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Collection Aaron Copland Collection

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From "Scherzo" to "Symphony no. 1" (15 works)

Scherzo
Form: Orchestra
Date: 1927?
First performance: 4 November 1927. Philadelphia: Philadelphia Orchestra, cond. Fritz Reiner
Timing: 7.5'
Notes: A revision of the second movement of the Symphony for Organ and Orchestra, this became absorbed in the revision of the whole work (Symphony no. 1 [link to work0005]
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The Second Hurricane
Form: Opera
Words: Edwin Denby
First performance: 21 April 1937. New York, Henry Street Settlement Music School, cond. Lehman Engel
Publisher: C.C. Birchard
Date of publication: 1938
Timing: 90'
Dedication: "to Victor and Rudi and Germaine and Ruth and also Paul and Virgil"
Notes: the finale, "That's the Idea of Freedom," was also published separately
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Sentimental Melody (Slow Dance)
Form: Piano
Date: 1926
First performance: 1927 Ampico piano roll. Aaron Copland, piano
Publisher: Scott
Date of publication: 1929
Timing: 2'
Notes: of the 1926 suite Five sentimental melodies this is the only one published under this title. Within the Five it was titled "Blues no. 1"
Sextet for piano, clarinet, and string quartet
Date: 1937
First performance: 26 February 1939. New York
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1948
Timing: 15'
Dedication: Carlos Chávez
Contents: I. Allegro vivace (in a bold rhythmic style throughout) II. Lento III. Finale: precise and rhythmic
Notes: An arrangement of the Short Symphony. The scoring reflects the scoring of the Roy Harris Concerto for Piano, Clarinet, and String Quartet of 1926
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Shaker Variations
Form: Band
Date: 1956
First performance: 2 March, 1958. Evanston, Illinois. Northwestern University Band, cond. Aaron Copland.
Timing: 4'
Notes: an arrangement of the "Simple Gifts" section of Appalachian Spring.
Short Symphony
Date: 1933
First performance: 23 November 1934. Mexico City. Orquésta Sinfónica de México, cond. Carlos Chávez
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1955
Timing: 15'
Dedication: "to Carlos Chávez."
Contents: I. Quarter-note = 144 (incisivo) II. Half-note = circa 44 III. Quarter-note = 144 (preciso e ritmico)
Notes: arranged as Sextet for piano, clarinet & string quartet, 1937. This is Symphony no. 2
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Signature for the High-Low Concerts
Form: Chamber orchestra
Date: 1938
Publisher: Unpublished
Publisher: Unpublished
Timing: ca. 2'
Notes: Opening fanfare for Vernon Duke's series of "High-Low Concerts." The music was reused in An Outdoor Overture
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Signature: CBS Playhouse
Form: Television score
Date: 1966
Publisher: Unpublished
Publisher: Unpublished
Notes: for brass, percussion, and strings
Something Wild
Form: Film score
Date: 1961
First performance: 23 December 1961, New York
Publisher: Unpublished
Notes: Music for a Great City is an orchestral suite drawn from this music
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Sonata for Violin and Piano
Date: 1943
First performance: 17 January 1944. New York. Ruth Posselt, violin; Aaron Copland, piano
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1944
Timing: 17'
Dedication: "to Lieutenant Harry H. Dunham, 1910-1943."
Contents: I. Andante semplice / Più mosso II. Lento III. Allegretto giusto
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Statements
Form: Orchestra
Date: 1934
First performance: 7 January 1942. New York. New York Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Dimitri Mitropoulos
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1947
Timing: 19'
Dedication: "to Mary Senior Churchill."
Contents: I. Militant. Quarter = 112 II. Cryptic. Quarter = ca. 88 III. Dogmatic. Quarter = 128-132 IV. Subjective. Calmo, espressivo (quarter = ca. 56) V. Jingo. Half = 132 VI. Prophetic. Quarter = 50
Notes: The middle section of the third movement, "Dogmatic," quotes thematic material from the Piano Variations. The fourth movement, "Subjective," uses material from the Elegies [link to work0066] for violin and viola. The final two movements were performed well before the premiere of the work as a whole, on 9 January 1936 by the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy
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String Quartet (1968)
Date: 1968
Notes: Copland's final twelve-tone work, extant as sketches only
Sunday Afternoon Music
Form: Piano
Date: 1935
First performance: 24 February 1936. New York. Aaron Copland, piano
Publisher: Carl Fischer
Date of publication: 1936
Timing: 2'
Symphonic Ode
Form: Orchestra
Date: 1927-1929
First performance: (original version) 19 February 1932. Boston: Boston Symphony Orchestra, Serge Koussevitzky conducting. (revised version) 3 February 1956. Boston: Boston Symphony Orchestra, cond. Charles Munch
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1957
Timing: 19'
Notes: revised 1955
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Symphony for Organ and Orchestra
Date: 1924
First performance: 11 January 1925: New York. New York Symphony Orchestra, cond. Walter Damrosch. Nadia Boulanger, organ
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1963
Timing: 25'
Dedication: "To Nadia Boulanger - with admiration"
Contents: I. Prelude: Andante II. Scherzo: Allegretto III. Finale: Lento; Più mosso: Allegro moderato
Notes: Revised as Symphony no. 1; scherzo of revision had briefly an independent life as Scherzo; first movement arranged as Prelude for Chamber Orchestra
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Symphony no. 1
Date: 1927-1928
First performance: December 1931. Berlin: Berlin Symphony Orchestra, cond. Ernest Ansermet
Publisher: Cos Cob press
Date of publication: 1931
Timing: 19'
Dedication: "Dedicated to Nadia Boulanger, with admiration"
Contents: I. Prelude: Andante II. Scherzo: Molto allegro III. Finale: Lento /Più mosso: Allegro moderato
Notes: revision of Symphony for Organ and Orchestra. The Scherzo of the revision was performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Fritz Reiner in 1927. The first movement was arranged as Prelude for Chamber Orchestra
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