Simple Gifts: Copland's "Appalachian Spring"

This week we explore one of the great works of the 20th century, Copland's ballet Appalachian Spring. This is a piece that practically invented the Americana style. We'll take apart the Suite that Copland extracted from the complete ballet, looking at the differences between the 13 instrument and the orchestral version of the piece. We'll also hear amazing archival footage of Copland rehearsing the piece with a group of musicians, where we hear Copland working to achieve that elusive "American" sound.