Track Listing

1. Symphony No. 3: I. Molto moderato - with Simple Expression
2. Symphony No. 3: II Allegro molto
3. Symphony No. 3: III. Andantino quasi allegretto
4. Symphony No. 3: IV. Molto deliberato
5. Symphony For Organ And Orchestra: I. Prelude - Andante
6. Symphony For Organ And Orchestra: II. Scherzo - Allegro molto - Moderato
7. Symphony For Organ And Orchestra: III. Finale

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #83979 in Music
• Released on: 1997-10-28
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com essential recording
Leonard Bernstein's performance of Copland's Third Symphony has had to wait a long time before finally appearing on CD. Part of the delay no doubt stemmed from the fact that DG released a second, later recording with the same orchestra, in digital sound. Comparing the two versions, both of which are very good, one prefers this first performance. Not only does the music move a bit more quickly, with sharper rhythms and a stronger sense of the dance (never far from Copland's musical thoughts), but the sonics are more naturally pleasing. The coupling is a terrific performance of the early Organ Symphony, which the composer wrote for his teacher, Nadia Boulanger. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews

A snapshot of Copland as symphonist
This disc provides a snapshot of Copland as an American symphonist.

The Symphony for Organ and Orchestra (1925) was Copland's first large-scale work. It looks backward to his youthful influences--especially Stravinsky and Bartok in their "bad boy" phase--and forward to the open-sounding populist style he would develop a few years later in works such as "Appalachian Spring." There are three movements. The short prelude is quiet but unsettled. The second movement scherzo anticipates the rhythmic, percussion-heavy Western sound that Copland would adopt for scores such as "Billy the Kid" and "Rodeo," and the solo organ jazz riffs look forward to later jazz-inspired works such as the piano concerto. The finale is the most traditionally symphonic movement, with a final piling-up of themes in the closing pages reminiscent of the opening of "The Miraculous Mandarin." The young Virgil Thomson, on hearing this work, recognized that Copland would become one of the creators of a truly American style of classical music. Bernstein and Biggs capture the symphony's "shock of the new" quality better than any other recorded performance. (This is also one of the few recordings of the Aeolian-Skinner organ ripped out of Lincoln Center during the Avery Fisher Hall renovations.) The more familiar Symphony No. 3 (1946) represents Copland in his maturity. (The last movement includes a theme based on "Fanfare for the Common Man.") Bernstein's performance is justly celebrated. It's good to have the early and later works together on one disc as a snapshot of Copland as symphonist. The 1960s recorded sound is dated but serviceable enough to make this disc highly recommendable.

Lenny was the perfect intermediary for Aaron
From William Flanagan's liner notes: "The slow movement, ANDANTINO QUASI ALLEGRETTO, is at once the most personal and the most original in structural procedure--and it is the very heart of the piece. An essentially independent introduction, which is a metamorphosed treatment of the third principal theme from the first movement, comes to a more or less complete rounding out in preparation for a delicate, undulating, sharply profiled theme introduced by the solo flute."

Flanagan was apparently so impressed by that flute motif that Flanagan himself used it in a piece he wrote called ANOTHER AUGUST. Which is another masterpiece. And I wish Bernstein had conducted it for the purpose of popularizing it.

Copland's greatest passage of music is the last 6 minutes of the 1st movement of SYMPHONY #3. After the loud brassy climax in the middle, it segues into a quiet section. It's the most achingly tender & wistful piece of music that I've ever heard. And only Copland could've written it.

Symphony for Organ and Orchestra
Copland is my favorite American composer I know. And Bernstein is the best conductor when it comes on conducting Copland. These two were friends, and both had lived during the 20th century.

Copland's 3rd symphony was excellent, especially the 4th movement. But the real reason I bought this CD was the Symphony for Organ and Orchestra. I decided to buy this CD, because I heard an exceprt, the scherzo, from Symphony for Organ and Orchestra. The music sounded whimsical, but great: the organ, the percussion, the brass, and the rest. This was also the music that made conductor Damrosch say as a joke that Copland will be commiting murder. As a result, one newspaper article was written "Young Composer to Commit Murder!" I may not really understand it's true meaning why Damrosch said such a thing. The music sounded revolutionary, and may sound pretty much "murderous" in one meaning!

If you want to buy Copland, I assure you to buy music conducted by Leonard Bernstein, because I claim that (like I said before!) he is the best conductor when it comes on conducting Copland. This CD is one perfect example about Copland, Lenny, and the New York Philharmonic, the orchestra Lenny became it's chief conductor for several years (and also my very favorite orchestra)!

I may want to tell you this too: The Symphony for Organ and Orchestra may be part of the Halloween music. The 3rd movement sounds errie. And the 2nd movement almost sounds like a monster party!