Aaron Copland

"Eleven. Exactly. One louder." - Nigel Tufnel in This Is Spinal Tap


Aaron Copland, American composer, has always inspired me. Here are 11 tunes I enjoy.

1. Appalachian Spring. Essentially American. Open, expansive, diverse, with roots in the Shaker hymn. A wonderful ballet too.
2. Rodeo. Fun. Again, capturing a taste of Americana
3. Danzon Cubano (YouTube Clip). 
4. Fanfare for the Common Man. Stately. Hard to believe this will be 70 years old next year.
5. El Salon Mexico. So colorful 
6. Billy the Kid. Intense
7. The Tender Land. Brilliant and complex
8. Quiet City (YouTube Clip) So delicate
9. The Red Pony Classic Copland
10. Third Symphony Tasteful weave of European form with American themes and ideas
11. Our Town Strong movie and his music adds to the drama.