For a guy from Brooklyn, Aaron Copland sure could write music that evokes Americana country. The orchestra version of Appalachian spring is one of those iconic American pieces of music that’s had a deep influence on music in this country since it’s debut, and has permeated our collective conscious. Think of “gift to be simple” and his variations at the end of Appalachian Spring come to mind.
That said, I really prefer the original orchestration for 13 instruments. It was intended as a ballet score that Martha Grahamcommissioned and the tone and character really befit the smaller ensemble (similarly to Barber’s Adagio for Strings is better in the original string quartet version
). Copland is one of the American composers who was deeply influenced by French orchestration and structural techniques (although the structure doesn’t show up so much in his programmatic works like this one) and Appalachian Spring is no exception. If you’re looking for an instructional kit for how to write for winds, just listen to the first section of Appalachian Spring. I always get a little hung up on how fragmented the piece feels, but that goes with the territory (ballet). And I am happy to overlook that when we hit the coda after the variations. Talk about a way to unwind energy from a piece of music. The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra’s version
is really wonderful. While it’s a little more than 13 instruments, they really captures the feel of the original score and have a vibrance and intensity missing from larger groups. Their accuracy and tone are also incredible as well as their blending. In this recording, the engineering is excellent; the sound stage is present without being overbearing and the balance is remarkable. However, it is very detailed, so if you don’t like the occasional click of keys, it might not be for you.
Originally published on WordPress on January 11, 2007. Migrated to this blog on May 29, 2025.