Copland Conducts Copland: Our Town; The Red Pony Suite; El SalA³n MA©xico; DanzA³n Cubano; Three Latin American Sketches

Two nice pieces by Copland...

On El Salon Mexico, Danzon Cubano, and Three Latin American Sketches, you will wish for a truly great conductor (like Bernstein) who could really make these pieces "jump". The rhythms are a bit slack and the interpretations therefore somewhat staid under Copland's baton.

The reasons I have treasured this disc for many years are the Red Pony Suite and the Our Town Suite, which are more lyrical pieces. The Red Pony is more common than Our Town, but both are really nice to hear. If you hear the Red Pony once, you won't forget it. Of course these pieces are not as good as Appalachian Spring or Billy the Kid, but once you've learned those pieces, you come to wish for more music by Copland to enjoy...here it is! By the way, you will like these pieces a lot more than the suite from "The Tender Land" or some of Copland's other movie music.

I notice other reviewers complaining about the orchestras. I guess they're a lot pickier than I am...if you haven't heard this music yet, I think you'll enjoy it. Makes a nice change from the 300th playing of Rodeo!

April 12, 2008

Obviously, the authoritative recording of these pieces.

I saw the review comparing Leonard Slatkin's recordings of these Copland works with the composer's own recordings. I haven't heard the Slatkin recordings, and I have the highest respect for Mr. Slatkin, but I cannot see how these recordings conducted by the composer himself could not be considered the authoritative version of these works. I know just from the timings on the discs that Slatkin takes a much faster tempo on "Our Town," which is the piece I bought the Copland-conducted disc for. While I respect Mr. Slatkin's choices, the slow, deliberative tempo Mr. Copland takes on "Our Town" seems to me not only appropriate but perfect for this contemplative, poignant and profoundly human music. I remember a remark by Clara Schumann: "There are so few beautiful things in life. Why not linger and enjoy them?" Similarly, the recordings of "The Red Pony Suite," "El Salon Mexico" and other familiar Copland pieces seem as good to me as any I have ever heard. I do hope to hear the Slatkin recordings someday, but until then, I am ecstatically happy with this disc. December 9, 2007

Copland conducts Copland

Aaron Copland was, admittedly, NOT a great conductor. Nevertheless, musicians enjoyed working with him, possibly because he was so exuberant and enthusiastic. One friend said Copland might tell musicians to "hit a home run." He certainly wanted the musicians to have fun and it's clear that usually happened. Along the way, Copland did manage to give his interpretations of his own music, setting a standard of how it should be played.

It's very apparent in Copland's numerous recordings for Columbia (now available on Sony) that the composer left an important legacy. Among the more original American composers, Copland was distinctly American. He enjoyed a fine musical education from Nadia Boulanger in Paris that gave his compositions some added depth. Initially, Copland followed George Gershwin's example and made considerable use of jazz and blues in his works. Copland himself said he felt he soon exhausted the possibilities of popular music and then turned to American folk music.

A trip to Mexico, where he met and befriended Carlos Chavez, resulted in Copland's first great musical triumph, "El Salon Mexico." It became the only Copland work to ever be conducted by Arturo Toscanini with the NBC Symphony Orchestra. On this CD one has a chance to hear the composer himself conducting this 1936 triumph.

This writer has long enjoyed Copland's wonderful music for the 1948 Technicolor western "The Red Pony," an adaptation of the John Steinbeck story by Lewis Milestone that starred Myrna Loy and a young Robert Mitchum. The music is such an important ingredient in this classic film. Fortunately, Copland extracted a concert suite from the film score and it is included in this CD.

Copland wrote other film scores, too, and we get to hear some of the music he wrote for the 1940 film adaptation of Thornton Wilder's very American play, "Our Town."

The CD includes some additional Latin-influenced works, "Danzon Cubano," which rivals Gershwin's "A Cuban Overture," and "Three Latin American Sketches." These are very colorful, exciting works.

Perhaps, as some have said, the London Symphony Orchestra and the New Philharmonic Orchestra were not up to par in these recordings. Some of that may have been Copland's fault. Still, these are competent performances and they convey what the composer wanted. November 26, 2003

Profound

Forget what the guy above says about the London Symphony Orchestra's recording of "Our Town." Hands down, the most beautiful piece of music I have ever heard. Moving, surreal, profound. Truly a once in a lifetime experience. October 31, 2003

review and comparison with Slatkin's CD

It does seem (and I have heard from professional conductors) that performance standards of orchestras in the 1960s and 70s were not what they are today, but I would not necessarily hold that fact against this CD. While Leonard SlatkinÕs more recent recording with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra (on the RCA label) is much more pristine, and the musicians sound much more in tune, I find something in CoplandÕs own interpretation of his music that is missing from SlatkinÕs (still very capable) rendition.

Comparing the two versions of ÒOur TownÓ, for example, the difference in character is striking. With Copland the tempo is much slower, the intensity is proportionally much greater, and Copland, with a composerÕs sense of intimacy with his score and the music intended behind it, derives more musicality out of each phrase and note than I hear in SlatkinÕs faster-paced performance. The same can be said for the rest of CoplandÕs CD--what the older recording might lack in technical musicianship, it makes up for in greater interpretive depth. While it is aggravating sometimes to hear instruments out of tune (and I am only assuming that what sounds out of tune to me today was equivalently considered out of tune back then), the tradeoff may be worth it for some. May 10, 2003

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