family of lithuanian origins. The first part is a portrayal of lincoln, the mysterious sense of fatality that surrounds lincoln s personality, and near the end of the first section, something of his gentleness and simplicity of spirit. One of coplands most popular pieces, lincoln portrait was commissioned during the early. Copland chose excerpts from lincoln s own words for the narration. Copland used words from lincolns address to congress in 1862. Lincoln portrait, for speaker and orchestra play streams in full or download mp3 from classical archives, the largest and best organized classical music site on the web.
Music of copland, words of a leader february 06, 2011 a national park service ranger at the lincoln memorial in washington talks about the 16th president on february 12, 2010. Alan page played in nine pro bowls with the minnesota vikings. The work is narrated with the reading of excerpts of abraham lincoln s great documents, including the gettysburg address. One of coplands most popular pieces, lincoln portrait was commissioned during the early years of the war by conductor andre kostelanetz for a program of three new works by american composers. Such is the case with both a lincoln portrait and new morning for the world which is based on speeches of martin luther king, jr. The phrase recalls a similar formulationand god said, saying.
Aaron coplands lincoln portrait by the university orchestra, alexander kordzaia, conductor. Were celebrating independence day with a full hour of music by american composers, including aaron coplands lincoln portrait. Many people have narrated lincoln portrait since the premiere in 1942. Copland, a fanfare for the common man lincoln portrait canticle of freedom harris, r american creed portraits of freedom. The text is cobbled together from several writings and speeches of lincolns, including his famous gettysburg address, and connected by original text that copland wrote as commentary for the narrator. Copland chose excerpts from lincolns own words for the narration. The other clear masterpiece here is coplands well known lincoln portrait. Think what you will of a lincoln portrait in relation to mr. Now, he has a performance with the minnesota orchestra under his belt. Finally, at the 7 minute mark, the narrator enters, and the orchestra takes on an accompanying role. The score includes quotations of springfield mountain and camptown races. The first performance was by the cincinnati symphony orchestra on 14 may 1942, with william adams as the narrator.
Lincoln portrait by aaron copland 19001990 sheet music. It also features a portion of the illinois state song. Copland s 1968 account of his lincoln portrait, with henry fonda as narrator, and 1969 reading of the suite from billy the kid round out the disc most satisfactorily. A lincoln portrait has its own wikipedia entry its also featured at an npr blog, the american public media website, an insiders perspective from musicologist elizabeth bergman, public television station wgbh, and the kennedy center also, this education through music lesson plan for fifth graders contains the full text of the narration. The result is an overproduced sound where each orchestral voice is upclose and personal. Explain that many famous american have been chosen as the narrator for this piece of music, such as james earl jones, al gore, and coretta scott king.
On mondays performance today, alan page narrates lincoln portrait by aaron copland, from a concert in minneapolis. But adlai stevensons narration of the lincoln portrait will move you with abraham lincoln s great words. The work involves a full orchestra, with particular emphasis on the brass section at climactic moments. Lincoln portrait also known as a lincoln portrait is a classical orchestral work written by the american composer aaron copland. Letter from aaron copland to nicolas slonimsky, august 12, 1960. Lincoln portrait is a classical orchestral work written by the american composer aaron copland. For the narration, which occurs only in the portraits third and final section, copland used lincolns words, adding his own brief. Qmb 176full symphonic band score for aaron copland s lincoln portrait. The text is cobbled together from several writings and speeches of lincolns.
Coplands 1968 account of his lincoln portrait, with henry fonda as narrator, and 1969 reading of the suite from billy the kid round out the disc most satisfactorily. Lincoln portrait for symphonic band and narrator hal. Oct 05, 2014 leonard bernstein conducts the national symphony washington, d. Marine band, featuring our own fred child as narrator. Dec 1962 gould, salt lake city vanguard classics ovc 4037 order from omega records. Charlton heston lincoln portrait utah somaurice abravanel rec dec 1961 copland. Writing for the program book of the boston symphony orchestra in 1943, mr. A stirring tribute to an eminent american, it includes fragments of songs from the civil war era. Copland added a note for the speaker to the score for a lincoln portrait. The performance program explained this inclusiona piece expressly composed.
This striking patriotic work is a modern classic, unique. Aaron coplands lincoln portrait, performed by adlai stevenson narrator, philadelphia orchestra, conducted by eugene ormandy. Copland was again on the podium at the ravinia festival on july 6, 1963, when illinois governor otto kerner, jr. Copland used material from speeches and letters of lincoln and quoted original folk songs of the period, including camptown races and on springfield mountain. A portrait in music and words at the height of wwii, aaron copland used excerpts from lincolns speeches, combined with musical quotations from american songs, to create one of. However although the performance starts well, with the orchestra playing idiomatically and exactly in the lengthy purely.
Surrounded by coplands text, lincolns own words sound both human and divine, pragmatic and idealistic. Attorney for the northern district of illinois and served as a judge in the illinois circuit court of cook county before his election as the thirtythird governor of illinois in 1960, winning reelection in 1964. Explain that aaron copland really had to do his homework, as he used small excerpts from president lincolns messages to congress, lincolndouglas debates, and the gettysburg address. Marine band performs aaron coplands lincoln portrait on monday, february 23. A stirring tribute to an eminent american, it includes fragments of songs from the civil war era, sweeping original themes, and a narration drawn from lincoln s own words. Copland, a fanfare for the common man lincoln portrait. The first part is a portrayal of lincoln, the mysterious sense of fatality that surrounds lincolns personality, and. The bestknown piece, coplands lincoln portrait for speaker and orchestra, concludes the program. Copland conducts copland, the london symphony orchestra, henry fonda. A lincoln portrait from the new york philharmonic digital archives. The lincoln texts copland uses in the narration are from the december 1862. Lincoln portrait classical music album play streams in full or download mp3 from classical archives, the largest and best organized classical music site on the web. To interpret the metaphorical meaning of lincoln portrait and appreciate its.
A tribute to aaron copland dean of american composers. Coplands is not merely the only score that has so far survived, but it became one of his. Alan page with the minnesota orchestra yourclassical. Orchestra has performed aaron coplands lincoln portrait on several occasions and. Lincoln portrait was commissioned by andre kostelanetz for the cincinnati symphony orchestra in 1942. On tuesdays performance today, well hear lincoln portrait played by the minnesota orchestra with narrator alan page. Jul 04, 2017 were celebrating independence day with a full hour of music by american composers, including aaron copland s lincoln portrait. The final movement, the windy city, is a blustery portrait of. Just a bunch of instruments all vying to be the dominant sound on the recording. Most wellknown is aaron coplands lincoln portrait which was commissioned by andre kostelanetz just after americas entry into the second world war, and is very much a product of its time with its urging of patriotism. Lincoln portrait lincoln portrait aaron coplandarr. Copland conducts copland cd, with copland conducting the complete original ballet version of appalachian spring in 1973, also henry fonda as narrator for lincoln portrait. Letter from aaron copland to jacobo ficher, may 24, 1942. About lincoln portrait this piece written for orchestra and a speaking narrator takes excerpts of various writings and speeches by abraham lincoln for its text.
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