Aaron Copland (Appalachian Spring - 13 instruments version)

Here's the original version of Copland's ballet suite Appalachian Spring from 1944.
The ballet was commissioned by the Library of Congress and was originally simply titled "Ballet for Martha" as the work was choreographed by Martha Graham. Graham suggested the title "Appalachian Spring", a phrase coming from a poem entitled "The Dance" by Hart Crane. Oddly enough, the reference in Crane's poem is to a wellspring rather than the season.
The story centers around the construction of a farmhouse for newlyweds in 19th-century Pennsylvania.
Performed by Atlantic Sinfonietta
Conducted by Andrew Schenck
Paintings by Ken Barclay - Check out more of his work on his website: www.avocaken.blogspot.com

[@lurking0death]

Thanks for posting this simple gift of Americana. It's a treasure.

[@bdavis7981]

Hearing this, it's easy to picture working a farm; striking hot iron; activity in a meadow; the constructing of a small town in progress. This is already one of my favorite videos on all of TH-cam.

[@mosaicclassics]

Thanks for sharing your impressions of this staple in the American repertoire!

[@timirish2563]

This is a great recording. Audiences should know and appreciate the various forms of this piece--beginning with this lovely and profound version for small orchestra. A note to TH-cam however: Whose asinine idea was it to insert a commercial break into this intense piece of music about two minutes into its playing time? Are you all Cretans and morons? Forget about content--TH-cam can be the place where one goes to catch up on the commercials he missed watching broadcast television...

[@vazmo14850]

i wanted to find the copland conducting this original version...but this is good....

[@mosaicclassics]

At present, I don't have a copy of the one with Copland conducting. And I think this particular album is out of print.
Thanks for commenting!

[@OldStudentNS]

+vazmo14850 I am with you. Love this version. I would also love to get my hands on this score. Have the orchestral copy.

[@yiluo2077]

The app is great app and I am able to use it for a few days and I am wondering if you can do it for you to check out app and you can do it for a few days or two or a few days before you can do it for a few days or two

[@Rob6151957]

Hello. I know this post is old but I thought I'd give a shout. I was a Harold Bennett (who is the flute player on this recording)student and I know that Copland did conduct this. It is great! @@mosaicclassics

[@ewestner]

I was looking for the suite for 13 instruments and found this instead. Is this the full ballet? I'm glad I found it because even though I've listened to the orchestral version a million times and the suite for 13 instruments a few times, this has music in it I've never heard before!

[@ewestner]

​@@andrewcordle2424the piece is the Appalachian Spring Suite for 13 instruments. He originally wrote the ballet for this instrumentation and wrote a full orchestra version the following year. There are suites of both the full orchestra and the chamber orchestra versions, and full ballets of both versions as well.

[@ewestner]

@@andrewcordle2424 and it should have been clear from my comment that I wasn't calling it Suite for 13 Instruments since I didn't capitalize it in my post. In my comment the phrase was merely descriptive.

[@andrewcordle2424]

@@ewestner But it wasn’t… you wrote “… I was looking for the suite for 13 instruments…”

[@ewestner]

@@andrewcordle2424 shut up Andrew, you are incorrect.

[@psakbar]

@@ewestner I'm a retired (after 50 yrs. +) professional orchestra violinist. I've played this piece many times but have never heard this version. It's lovely! Even played with Copland conducting (Hoedown among other things) in the late 70s.

[@galas062]

thank you..:)

[@theprivateer83]

The song from the Shakers starts at 18:38

[@TheSummoner]

The intro of the section actually starts at 18:24