Life and Works of Aaron Copland 1900-1990

1
Life and Works of Aaron Copland1900-1990
Picture taken from the American Memory Collection
on Aaron Copland

• Cynthia L. James
• Greenview Elementary Music
• December 11, 2001

2
Birthday

• November 14, 1900
• Aaron Copland was born in Brooklyn, New York, the
  youngest of five children.

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection on Aaron Copland
3
Coplands Parents

• Aaron Coplands parents were Harris Morris
  Copland, a department store owner, and, Sarah
  Mittenthal Copland.

Picture and Historical Facts taken from the
American Memory Collection on Aaron Copland
4
Music Training

• Copland began his music training at the age of
  14.
• He took private piano lessons from Leopold
  Wolfsohn in Brooklyn, New York.
• He continued to study withWolfsohn until 1918.

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection on Aaron Copland
5
A New Adventure

• In June, Copland took the pivotal step in his
  development as a musician when he left to study
  in France at the newly established American
  Conservatory at Fontainebleau, near Paris.

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection on Aaron Copland
6
A New Teacher

• In France he met Nadia Boulanger, who was to
  become his and many other American composers
  world-renowned teacher.

Nadia Boulanger and her class, Paris, 1923
Picture and Historical Facts taken from the
American Memory Collection on Aaron Copland
7
Famous Works

• Billy the Kid-1938
• Lincoln Portrait-1942
• Rodeo-1942
• Appalachian Spring-1945
• Shaker Variations-1956

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection on Aaron Copland
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Billy the Kid

• October 16 First performance of his first
  ballet, Billy the Kid, written for Lincoln
  Kirstein and the Ballet Caravan.

Billy the Kid production shot, 1938.


Picture and Historical Facts taken from the
American Memory Collection on Aaron Copland
9
Lincoln Portrait

• Completed Lincoln Portrait, commissioned by Andre
  Kostelanetz, with text created
  by Copland from speeches and letters of Abraham
  Lincoln.

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection on Aaron Copland
10
Rodeo

• Composed the ballet Rodeo, commissioned by Agnes
  de Mille.

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection on Aaron Copland
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Appalachian Spring

• Copland was awarded the Pulitzer Prize and New
  York Music Critic's Circle Award for the ballet
  he wrote for Martha Graham, Appalachian Spring in
  1944.

Set and cast for the first

production of Appalachian
Spring.


Picture and Historical Facts taken from the
American Memory Collection on Aaron Copland
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Shaker Variations

• This composition is an arrangement of the Simple
  Gifts section of Appalachian Spring.

Picture and Historical Facts taken from the
American Memory Collection on Aaron Copland
Martha Graham and Erick
Hawkins
in the first production of

Appalachian Spring, 1944.
13
Aaron Coplands Death

• December 2, 1990 Aaron Copland died at North
  Tarrytown, New York.

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection on Aaron Copland
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What is a Shaker?

• Lets take a look

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The Shaker Religion

• In 1776 Mother Ann Lee (1736-1784) and a small
  group of religious followers purchased land in
  New York and founded the first Shaker community
  in the United States.

Homes of Shakers, Pittsfield, Massachusetts Pictur
e taken from the American Memory Collection
Touring Turn-of the Century America
Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection Words and Deeds in American History
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Mother Ann Lee

• Was born in England in 1736.
• When she became a young woman, she joined a
  religious known as the Shaking Quakers or Shakers.

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection Words and Deeds in American History
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Why were they called Shakers?

• The group was named because of the ritual dancing
  that characterized their worship.

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection Words and Deeds in American History
18
Group Leader

• Mother Ann Lee was regarded as the groups leader
  and was imprisoned several times for her beliefs.

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection Words and Deeds in American History
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Coming to America

• In 1774, Lee led a small group of followers to
  America.

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection Words and Deeds in American History
Picture taken from the American Memory Collection
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Shaker Foundations

• Simplicity
• Economy
• Charity
• Equality

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection Words and Deeds in American History
21
Shaker Followers

• Shakers settled throughout New England and
  eventually established more than two dozen
  communities in eleven states.

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection Words and Deeds in American History
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Characteristics of Shakers

• Shakers were best know for their ingenious
  creativity.
• They were also known for their distinctive arts
  and crafts.

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection Words and Deeds in American History
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Shaker Furniture

• They demonstrated precision and skill in
  furniture making.
• Even today their furniture is viewed as valuable
  collectors items.

Historical Facts taken from the American Memory
Collection Words and Deeds in American History
24
Shaker Tradition

• This is an inspirational drawing that was given
  as a gift to others.
• Drawn in water color and ink.

Picture and Historical Facts taken from the
American Memory Collection Words and Deeds in
American History
25
Shaker Buildings
Main Street, Shaker Village, Pittsfield,
Massachusetts Picture taken from the American
Memory Collection Touring Turn-of-the Century
America
Shaker barn, Hancock, New York Picture taken from
the American Memory Collection Creative
Americans
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Other Shaker Villages
Shaker Town Road, Pttsfield, Massachusetts Picture
taken from the American Memory Collection
Touring Turn-of-the-Century America
Shaker Mills, Pittsfield Massachusetts Picture
taken from the American Memory Collection
Touring Turn-of-the-Century America
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Review Questions

• Who was the founder of the Shaker religion?
• Mother Ann Lee
• What is another name for the Shakers
• Shaking Quakers
• Why were they called Shakers?
• The group was named because of the ritual dancing
  that characterized their worship

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Another Question

• What types of things did the Shakers believe in?
• Simplicity
• Economy
• Charity
• Equality

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Reflection-Journal Entry

• Answer the following questions in your music
  journals
• Why do you think Aaron Copland based one of his
  most famous works on the traditional Shaker
  Melody of Simple Gifts?
• What would life would be like if you were a
  Shaker? (Describe your daily activities)