Album

Among Aaron Copland's least-known compositions are his chamber pieces, seldom performed and recorded in spite of the composer's long tenure as the "Dean of American Music." This neglect has been attributed to the supposed difficulty of Copland's modernist style—often featured in his chamber music—which some have found less appealing than the robust Americana mode Copland cultivated from the late '30s onward. Yet even the works that anticipate his populist interests—such as Ukulele Serenade (1926) and the Sextet for string quartet, clarinet, and piano (1928), and a masterpiece that is fully part of Copland's "homespun musical idiom," the Violin Sonata (1943)—have languished in relative obscurity. Thankfully, the musicians at Copland House and the Borromeo String Quartet have devoted themselves to the promotion of Copland's chamber works, and have assembled a comprehensive and enjoyable program, which Arabesque has recorded with clarity and resonance. Arranged chronologically, from the Movement for string quartet (1923) to the Threnodies (2) for flute and string trio (1971), the selections reveal both Copland's willingness to experiment and his undogmatic approach to styles, methods, and material. After hearing this double-disc, listeners will find much to like in this overlooked oeuvre—even among the haunting serial works—and gain a greater appreciation of Copland's versatility and depth.

© Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 2
Aaron Copland Composer Movement for String Quartet Work Music from Copland House Ensemble
1	Movement for String Quartet	5:51			$0.99
Aaron Copland Composer Prelude for Chamber Orchestra (arr. from Symphony for Organ and Orchestra) Work Music from Copland House Ensemble, Curtis Macomber Violin
2	Prelude for Chamber Orchestra (arr. from Symphony for Organ and Orchestra)	4:38			$0.99
Aaron Copland Composer 2 Pieces for Violin and Piano Work 10:08 Michael Boriskin Piano, Nicholas Kitchen Violin
3	1.Nocturne	5:45			$0.99
4	2.Ukulele Serenade	4:23			$0.99
Aaron Copland Composer Vocalise-etude, wordless song Work Lustig Dunkel Flute, Michael Boriskin Piano
5	Vocalise-etude, wordless song (arr. flute and piano, by Dwyer, 1972)	4:53			$0.99
Aaron Copland Composer 2 Pieces for String Quartet Work 8:28 Music from Copland House Ensemble
6	1.Lento molto. Nocturne	4:47			$0.99
7	2.Rondino: Allegro moderato	3:41			$0.99
Aaron Copland Composer Vitebsk, study on a Jewish theme, for piano trio Work Music from Copland House Ensemble
8	Vitebsk, study on a Jewish theme, for piano trio	11:55			Album Only
Aaron Copland Composer Sextet, for clarinet, piano, and string quartet...Sextet, for clarinet, piano, and string quartet (arr.violin, viola and ensemble) Work 14:25 Music from Copland House Ensemble, Jennifer Frautschi Violin, Cynthia Phelps Viola
9	1.Allegro vivace	4:09			$0.99
10	2.Lento	4:48			$0.99
11	3.Finale: Precise and rhythmic	5:28			$0.99
CD 2 of 2
Aaron Copland Composer Violin Sonata Work 19:12 Michael Boriskin Piano, Nicholas Kitchen Violin
1	1.Andante semplice	7:37			$0.99
2	2.Lento	4:51			$0.99
3	3.Allegretto giusto	6:44			$0.99
Aaron Copland Composer Piano Quartet Work 21:08 Music from Copland House Ensemble, Hsin-Yun Huang Viola
4	1.Adagio serio	6:16			$0.99
5	2.Allegro giusto	7:58			$0.99
6	3.Non troppo lento	6:54			$0.99
Aaron Copland Composer Duo, for flute and piano Work 14:34 Lustig Dunkel Flute, Michael Boriskin Piano
7	1.Flowing	5:50			$0.99
8	2.Poetic, somewhat mournful	5:09			$0.99
9	3.Lively, with bounce	3:35			$0.99
Aaron Copland Composer 2 Threnodies, for flute and string trio...2 Threnodies, for flute and string trio (arr. viola and ensemble) Work 7:39 Music from Copland House Ensemble, Hsin-Yun Huang Viola
10	1.In Memoriam: Igor Stravinsky	2:48			$0.99
11	2.In Memoriam: Beatrice Cummingham	4:51			$0.99