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From: greg@olivej.UUCP (Greg Paley)
Newsgroups: net.music.classical
Subject: Re: Anyone out there like Aaron Copland
Message-ID: <276@olivej.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 17-Jan-85 13:51:04 EST
Article-I.D.: olivej.276
Posted: Thu Jan 17 13:51:04 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 21-Jan-85 02:01:04 EST
References: <389@jett.UUCP> <254@ptsfc.UUCP>
Organization: Olivetti ATC, Cupertino, Ca
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I've heard chamber works of Copland's that I've found self-
consciously "contemporary" - arid and unexpressive.  Many of
the more popular works I find very beautiful, including
"Appalachian Spring", "Rodeo", "Billy the Kid".  In my opinion
he has also achieved what many have tried and failed to do:
write a contemporary American opera in English ("The Tender
Land") which actually warrants performance for reasons other
than the mere facts that it is contemporary, American, and
in English.  Actually, I find the text of the opera less than
riveting, but, as with such operas as Verdi's "Il Trovatore",
the music provides the eloquence and depth to the characters
that is not done by the text itself.

	- Greg Paley