Product Description
Sheet music for the second set of composer Copland's Old American Songs: "The Little Horses," "Zion's Walls," "The Golden Willow Tree," "At the River," and "Ching-a-ring Chaw." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Present Second Set, Comprised Of Five More Adaptations Of Old American Songs
"The first set of Old American Songs was completed in 1950, and William Warfield gave the first performance in New York on January 28, 1951.

THE PRESENT SECOND SET, COMPRISED OF FIVE MORE ADAPTATIONS OF OLD AMERICAN SONGS,
was finished in 1952,
and is being presented for the first time at the Castle Hill Concerts.

1.
The Little Horses
A children's lullaby song originating in the Southern States ---
date unknown.
This adaptation founded in part on John A. and Alan Lomax's version in Folk Song U.S.A.

2.
Zion's Walls
A revivalist song Original melody and words credited to John G. McCurry,
compiler of the Social Harp. Published by George P. Jackson in Down East Spirituals.

3.
The Golden Willow Tree
Variant of the well-known Anglo-American Ballad,
more usually called The Golden Vanity.
This version is based on a recording issued by the Library of Congress Music Division from its collection of the Archive of American Folk Song.
Justus Begley recorded it with banjo accompaniment for Alan and Elizabeth Lomax in 1937.

4.
At the River
Hymn Tune.
Words and melody are by Rev. Robert Lowry, 1865.

5.
Ching-a- Chaw
Minstrel Song.
The words have been adapted from the originals,
in the Harris Collection of American Poetry and Plays in Brown University."
[from the book of page 5] ... Read more

Product Description
Copland's famous ballet suite has never been published in a solo piano transcription. This new version is idiomatic for the instrument, retaining all the music from the standard 1945 orchestra suite. ... Read more

Product Description
Aaron Copland (1900-1990) is generally considered the most popular and well-known composer of American art music, and yet little scholarly attention has been paid to Copland since the 1950s. This volume begins with a portrait of the composer and an evaluation of significant research trends which is intended to fill a void and to suggest directions for further research. The guide also provides a section discussing Copland's interdisciplinary interests, such as ballet and film work, as well as a comprehensive bibliography of writings about Copland and his music. ... Read more

Product Description
These twelve songs were composed at Sneden's Landing, New York, at various times during the period from March 1949to March 1950. They are the first works the composer had written for solo voice and piano since 1928. The poems subject matter deal with nature, death, life and eternity. Only 2 of the songs are related thematically, the 7th and the 12th. Nevertheless, the composer hopes that, in seeking a musical counterpart for the unique personality of the poet, he has given the songs, taken together, the aspect of a song cycle. ... Read more

Product Description
Aaron Copland and Vivian Perlis collaborated on two books that detailed the life of one of America's most admired and treasured composers, famous for Fanfare for the Common Man, Appalachian Spring, Billy the Kid, El Salon Mexico, Lincoln Portrait, and many more works from movie scores to orchestral pieces and chamber music. These books, Copland: 1900 Through 1942 and Copland: Since 1943 have been combined and updated and Ms Perlis has written a new Introduction for The Complete Copland. This candid, colorful memoir begins with Copland's Brooklyn childhood and takes us through his years in Paris, the cre­ation of his early works, and his years at Tanglewood, through his death in 1990 at age 90. Rich with remembrances from Leonard Bernstein, Virgil Thomson, and Nadia Boulanger, as well as a trove of letters, photographs, and scores from Copland's collection, this is one of our most vivid musical autobiographies, and an enduring record of an American maestro's explosively creative coming of age. ... Read more

Product Description
Copland's famous ballet suite has never been published in a solo violin and piano transcription. This new version is idiomatic for the violin, retaining all the music from the standard 1945 orchestra suite. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Sloppy arranging and editing, disappointing
It was with much excitement that I received both the piano/violin reduction to play with a friend as well as the solo piano reduction by the same arranger and publisher for my own personal use (for fun!). I am at this point about halfway through a reading of the violin/piano version, but just a sightreading of half is all that is needed to see what a poorly put together arrangement this is.

It is possible to forgive "bad arranging" when it comes to subjective decisions (the melody at pickup to measure 5 is given to the violin, and then one bar later the melody switches abruptly to the piano - in the original it is the flute that plays both those measures as a cohesive phrase; the flute melody at the lower octave to the violin is left completely out of the piano part while it would easily fit in at rehearsal 2), but I quickly saw that the arranger's musicality and Boosey's editing was reflected in a more annoying, mistakes-galore sort of way. Here is a quick list. Keep in mind, this is with just a half hour of reading, slight consultation of the score when my ear was very perturbed - in other words these were caught easily, and other errors may be neatly hidden in the same sections upon close examination.

1. At rehearsal 5 the violin plays a random A. The note does not exist as a rearticulation in the original (neither the orchestral nor chamber version).
2. The third measure of 23 has an A natural on the ascending portion of the scale. Originals have A# (same in solo piano version, looks like a cut and paste job)
3. The B on the last eighth note of one before 25 is mysteriously missing. The piano has all the notes leading up to it and could easily play it in the part.
4. At 2 and 4 after 25 there are D#'s inserted below the B's on the last beat. This looks most careless since this note does not exist in the originals - unless one is reading clarinet part and doesn't bother to transpose it.
5. At rehearsal 26 there is a random chord on the last eighth note of the first measure. This does not exist in the originals.
6. At rehearsal 27 (and so on for several measures) the fifths of the chords are missing. They could be easily played by the piano (in fact, both the orchestral and chamber version have the piano playing what I just suggested, so it was obviously intended that way).
7. At three bars before 30 there is a lower octave inserted in the harmonies that does not exist in the originals.

There were plenty more spots where I subjectively thought the arranging was just bad, but after that list of glaring errors I don't see any point in listing those, too. Again, keep in mind I haven't even gone over it with a fine-toothed comb, I was merely reading the piano part for fun.

Steer clear of this arrangement. If you're a good enough pianist to play some of the very difficult sections in here anyway, just make your own arrangement from the score. If you're a beginner or intermediate pianist thinking this will give you a good idea of the piece, just get the real score to study it - this piano part is quite difficult anyway, and there's no point in learning it incorrectly!

P.S. Just remembered a couple more.
-At 2 before rehearsal 5 there should be rests on the latter half of the measure for the piano. Don't play it till the dead composer wrote it!
-At 20 (this was the most horrendous) the bass part, played by the bassoon, is COMPLETELY ABSENT. This happens again at 21. This was not for arranging purposes, as it is a slow, three-voiced chorale that a beginning piano student could play. I had to get out the score to fill in the giant void on this sheet music! ... Read more

Product Description
A broad selection of piano works by Aaron Copland, conveniently published in a single volume. Contents: The Cat and the Mouse * Down a Country Lane * Four Piano Blues * In Evening Air * Midsummer Nocturne * Night Thoughts * Passacaglia * Petit Portrait * Piano Sonata * Piano Variations * Three Moods * Midday Thoughts * Proclamation for Piano. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very Pleased
The product was truthfully represented and arrived in a timely manner.I was very pleased. ... Read more

Product Description
The contributors to Copland Connotations - both American and British - include the leading figures in Copland studies. Pre-eminent among these is Vivian Perlis, whose two-volume memoirs were written in collaboration with the composer himself; then Howard Pollack, whose substantial biography of Copland has been acclaimed; and also other established specialists in American music such as Stephen Banfield, William Brooks, Mark DeVoto, Peter Dickinson, David Schiff, Larry Starr and the distinguished analyst Arnold Whittall. Brilliant studies from young scholars are a special feature - Jessica Burr, Jennifer DeLapp, Sally Bick, Daniel E. Mathers and Marta Robertson. These all offer exciting new perspectives on Copland's work; unique reflections on his private life; and indicate the undoubted vitality of his appeal to future generations.The British-based team of authors, along with Anthony Burton, David Nicholls and Bayan Northcott,engages in a lively open forum discussion covering many issues in connection with Copland and his work. And finally Copland Connotations brings Copland himself into the picture by providing transcriptions of two previously unpublished interviews Copland gave to Peter Dickinson at Keele University in 1976. ... Read more