An Aaron Copland Question

yes

No, he'd have to say "person." Come to think of it, I'm not sure the word "common" is ok anymore.

Yes. In 1953, Copland, along with many other prominent artists, was subpoenaed by MacCarthy as part of the imfamous paranoid hunt for communist infiltrators. Copland refused to be intimidated, and transcripts of those proceedings show that it was MacCarthy who came away shaken by the encounter. So I doubt that Copland would concern himself too much with petty PC issues.

No. As other users have pointed out, there would be too many PC concerns. Perhaps the title would something like "Diurnal Musical Discursive Praxis: The Community Gets Its Tunes On!"

If Copland were alive today, he'd truly experience the reverence and acclaim that seemed to alllude him in the 50's. John William's Liberty Fanfare, though spectacular, would still pale to Copland's Fanfare if written today. A fanfare from a most uncommon man!

Thanks to all. How would Copland see today's common man? Is that common man still the strength of our country? I am not so sure. It seems that the average person of today is quite crude.

A man from Johns Hopkins has a book out titled: "Choosing
Civility", and it is worth reading. I agree with his thoughts in the book....ie: the common man of today may be a bit too common.

This is the basis of my question, how does today's "common man" compare with the one of Coplan's time...and would todays inspire Mr. Copland to greatness?

Whatjd:

I never met Copland and have not read a biography.(His What to Listen For in Music is excellent.)
Perhaps he meant common in the sense of someone without a title of nobility,perhaps not.

Copland wrote this fanfare at the request of Eugene Goosens, then conductor of the Cincinatti Symphony. During World War II, Goosens wanted to begin each orchestral concert with a fanfare composed by an American composer.

Perhaps some of the questions asked above can best be answered by looking at the alternate titles that Copland considered, as demonstrated in his original sketches for the piece:

"Fanfare For A Solemn Ceremony"
"Fanfare For The Day of Victory"
"Fanfare For Our Heroes"
"Fanfare For The Rebirth of Lidice"
"Fanfare For The Birth Of Democracy"
"Fanfare For The Paratroops"
"Fanfare For Four Freedoms"

Goosens decided to premiere the piece on March 14, the income tax filing deadline at the time. Copland wrote: "I was for the common man at income tax time"