The Aaron Copland Collection ca. 1900-1990

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The Cat and the Mouse: Scherzo humoristique
Form: Piano
Date: 1920
First performance: 23 September 1921. Paris. Aaron Copland, piano
Publisher: Durand & Cie.
Date of publication: 1921
Timing: 3'
Notes: the current subtitle of the piece, "Scherzo humoristique," seems to have been its original title, and "The Cat and the Mouse" the subtitle
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The City
Form: Film score
Date: 1939
First performance: 1939, New York World’s Fair
Publisher: Unpublished as a film score
Notes: two sections of the film were included in Music for the Movies as “New England Countryside” and “Sunday Traffic.”
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The Cummington Story
Form: Film score
Date: 1945
Publisher: Unpublished
Publisher: Unpublished
Notes: a production of the U.S. Office of War Information. An except from this score was published as a piano solo under the title In Evening Air
The Heiress
Form: Film score
Date: 1949
First performance: 6 October 1949, New York
Publisher: Unpublished
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The House on the Hill
Form: Unaccompanied women's chorus
Date: 1925
Text: Edwin Arlington Robinson; from Children of the Night
First performance: 24 April 1925. New York. Women’s University Glee Club, cond. Gerald Reynolds
Publisher: E.C. Schirmer
Date of publication: 1926
Timing: 5'
Dedication: “to Thomas Whitney Surette”
Notes: often grouped with (but seldom performed with) An Immorality as “Two Choruses.”
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The North Star
Form: Film score
Date: 1943
Script: Lillian Hellman
Lyrics: Ira Gershwin
First performance: 4 November 1943
Publisher: Unpublished
Notes: The following excerpts from the film were published: “Song of the Guerrillas;” “The Younger Generation;” “ No Village Like Mine.” (The first two were published both as solo songs and as choral numbers, the last as a solo song only.) This film was re-released in the 1950s, shorn of its earlier scenes, as “Armored Attack.”
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The Red Pony (film)
Form: Film score
Date: 1948
First performance: 8 March 1949
Publisher: Unpublished
Notes: Copland made an orchestral suite from this film in 1948
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The Red Pony (orchestral suite)
Form: Orchestra
Date: 1948
First performance: 30 October 1948. Houston Symphony Orchestra, cond. Efrem Kurtz
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1951
Timing: 24'
Dedication: “to Erik Johns”
Contents: I. Morning on the Ranch II. The Gift III. Dream March and Circus Music IV. Walk to the Bunkhouse V. Grandfather’s Story VI. Happy Ending
Notes: excerpts from the film score Copland thought of calling this “Children’s Suite from The Red Pony.” Correspondence relating to the film may be accessed through the entry on the film score
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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The Tender Land
Form: Opera
Date: 1954
Text: “Horace Everett” (Erik Johns)
First performance: 1 April 1954. New York. New York City Opera Company, cond. Thomas Schippers
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1956
Timing: 100'
Notes: Copland prepared an orchestral suite from the opera in 1957-1958 Other material from the opera published separately are: “The Promise of Living” in a version for five-part chorus; “Stomp Your Foot” for chorus and piano; and “Laurie’s Song” (“Once I Thought”) for voice and piano. The music of The Promise of Living is based on Zion’s Walls from Old American Songs, Set II
The Tender Land
Form: Orchestral suite
Date: 1958
First performance: 10 April 1958. Chicago Symphony Orchestra, cond. Fritz Reiner
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1960
Timing: 21'
Contents: I. Introduction and Love Music II. Party Scene III. Finale: The Promise of Living
Notes: The music of “The Promise of Living” is based on Zion’s Walls from Old American Songs, Set II
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The World of Nick Adams
Form: Television score
Date: 1957
First performance: 10 November 1957. Cond. Alfredo Antonini
Publisher: Unpublished
The Young Pioneers
Form: Piano
Date: 1935
First performance: 24 February 1936. New York. Aaron Copland, piano
Publisher: Carl Fischer
Date of publication: 1936
Timing: 1'
Third Symphony
Form: Orchestra
Date: 1944-1946
First performance: 18 October 1946. Boston Symphony Orchestra, cond. Serge Koussevitzky
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1947
Timing: 42'
Dedication: “Dedicated to the memory of my dear friend Natalie Koussevitzky.”
Contents: I. Molto moderato – with simple expression II. Allegro molto III. Andantino quasi allegretto IV. Molto deliberato / Doppio movimento (Allegro risoluto)
Notes: the introduction to the fourth movement incorporates the Fanfare for the Common Man
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Three Latin-American Sketches
Form: Orchestra
Date: 1971
First performance: 7 June 1972. New York Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Andre Kostelanetz
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1975
Timing: 10'
Contents: I. Estribillo II. Paisaje Mexicano III. Danza de Jalisco
Notes: an expansion of Two Mexican Pieces. Copland describes the orchestra – single winds, but at least six first violins – as “small orchestra” rather than “chamber orchestra.”

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Three Moods
Form: Piano
Date: 1920-1921
First performance: Fontainebleau, 21 September 1921. Aaron Copland, piano
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1981
Contents: I. Embittered II. Wistful III. Jazzy
Notes: Originally Four Moods, with Petite Portrait (ABE)
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Threnody No. 1: Igor Stravinsky in Memoriam
Form: Flute and string trio
Date: 1971
Publisher: Tempo magazine, no 98
Publisher: Tempo magazine, no 98
Date of publication: 1972
Timing: 2'
Threnody No. 2: Beatrice Cunningham in Memoriam
Form: Alto flute and string trio
Date: 1973
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1977
Timing: 4'
Tragic Ground
Form: Musical
Date: 1945
Publisher: Unfinished
Publisher: Unfinished
Notes: Despite the title, Caldwell’s novel is a comedy. Tragic Ground is the source of “I Bought Me a Cat” from Old American Songs, Set I and of the version of Zion’s Walls in Old American Songs, Set II. It was also drawn on for music for The Red Pony, The Tender Land and Dance Panels
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Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson
Form: Voice and piano
Date: 1949-1950
Text: Emily Dickinson
First performance: 18 May 1950. New York Alice Howland, soprano; Aaron Copland, piano
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1951
Timing: 28'
Dedication: “to twelve composer friends” as follows: I. “To David Diamond.” II. “To Elliott Carter.” III. “To Ingolf Dahl.” IV. “To Alexei Haieff.” V. “To Marcelle de Manziarly.” VI. “To Juan Orrego Salas.” VII. “To Irving Fine.” VIII. “To Harold Shapero.” IX. “To Camargo Guarnieri.” X. “To Alberto Ginastera.” XI. “To Lukas Foss.” XII. “To Arthur Berger.”
Contents: I. Nature, the gentlest mother II. There came a wind like a bugle III. Why do they shut me out of Heaven? IV. The world feels dusty V. Heart, we will forget him VI. Dear March, come in! VII. Sleep is supposed to be VIII. When they come back IX. I felt a funeral in my brain X. I’ve heard an organ talk sometimes XI. Going to Heaven! XII. The Chariot
Notes: Eight of the poems – 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, and 12 – were orchestrated by Copland in the years between 1958 and 1970. When performed as a group they go under the title “Eight Poems of Emily Dickinson.”
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Two Ballads for Violin and Piano
Date: 1957
Publisher: Unpublished
Publisher: Unpublished
Dedication: “To Verna Fine”
Contents: I. Half-note = circa 60. Simple and direct II. Quarter-note = circa 80
Notes: realized by Bennett Lerner and Phillip Ramey from sketches
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Two Mexican Pieces
Form: Chamber orchestra
Date: 1959
First performance: July 1959, Spoleto (second movement only)
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Date of publication: 1968
Contents: I. Paisaje Mexicano II. Danza de Jalisco
Notes: expanded as Three Latin-American Sketches in 1971. “Danza de Jalisco” was arranged by the composer for two pianos in 1963

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Two Pieces for String Quartet or String Orchestra
Date: 1923-1924, 1928
First performance: (string quartet): 6 May 1928. N.Y., Lennox Quartet; (string orchestra): 14 December 1928. Boston. Boston Symphony Orchestra, cond. Serge Koussevitzky
Publisher: Arrow Music Press
Date of publication: 1940
Timing: 11'
Contents: I. Lento molto II. Rondino on the name Gabriel Fauré
Notes: the Rondino on the Name Gabriel Fauré was written in 1923-1924 and was performed as an independent piece at Fontainebleau in September 1924
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Two Pieces for Violin and Piano
Date: 1926
First performance: 5 May 1926. Paris. Samuel Dushkin, violin; Aaron Copland, piano
Publisher: B. Schott's Söhne
Date of publication: 1928
Timing: 9'
Dedication: I.: "To Israel Citkowitz." II. "To Samuel Dushkin."
Contents: I. Nocturne II. Ukelele Serenade
Notes: Like many other people, Copland misspells “ukulele.”
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