Aaron Copland ( / ˈ k oʊ p l ə n d / KOHP -lənd ; November 14, 1900 – December 2, 1990) was an American composer, critic, writer, teacher, pianist, and conductor of his own and other American music. His peers and critics called him the "Dean of American Music." The open, slowly changing harmonies in his music are often seen as a representation of American music, reflecting the large American landscape and the spirit of early settlers. He is best known for the works he created in the 1930s and 1940s, which used a style that was easy for people to understand and enjoy. This style, which he called his "vernacular" style, included ballets such as Appalachian Spring, Billy the Kid, and Rodeo, as well as his Fanfare for the Common Man and Third Symphony. In addition to ballets and orchestral music, Copland wrote music in many other forms, including chamber music, vocal pieces, operas, and film scores.

After studying with composer Rubin Goldmark, Copland went to Paris, where he studied with Isidor Philipp and Paul Vidal, and later with teacher Nadia Boulanger. He studied with Boulanger for three years, and her varied approach to music influenced his own wide range of interests. When he returned to the United States, he worked as a composer full-time, giving lectures, writing commissioned pieces, and teaching. However, he found that composing in a modernist style, which he had learned abroad, was not profitable, especially during the Great Depression. In the mid-1930s, he changed to a more accessible style that was similar to the German idea of Gebrauchsmusik ("music for use"), which aimed to serve both practical and artistic purposes. During the 1930s, he traveled widely to Europe, Africa, and Mexico, formed a close friendship with Mexican composer Carlos Chávez, and began creating his most famous works.

In the late 1940s, Copland noticed that composers like Stravinsky had started using Arnold Schoenberg’s twelve-tone (serial) techniques. After hearing the work of French composer Pierre Boulez, Copland used serial techniques in his Piano Quartet (1950), Piano Fantasy (1957), Connotations for orchestra (1961), and Inscape for orchestra (1967). Unlike Schoenberg, Copland used tone rows in a way similar to how he used traditional musical elements, using them to create melodies and harmonies rather than as complete statements, except for key moments in the structure. From the 1960s onward, Copland focused more on conducting than composing. He frequently conducted orchestras in the United States and the UK and recorded many of his works, mostly for Columbia Records.

Life

Aaron Copland was born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 14, 1900. He was the youngest of five children in a Jewish family from Lithuania who moved to the United States. His father, Harris Morris Copland, worked in Scotland for two to three years before traveling to the United States to pay for his boat fare. It is possible that his father changed the family name from "Kaplan" to "Copland" during this time. Copland did not learn the truth about his family name until later in life, as his parents never told him. For most of his childhood, Copland and his family lived above his parents' shop, H. M. Copland's, located at 628 Washington Avenue. Most of the children helped run the store. His father was a Democrat, and the family was active in Congregation Baith Israel Anshei Emes, where Copland had his bar mitzvah. He studied under Israel Goldfarb for this ceremony. Copland was not especially athletic but enjoyed reading, often reading Horatio Alger stories on his front steps.

Copland's father was not interested in music, but his mother, Sarah Mittenthal Copland, sang, played the piano, and arranged music lessons for her children. Copland had four older siblings: two brothers, Ralph and Leon, and two sisters, Laurine and Josephine. His oldest brother, Ralph, was the most musically skilled, playing the violin well. Laurine, his closest sibling, gave him his first piano lessons and supported his musical interests. She also brought home opera scripts for him to study. Copland attended Boys High School and went to summer camps. He first learned about music through Jewish weddings, ceremonies, and family music events.

Copland began writing songs at age eight and a half. His earliest written music, seven bars composed at age 11, was for an opera scenario he called Zenatello. From 1913 to 1917, he took piano lessons with Leopold Wolfsohn, who taught classical music. His first public performance was at a Wanamaker's recital. After attending a concert by Polish composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski at age 15, Copland decided to become a composer. At 16, he heard his first symphony at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He later took lessons in harmony, theory, and composition from Rubin Goldmark, a respected teacher and composer. Goldmark taught him from 1917 to 1921 and gave him a strong foundation in the Germanic musical tradition. Copland later said that Goldmark's teaching was a great help, but he also noted that Goldmark did not support new musical styles popular at the time.

Copland's graduation piece from his studies with Goldmark was a three-movement piano sonata in a Romantic style. However, he also created more original and daring pieces that he did not share with his teacher. He continued learning by attending the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Symphony, where he heard classical music. After high school, he played in dance bands and took more piano lessons from Victor Wittgenstein, who described him as quiet, shy, and polite. Copland was interested in the Russian Revolution and its ideas, which caused his father and uncles to disapprove. Despite this, he later became friends with people who supported socialist and communist causes.

Copland was inspired to study in Paris after reading about a summer school program in France and receiving encouragement from his friend Aaron Schaffer. His mother supported his decision to study in Paris, even though his father wanted him to go to college. In France, he studied with pianist Isidor Philipp and composer Paul Vidal. Later, he switched to Nadia Boulanger, who was 34 at the time. Boulanger had many students and taught with a strict schedule. Copland admired her ability to find weaknesses in compositions and explain why they were weak. He later said that Boulanger's open-minded teaching and confidence in his abilities were crucial to his development. He studied with her for three years, longer than he had planned, because her teaching style helped him develop a wide range of musical interests.

While in Paris, Copland also took French language and history classes at the Sorbonne, attended plays, and visited Shakespeare and Company, a bookstore where American writers gathered. He met other artists and writers, including Paul Bowles, Ernest Hemingway, Sinclair Lewis, Gertrude Stein, and Ezra Pound, as well as artists like Pablo Picasso and Marc Chagall. He was also influenced by French writers such as Marcel Proust and André Gide, who was his favorite. He traveled to Italy, Austria, and Germany to expand his musical knowledge. During his time in Paris, he wrote music critiques, including one about Gabriel Fauré, which helped him gain recognition in the music community.

After returning to the United States, Copland was excited about his future as a composer. He rented a studio apartment in New York City near Carnegie Hall and stayed in that area for 30 years before moving to Westchester County, New York. He lived simply and relied on financial help from two Guggenheim Fellowships in 1925 and 1926. Additional income came from lecture-recitals, awards, teaching, writing, and personal loans.

Personal life

Aaron Copland never joined any political party. However, he learned a lot about civic and world events from his father. His views were usually progressive, and he had close relationships with many people in the Popular Front, including Clifford Odets. Early in his life, Copland developed, in Pollack's words, "a strong respect for the works of Frank Norris, Theodore Dreiser, and Upton Sinclair, all writers who were socialists and who strongly criticized the negative effects of capitalism on everyday people." Even after the McCarthy hearings, Copland continued to oppose militarism and the Cold War, which he believed were started by the United States. He criticized the Cold War as "almost worse for art than the real thing." He said that putting artists in a mood of suspicion, anger, and fear, which was common during the Cold War, would stop them from creating art.

Although Copland had some interactions with religious ideas, which influenced some of his early music, he remained agnostic. He supported Zionism during the Popular Front movement, when it was supported by the left. Pollack writes:

Pollack notes that Copland was gay and that he understood his sexuality early in life. Like many people at that time, Copland kept his personal life private, especially regarding his homosexuality. He wrote little about his private life, and even after the Stonewall riots in 1969, he did not publicly share his identity. However, he was one of the few famous composers of his time to live openly and travel with his close friends. These friends were often talented, younger men in the arts, and the age difference between them and Copland grew as he aged. Most of them became lifelong friends, as Pollack explains, "and remained a main source of companionship." Among Copland's romantic relationships were those with photographer Victor Kraft, artist Alvin Ross, pianist Paul Moor, dancer Erik Johns, composer John Brodbin Kennedy, and painter Prentiss Taylor.

Victor Kraft was a regular part of Copland's life, though their romantic relationship may have ended by 1944. When Copland first met Kraft in 1932, Kraft was a talented violinist. Later, Kraft left music to become a photographer, partly because of Copland's encouragement. Kraft often returned to Copland's life, causing stress because his behavior became unpredictable and sometimes argumentative. Kraft had a child, and Copland later provided financial support for the child through a gift from his estate.

Music

Vivian Perlis, who worked with Copland on his autobiography, wrote: "Copland's way of composing was to write down small musical ideas as they came to him. When he needed a piece, he would use these ideas (his 'gold nuggets')." If any of these ideas seemed useful, he would create a piano draft and later work on them at the keyboard. Perlis wrote that the piano was very important in his composing. It influenced his style not only through frequent use of the instrument but also in more complex and subtle ways. His habit of turning to the keyboard sometimes embarrassed Copland until he learned that Stravinsky also did so.

Copland would not decide on the specific instruments for a piece until it was fully written down. According to Pollack, he did not usually work from beginning to end of a composition. Instead, he often wrote whole sections in no particular order and later decided how they would fit together, much like putting together a collage. Copland himself said, "I don't compose. I assemble materials." He often reused music he had written years earlier. If needed, such as for film scores, Copland could work quickly. Otherwise, he preferred to write slowly whenever possible. Even with this careful process, Copland believed that composition was "the product of the emotions," which included "self-expression" and "self-discovery."

As a teenager, Copland was influenced by composers like Chopin, Debussy, Verdi, and Russian musicians. However, his teacher and mentor, Nadia Boulanger, had the greatest impact on him. Copland admired Boulanger's deep understanding of classical music and was encouraged to experiment and develop "clarity of conception and elegance in proportion." Following her example, he studied all periods of classical music and all musical forms, from madrigals to symphonies. This broad knowledge led Copland to write music for many different settings, including orchestra, opera, solo piano, small ensemble, art song, ballet, theater, and film. Boulanger emphasized "la grande ligne" (the long line), which meant creating a sense of forward motion and a feeling that a piece could be thought of as a complete, working whole.

During his time in Paris with Boulanger, Copland was excited to experience new French music by composers like Ravel, Roussel, Satie, and Les Six (including Milhaud, Poulenc, and Honegger). He was also influenced by Webern, Berg, Bartók, and others. Copland was eager to learn about the newest European music, whether through concerts, reading scores, or discussions. These composers were breaking away from old rules and experimenting with new forms, harmonies, rhythms, and even jazz and quarter-tone music. Milhaud inspired some of Copland's early "jazzy" works. He also studied Schoenberg and admired Schoenberg's earlier atonal pieces, especially Pierrot lunaire. Copland named Igor Stravinsky as his "hero" and favorite 20th-century composer. He especially admired Stravinsky's "jagged and uncouth rhythmic effects," "bold use of dissonance," and "hard, dry, crackling sonority."

Another major influence on Copland's music was jazz. Though he had heard jazz in America and played it in bands, he fully understood its potential while traveling in Austria. He wrote, "The impression of jazz one receives in a foreign country is totally unlike the impression of such music heard in one's own country… when I heard jazz played in Vienna, it was like hearing it for the first time." He also found that being away from his home country helped him see the United States more clearly. Starting in 1923, he began using "jazzy elements" in his classical music. By the late 1930s, he shifted focus to Latin and American folk tunes in his more successful works. Although his early jazz focus gave way to other influences, Copland continued to use jazz in subtle ways in later works. From the late 1940s onward, he experimented with Schoenberg's twelve-tone system, creating two major works: the Piano Quartet (1950) and the Piano Fantasy (1957).

Before leaving for Paris, Copland's compositions were mainly short piano pieces and art songs, inspired by Liszt and Debussy. In these works, he experimented with unclear beginnings and endings, quick changes in key, and frequent use of tritones. His first published work, The Cat and the Mouse (1920), was a piano solo based on a fable by Jean de La Fontaine. In Three Moods (1921), the final movement was titled "Jazzy," which he noted was based on two jazz melodies and was meant to surprise traditional professors.

The Symphony for Organ and Orchestra helped establish Copland as a serious modern composer. Musicologist Gayle Murchison noted that Copland used elements common in jazz, which he later used in Music for the Theater and the Piano Concerto to create an "American" sound. He combined these qualities with modernist elements like octatonic and whole-tone scales, polyrhythmic ostinato figures, and dissonant counterpoint. Murchison also pointed out the influence of Igor Stravinsky in the work's fast, driving rhythms and some of its harmonic language. Looking back, Copland felt the work was too "European" and wanted to focus more on creating a consciously American sound in his future work.

Visits to Europe in 1926 and 1927 introduced Copland

Critic, writer, teacher

Aaron Copland did not think of himself as a professional writer. He described his writing as "a side result of my work" and called it "a way to promote modern music." He wrote many articles about music, including topics like music criticism, musical trends, and his own compositions. A frequent lecturer and performer, Copland later gathered his lecture notes into three books: What to Listen for in Music (1939), Our New Music (1941), and Music and Imagination (1952). In the 1980s, he worked with Vivian Perlis to write a two-volume autobiography, Copland: 1900 Through 1942 (1984) and Copland Since 1943 (1989). These books include Copland’s own stories, 11 special sections written by Perlis, and parts from friends and colleagues. Some people questioned the second book because it relied more on old documents than the first. This was necessary because Copland’s Alzheimer’s disease had progressed, making it hard for him to remember details. The use of letters and other unpublished materials, carefully studied and arranged, made the books "invaluable," according to Pollack.

Throughout his career, Copland met and supported many young composers. These composers were drawn to him because of his deep interest in modern music. His help mostly happened outside of schools or universities, except for summers at the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood, a decade of teaching and curating at The New School, and a few classes at Harvard and the State University of New York at Buffalo. Pollack wrote: "Few composers studied with him for long periods; instead, Copland gave informal advice and support to younger musicians." His guidance focused on helping them express ideas clearly and develop their own unique styles.

Copland also helped his peers by reviewing their unfinished compositions. Composer William Schuman said: "As a teacher, Aaron was extraordinary. He would look at your music and try to understand your goals. He did not want to make you sound like him. When he questioned something, it encouraged you to think for yourself. His feedback always helped younger composers see the potential in their work. However, Aaron could also be very critical."

Conductor

Although Copland studied conducting in Paris in 1921, he was mostly self-taught and developed his own unique style. Igor Stravinsky encouraged him to improve his conducting skills, and Carlos Chavez’s work in Mexico may have inspired him. In the 1940s, Copland began leading performances of his own compositions during his travels abroad. By the 1950s, he also conducted works by other composers. After a televised performance with the New York Philharmonic, Copland became very popular. He focused on 20th-century music and composers who were not widely known, and until the 1970s, he rarely planned concerts that only featured his own music. Performers and audiences generally welcomed his conducting, as it allowed people to hear his music as he intended. His support for other composers was thorough but sometimes inconsistent.

Copland was quiet and calm when conducting, and he modeled his style after other composer-conductors like Stravinsky and Paul Hindemith. Critics praised his clear and precise direction of orchestras. Observers noted that he did not display the usual confidence or showiness seen in many conductors. His modest and friendly nature was admired by musicians, but some criticized his conducting for being inconsistent in timing and lacking excitement. Koussevitzky once told Copland to “stay home and compose.” At times, Copland sought advice from Bernstein, who jokingly said Copland could conduct his works “a little better.” Bernstein also believed Copland improved over time and thought he was a more natural conductor than Stravinsky or Hindemith. Eventually, Copland conducted nearly all of his orchestral works in recordings.

Legacy

Aaron Copland composed about 100 musical works across different types of music. Many of these pieces, especially those written for orchestras, are still commonly performed in the United States. According to Pollack, Copland "had perhaps the most unique and recognizable musical style created in this country, a quality that helped define what American concert music sounds like and had a big impact on many musicians who worked during his time and afterward." His ability to blend different influences helped shape the "Americanism" in his music. Copland himself described the American character of his work as having "an optimistic tone," "a preference for large-scale compositions," "a clear way of expressing emotions," and "a musical quality similar to songs."

While "Copland's musical style has become well-known" and "has reflected American culture," conductor Leon Botstein notes that the composer "helped shape how people today understand American values, identity, and sense of place. The idea that his music played a central role in forming how people view the United States makes Copland especially important for both historians and musicians." Composer Ned Rorem said, "Aaron focused on simplicity: Remove anything unnecessary. Aaron introduced clarity to American music, which influenced how music was written during World War II. Because of Aaron, American music became more recognized and defined."

Awards

• On September 14, 1964, Aaron Copland received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Lyndon B. Johnson.
• To recognize Copland’s major influence on American music, he was given the University of Pennsylvania Glee Club Award of Merit on December 15, 1970. This award was created in 1964 to honor individuals who have made important contributions to music and helped others express their talents.
• Copland received the New York Music Critics’ Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize in composition for Appalachian Spring. His music for the films Of Mice and Men (1939), Our Town (1940), and The North Star (1943) was nominated for Academy Awards, and his work for The Heiress won the Academy Award for Best Music in 1950.
• In 1961, Copland was awarded the Edward MacDowell Medal by the MacDowell Colony, where he was a fellow eight times: in 1925, 1928, 1935, 1938, 1946, 1950, 1952, and 1956.
• He was honored with Yale University’s Sanford Medal.
• In 1986, Copland received the National Medal of Arts.
• In 1987, the United States Congress gave him a special Congressional Gold Medal.
• In 1961, Copland was honored as an honorary member of the Alpha Upsilon chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. In 1970, he received the fraternity’s Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award.

In popular culture

Aaron Copland's music has inspired many popular modern musical works:

• "Hoedown" – Annie Moses Band
• "Fanfare for the Common Man" – Emerson, Lake & Palmer
• "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn)" – Weezer (partially based on "Variations on a Shaker Hymn")

Copland's music was noted in Spike Lee's 1998 film, He Got Game.

Film

• Aaron Copland: A Self-Portrait (1985). Directed by Allan Miller. Part of the Music Biography Series. Published by The Humanities in Princeton, New Jersey.
• Appalachian Spring (1996). Directed by Graham Strong for Scottish Television Enterprises. Published by Films for the Humanities Collection in Princeton, New Jersey.
• Copland Portrait (1975). Directed by Terry Sanders for the United States Information Agency. Published by the American Film Foundation in Santa Monica, California.
• Fanfare for America: The Composer Aaron Copland (2001). Directed by Andreas Skipis. Produced by Hessischer Rundfunk and Reiner Moritz Associates. Published by Films for the Humanities and Sciences Collection in Princeton, New Jersey.

Written works

• Copland, Aaron (1939; revised in 1957), What to Listen for in Music, New York: McGraw-Hill, reprinted many times.
• —— (1941; revised in 1968), Our New Music (The New Music: 1900–1960, rev.), New York: W. W. Norton.
• —— (1953), Music and Imagination, Harvard University Press.
• —— (1960), Copland on Music, New York: Doubleday.
• —— (2006), Music and Imagination, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-58915-5.