CJ Replay: Copland’s Folk Song Settings

(As a companion to yesterday’s “Stick Time: The Value of Folk Songs,” here is an excerpt from the Choral Journal article Copland and the Folk Song: Sources, Analysis, Choral Arrangements, by Mary A. Kennedy.)

 

       During the winter of 1950, Aaron Copland took a break from his work on the Dickinson Songs to set a group of American foilc melodies. The five songs in Set I and the subsequentfive in Set II (1952) have gained a permanent place in vocal and choral repertoire. Peter Pears and Benjamin Britten gave the world premiere of Set I at the Aldeburgh Festival on June 17, 1950. This was followed by the American premiere at Town Hall on January 28, 1951, sung by baritone William Warfield with the composer at the piano. Warfield and Copland premiered Set II on July 24, 1953. Copland later arranged both sets of songs for medium voice and small orchestra. Stil1later, various composers created diverse choral arrangements.

       Copland entitled the sets Old American Songs (Set I Boosey & Hawkes, 1950; Set II Boosey & Hawkes, 1954). I became interested in locating Copland’s sources and comparing the originals with his settings. Would the original melodies and lyrics be retained, or would there be alterations? What types of accompaniment would Copland create? Would the song settings contain any hallmark devices of Copland’s style-any “Coplandisms?” Would there be noticeable differences between sets I and II? And what about the choral arrangements? Would they be faithful renderings of the Copland settings?