'Appalachian Spring' and 'El Salón Mexicó' are archetypical of what many people consider to be the sound of American music, evoking the vast landscapes, cowboys and pioneer spirit. Yet, in the 20th century perhaps only Stravinsky was as adept in as many styles as Aaron Copland [1900-1990]. His Piano Concerto, first performed by Serge Koussevitsky, is a good example of Copland the modernist, but he also wrote chamber music, ballets, operas and film scores, as well as teaching, writing and latterly conducting.

The winter of 1950 saw Copland take a break from writing his superlative 'Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson' and, inspired by a Pears and Britten recital in late 1949, he took five of his favourite American songs and arranged them for voice with piano. Pears and Britten liked them so much that they gave the premiere together at the Aldburgh Festival in 1950. The distinguished black singer William Warfield and the composer gave the American premiere at Town Hall, New York in January 1951. They were so popular that Copland made a second set for Warfield and himself, changing some of the words to avoid racist implications. Both sets are given here.

Contents:
- El Salón México
RTV1 Salt Lake City 10 Feb 1959
Utah Symphony Orchestra / Maurice Abravanel

- Appalachian Spring
Watford Town Hall, 15-16 June 1961
London Symphony Orchestra / Antal Dorati

- Old American Songs
New York Manhattan Center, 10-12 January 1962
William Warfield (baritone), Columbia Symphony / Aaron Copland

- Piano Concerto
New York old Philharmonic Hall, Lincoln Center, 13 January 1964
Aaron Copland (piano), New York Philharmonic Orchestra / Leonard Bernstein