Search - Thomas Hampson, Aaron Copland, Hugh Wolff :: Aaron Copland: Old American Songs

Two Cents from the English Teacher

ROGER L. FOREMAN | Bath, Maine | 12/04/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a big fan of both Emily Dickinson and Dawn Upshaw, so I was really excited to see this CD with Dawn Upshaw singing arrangements (by Aaron Copland no less!) of eight super Emily Dickinson poems. Trying to interpret ED is no easy task (for an English teacher or a composer), and I think that Copland does a beautiful job of putting to music the thoughts and words of the recluse poet. Upshaw does a beautiful job of interpreting them vocally. Dickinson's poems have an energy and personal intensity that both Copland and Upshaw manage to capture. I use this CD every year with my juniors to show them a "classical" and musical side of literature. Quite frankly, I would rate it "five stars" just for these eight tracks--I rarely listen to the others, I'm sure to my loss. After reading the other reviews, I'll have to check them out. . . . I think Emily Dickinson would listen to these tracks, smile smirkily to herself, go back upstairs and write a poem about the experience. I think she would be pleased. . . ."

Ambassadors of American Song

Robin Friedman | Washington, D.C. United States | 10/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Baritone Thomas Hampson, soprano Dawn Upshaw, and Hugh Wolff conducting the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra combine in this memorable CD to offer a program featuring songs of the American composer, Aaron Copland (1900 --1990). While American popular song has spread worldwide, too many listeners remain unaware of American achievement in the realm of the art song.



To remedy this situation, Thomas Hampson is currently on tour under the auspices of the Library of Congress in a project describing the history of creativity in the United States. He has been described as the "Ambassador of American Song", has founded the Hampsong Foundation to promote the American art song, and works tirelessly to bring American song to the attention of a wide audience. Dawn Upshaw has enjoyed wide renown as an opera singer as well as a singer of song. I became familiar with Hugh Wolff during his tenure as the associate conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra under Rostropovich. For many years, he has conducted the highly-regarded St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. The combination of Copland, Hampson, Upshaw and Wolff on this CD is irresistable.



The CD features two groups of orchestral songs. Hampson performs Copland's "Old American Songs," two sets of five songs each that Copland arranged for small orchestra in 1955. These songs consist of American tunes of various origins that Copland transformed and arranged peerlessly for orchestra. In their naivity and Americana, these songs capture something precious in the spirit of the United States. The songs include the famous "Simple Gifts" that became the centerpiece of Copland's "Appalachian Spring." The collection includes sentimental love songs, ("Long Time Ago"), a humorous and timely political campaign song ("The Dodger") that Hampson seems particularly to enjoy, spirituals ("At the River"), children's songs, and ministrel songs ( a lively "Boatman's Dance" initially composed by Daniel Emmett, the composer of "Dixie"). It is difficult to think of a more appealing and accessible introduction to American song than this collection. Hampson sings with gusto and enthusiasm. He is obviously enjoying himself and the music.



Copland's orchestral setting of eight poems by Emily Dickinson offers a different form of art song. Copland initially set 12 Dickinson poems for voice and piano and arranged 8 of these settings for orchestra. These songs are thorough-composed and follow closely Dickinson's shifting and unconventional poetic meter. Ms. Upshaw sings in a declamatory, intense way. In common with the setting of American songs, Copland's Dickinson songs show a transparent, light orchestration in which the wind instruments, in particular, are used to great effect to set the stage for the music. Copland's settings and Ms. Upshaw's singing capture the enigmatic character of this difficult but beloved American poet. Dickinson's poems are untitled, and Copland generally took the opening lines as the title of his settings. Of the eight songs, "Heart we will forget him", singing of a frustrated love, has deep poignancy. Dickinson's feelings and ambivalences towards religion are explored in "The World Feels Dusty", "Going to Heaven" and "The Chariot" which begins with the famous line, "Because I would not stop for Death, /He kindly stopped for me." Copland's setting of "Nature the Gentlest Mother" is for the most part in a pastoral mood with an opening solo for the flute. "There came a wind like a bugle" is dramatic and declamatory. Copland captures the angular, brisk character of a spring wind in "Dear March, Come In!" and the song "Sleep is supposed to be" features a moderatly paced melody with accompaniment in the winds. Copland's Dickinson settings are a high point in American art song.



The CD also includes two works for the St Chamber Orchestra alone. Copland's gentle "Down a Country Lane" is a work of under three minutes that has become one of the most famous of his compositions. The three selections from "Billy the Kid" with which the CD concludes show Copland integrating American folk tunes, in the manner of Charles Ives, with his own material and with masterful orchestration. Listen to the bassoon waltz theme in the opening "Waltz", the winds and brass exchanging themes in the plaintive "Prairie Night" and the big drum crashes and the use of the winds in the finale, "Celebration Dance".



The CD includes the texts of all the songs, together with French and German translations.



This CD will appeal to both new and experienced lovers of music. Hampson, together with Ms. Upshaw and Maestro Wolff, serve well as "Ambassadors of American Song" on this release."

This is one to share with friends

James A. Fletcher | Springfield, VA United States | 03/14/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've seen Thomas Hampson Live a couple of times, and I believe he has one of the most glorious voices in the world. If "Simple Gifts" doesn't make you a little weepy, your heart must be made of stone."