Aaron Copland was a Modern Day composer: Modern music! The greats include Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, Prokofiev, and Britain’s favorite Benji. What’s that noise?! It’s sometimes rather strange when atonality pervades most every range. Ohhhh, this is the musical timeline! It starts with the Early Age. Then it’s Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical, Romantic, and not to forget the Modern Day!

This ballet, Appalachian Spring, takes place in the Appalachian Mountains. That’s not too far away from Alexandria! In this ballet, everyone in a pioneer community pitches in to help a newly married couple build their first farmhouse. Copland composed this ballet in 1944, and it was a challenge for him. He wanted his music to be interesting to listen to while also helping the dancers tell the story.

Copland chose a folk song, “Simple Gifts” for this part in the ballet. You may have heard this tune before. He starts the song off gently and gradually adds more and more instruments before the gentle part returns. You will hear the whole orchestra join to play the folk tune: the clarinet starts followed by the oboe, the strings, the trumpets, the woodwinds, and then the whole orchestra. Copland keeps his music interesting by having each instrument play the tune at a different tempo—either faster or slower.

So take out your instrument or your baton, and let’s listen!

Review questions:

1. Who is the composer and which musical era is he from?

2. What is the name of the ballet?

3. What is the name of the folk song in this part of the ballet?

4. What happens in this ballet and where does it take place?

5. Which instruments play this piece?

6. After you listen to it several times, do you think you can sing or hum the folk tune all by yourself?