Who composed the ballet Rodeo Appalachian Spring and Billy the Kid?
Aaron Copland
Born with the 20th century, Aaron Copland — with his air of dignity and intellectualism—became known as “the Dean of American Composers” later in life largely for earlier accomplishments, such as Billy the Kid and Appalachian Spring.
When did Copland write Billy the Kid?
Had Copland composed Billy the Kid in 1925 it might have been a dissonant portrayal of a villainous desperado. The version composed in 1938, however, provided a folksy depiction of a young boy who was muy simpático.
Is Appalachian Spring a ballet?
Appalachian Spring, ballet by Aaron Copland, first performed in Washington, D.C., on October 30, 1944.
Who taught Aaron Copland?
Rubin Goldmark
Copland’s earliest musical training came in the form of piano lessons which he received from his sister Laurine. Copland’s formal training began in 1914 with piano lessons from Leopold Wolfsohn; at age sixteen, Copland began studying counterpoint and composition with Rubin Goldmark.
What is a cowboy ballet?
Rodeo is a ballet composed by Aaron Copland and choreographed by Agnes de Mille, which premiered in 1942. Subtitled “The Courting at Burnt Ranch”, the ballet consists of five sections: “Buckaroo Holiday”, “Corral Nocturne”, “Ranch House Party,” “Saturday Night Waltz”, and “Hoe-Down”.
Who was Billy the Kid and what did he do?
Billy the Kid (born Henry McCarty; September 17 or November 23, 1859 – July 14, 1881), also known by the pseudonym William H. Bonney, was an outlaw and gunfighter of the American Old West, who killed eight men before he was shot and killed at the age of 21.
Did Billy the Kid have children?
The first of their three children, Adelina, was born in January 1884. Luz was born in November 1890. Telesfor José was born in Fort Sumner on June 7, 1895—14 years after the Kid’s death. No records or family stories reveal Paulita gave birth prior to Adelina.
What song did Aaron Copland use in Appalachian Spring?
Simple Gifts
Copland used a Shaker song, “Simple Gifts”, composed in 1848 and usually attributed to Elder Joseph Brackett. The song is often called, in the context of discussions of Appalachian Spring, “Shaker Melody”, “Shaker Song”, and the “Shaker Hymn”.
What is Aaron Copland’s most famous piece?
Some of his most well-known pieces include Piano Variations (1930), The Dance Symphony (1930), El Salon Mexico (1935), A Lincoln Portrait (1942) and Fanfare for the Common Man (1942). Copland later composed the music to Martha Graham’s 1944 dance Appalachian Spring.
What is Aaron Copland’s full name?
Aaron Copland (/ˈkoʊplənd/, KOHP-lənd; November 14, 1900 – December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later a conductor of his own and other American music. Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as “the Dean of American Composers”.
What does Hoe-Down mean?
square dance
1 : square dance. 2 : a gathering featuring hoedowns.
Why was Billy the Kid ballet so popular?
Along with Rodeo and Appalachian Spring, it is one of Copland’s most popular and widely performed pieces. It is most famous for its incorporation of several cowboy tunes and American folk songs and, although built around the figure and the exploits of Billy the Kid, is not so much a biography of a notorious…
Who is the composer of Billy the Kid?
Billy the Kid (ballet) Billy the Kid is a 1938 ballet written by the American composer Aaron Copland on commission from Lincoln Kirstein.
When was the first performance of Billy the Kid?
The first performance in New York City occurred on 24 May 1939, with an orchestra conducted by Fritz Kitzinger. The story follows the life of the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid. It begins with “The Open Prairie” and shows many pioneers trekking westward.
What happens at the end of Billy the Kid?
The ballet ends with “The Open Prairie” theme and pioneers once again travelling west. Prairie Night (Card Game at Night, Billy and his Sweetheart) Cowboy and folk tunes were heavily used, for instance: 8 by a solo trumpet, just before “Goodbye Old Paint”.