Aaron Copland and the American Idiom

Extract

The position of Aaron Copland as the dominant figure in contemporary American music has now won fairly widespread recognition over here; but the recognition does not depend on any very extensive knowledge of his works. It is general rather than specific; and indeed on the few occasions when his more important works have been played over here, they have been accorded a somewhat unsympathetic reception. Unlike most English critics, I happen to find Copland's music congenial and appealing. It is for this reason that I feel I may be able to make a few points about the nature and significance of his achievement that seem to have been, in this country, overlooked. I shall confine my attention to the two recent sonatas—for piano and for violin and piano—because they are relatively accessible and quotable, and because they are completely representative and amongst the most concentrated and mature of his works.