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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Rodeo |
| 2. Billy the Kid |
| 3. Appalachian Spring |
| 4. Buckaroo Holiday |
| 5. Corral Nocturne |
| 6. Saturday Night Waltz |
| 7. Hoe-Down |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The three Copland classics on this disc--Billy the Kid, Appalachian Spring and Rodeo--are all ballet scores, and from the very first bars of Billy, with its evocative depiction of the wide-open prairies, you are firmly in the territory of music that tells a story. But you don't need to follow all the ins and outs of each story to enjoy music which paints as vivid a picture of rural America as you could hope for. If the sprightly "Hoe Down" from Rodeo brings a splash of colour to concert programmes, the remarkable thing about so much of the music in these three pieces is how quietly sensitive it is. And while Michael Tilson Thomas does not hold back in wringing every last ounce of splashy razzmatazz, he is equally the master of introspective music which clearly demonstrates that you don't need to be loud to be a populist. The recordings were made in the San Francisco Symphony's home, Davies Symphony Hall. You couldn't hope for more authentic performances than this--more than 76 minutes of dyed-in-the-wool Americana. --Keith Clarke
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Aaron Copland - The Populist. SFS/MTT,
By Ryan Hepburn (Hertfordshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Copland the Populist (Audio CD)
If there's one recording that captures the essence of Copland's 'populist' style then this is it! Michael Tilson Thomas's energetic, informed and sensitive performances almost make these classics sound like new pieces. The well-loved 'Hoe-Down' even comes with cowboy-like cheers half way through! If you don't shed the odd tear and your pulse doesn't race then no other recording stands a chance - however good they may still be. The SFS sound is fantastic. Enhanced by the powerful acoustic of the Davies Symphony Hall the effect is dazzling. You could almost be out on the prarie! Buy it - you won't find another recording nearly as good. MTT is rightly destined, in my view, to be the finest Copland interpreter ever.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews) 39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Tilson-Thomas does it again,
By Zach Maggio - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Copland the Populist (Audio CD)
Like the Amazon editorial review said, Tilson-Thomas somehow manages to make these stalwarts of the standard repertory sound fresh and new -- as if they had been written yesterday. At the same time, this disc illuminates what is an often underappreciated theme of Copland's best work -- a subtle, understated sense of darkness and an apprehension of pioneerism and Americana. Appalachian Spring is taken at a pace much more sedate than many conductors would dare, and the result is staggering; colorings of the orchestration appear which are normally ignored or otherwise don't make themselves as clear in less precise versions. The fact that this is the fully orchestrated version (as opposed to the original chamber version, scored for thirteen instruments) doesn't hurt; Appalachian Spring sounds so full and rich, you wonder why everyone compliments the original for being so lean. Tilson-Thomas and the SF Symphony prove that dense orchestration does not have to sacrifice texture or expressiveness. Billy the Kid, in MTT's hands, comes off as much more moody and brooding than others might read it,but that was the composer's intention -- Billy's life was grimy and filled with violence, and those dark undertones are quite clear in this performance. Rodeo sounds as fresh and inspired as ever, and the SF Symphony prove adept at this sort of exuberant and rollicking music; the energy of this performance proves quite infectious and wholly in line with the spirit of the work. I was at the live performances which comprise the works on this disc, and let me say without reservation that the engineering captures exquisitely the polished sound of the San Francisco Symphony. My only complaint is that the balance at times seems a bit odd; while the recording is very close and intimate, at low levels the highs and lows have a tendency to drop out. All in all, though, a perfect recording for both Copland fans eager for a different interpretive style and those who have yet to be introduced to the prolific output of this great composer.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Three Aaron Copland Works: The New Gold Standard Recording,
By Grady Harp - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Copland the Populist (Audio CD)
Aaron Copland is a composer who seems to flow in and out of favor with the critics but remains in the bloodstream of American audiences. This recording by Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the San Francisco Symphony offers three of Copland's most familiar masterpieces in performances that truly underline the genius that was Aaron Copland. Given that many conductors, not the least of which includes Leonard Bernstein, Thomas Schippers, and Marin Alsop, have given superb performances of each of these ballets, it may sound presumptuous to claim that this Tilson Thomas recording is the Gold Standard. But just listen to the energy of performances and the quality of interpretation and recording and see if you're not hearing these pieces anew.
MTT draws exceptionally fine playing from his SFO and his tutelage with Leonard Bernstein is apparent. But MTT has extensively studied these scores and has his own opinions - opinions that make the works each more solid and sound. 'Billy the Kid' has all the combination of menace and danger of the tale but also manages to bounce into wildly exuberant dancing. The four episodes from 'Rodeo' are full of fire and vixen and celebration and elegant writing. But for this listener the finest achievement is in MTT's choice of recording the full ballet 'Appalachian Spring' and not for the original 'chamber (read 'pit') orchestra', but instead for the full orchestral version that allows more color, more sensitivity in sparring orchestral choirs, and in more radiant innocence and beauty of tone. This is a stunning achievement and one by which all other performances and recordings must be judged. For those whose library already holds individual recordings of these Copland works, this triad is a must. For those who have liked but have never taken Copland seriously, the experience of these performances will alter the appreciation of Aaron Copland as one of the populist masters of the last century. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, June 06 15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fabulous Disc,
By D. A Wend - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Copland the Populist (Audio CD)
Aaron Copland has not been a favorite composer of mine. I have liked much of his music but not been an avid collector. This is perhaps a little odd since I had a chance encounter with him a few years ago and only realized who I was standing next to after Mr. Copland had gone. Listening to this disc has changed my mind on a great many things. In the past, I found the music for "Rodeo" a little too "folksy," as if Copland was throwing up a Norman Rockwell picture of the West. Listening to this recording has changed my view of the work to quite an interesting ballet. The version of "Appalachian Spring" is an orchestration (from the original for small orchestra) that Mr. Copland never published, and it may the music seem all the more new. The "Simple Gifts" music that Copland borrowed is treated far differently in this version than the more familiar orchestration. "Billy the Kid" was also a revelation for me. The performances and sound are excellent. Anyone who already know this music will appreciate this disc. |
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