Appalachian Spring / Fanfare / Lincoln Portrait

CD Details

Aaron Copland composed Appalachian Spring in 1945 as a ballet score that weaves variations on the Shaker hymn “Simple Gifts” throughout its eight movements, moving from a very slow opening through an allegro section depicting the bride and her intended, a fast revivalist scene, and the bride’s solo dance before concluding with a moderato coda. This 1983 Decca release pairs that work with Copland’s A Lincoln Portrait from 1942, featuring actor Gregory Peck as narrator, along with Fanfare for the Common Man, Quiet City, and selections from Music for Movies, performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, London Sinfonietta, and other ensembles under conductor Antal Doráti.

A single CD containing classical orchestral and vocal works, this release spans roughly 70 minutes of Copland’s American compositions. The disc includes performances by soprano Marilyn Horne and cor anglais player Celia Nicklin alongside the instrumental pieces. You can own this used copy of a well-regarded Copland survey at a fraction of retail cost.