<\/p>
The great American composer Aaron Copland<\/a><\/strong> wrote Appalachian Spring<\/em>, the last of his three major ballets on American subjects in 1944\/45 for the redoubtable dancer and choreographer Martha Graham and her company. It was originally composed to fit a storyline set in the Civil War, but Graham superimposed a different scenario about a celebration of spring in the Pennsylvania hills.<\/p> The score, a sustained assertion of the value of the major scale, includes suggestions of square-dance rhythms, but its only quotation is of a hymn of the Shaker sect, Simple Gifts<\/i> (or The gift to be simple<\/i>), which provides the theme for a sequence of variations. <\/p> The piece was originally written for an ensemble of 13 players (flute<\/a><\/strong>, clarinet, bassoon<\/a><\/strong>, piano<\/a><\/strong> and strings) and lasted well over half an hour. In 1945 Copland<\/a><\/strong> arranged it as a continuous suite<\/a> <\/strong>of about 25 minutes for full orchestra<\/a><\/strong>; and in this form it\u2019s become one of his most popular concert works.<\/p> Appalachian Spring<\/em> has become one of the best known orchestral suites in the repertoire – and an absolute cornerstone of American classical music. It’s rightly loved for its atmospheric depiction of America’s wide open spaces, and for its warmth, directness, and celebration of the American frontier spirit.<\/p> Copland’s ballet follows the story of a young couple living in rural Pennsylvania during the 19th century, as they prepare for their wedding and a life together. Its major themes are those of hope, love, and a sense of looking forward to this new exciting life on the American frontier. Aside from the bride and groom, the other main characters are the Pioneer Woman and the Revivalist preacher.<\/p>What’s the story of Appalachian Spring<\/em>?<\/h2>