Saturday, 30 April 2011

Copland 3

Again an ipod choice and a good one as this is one of my favourite symphonies, one of my favourite pieces of music. Some years ago I bought "The Great American Novel" by Philip Roth; one day I might read it. But I believe the central premise of Roth's satire is there has never been a great American novel. Perhaps there has not been a truly great American symphony either, but Copland's third comes closest to it. And I wonder if there will be a recording to surpass Leonard Bernstein's. 
Perhaps the gesture of using the Fanfare for a Common Man to open the last movement is too simplistic, but I find the effective. The rest of the work is also beautiful, tuneful and a satisfying symphonic composition. 



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