Copland: Billy the Kid, Rodeo, El Salón México & An Outdoor Overture

Featuring

Andrew Litton
Colorado Symphony
Aaron Copland

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Cultural Impact

The popularity of Copland's ballets, including "Billy the Kid" and "Rodeo," was immediate and lasting, establishing him as one of the most respected American composers.

Performer Biography

Andrew Litton, the music director of the Colorado Symphony, is also an accomplished pianist who often conducts from the keyboard and has received awards for his extensive discography.

Recording & Production

This recording was made in November 2014 at Boettcher Concert Hall in Denver, Colorado, using Neumann microphones and high-resolution A/D converters.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Copland aimed to create a unique American concert music style, free from the dominant Germanic traditions, initially drawing inspiration from jazz.

Composer Biography

Aaron Copland was among the first Americans to study composition in Paris with Nadia Boulanger, a legendary pedagogue who guided many of the country's finest composers.

Composition History

Copland's "An Outdoor Overture" was commissioned by Alexander Richter, head of the High School of Music and Art in New York City, as part of a campaign for "American Music for American Youth."

Composer's Artistic Vision

Copland sought to make his music more accessible to a new public that had grown up around radio and phonographs, aiming to say what he had to say in the simplest possible terms.