The 1985 film Aaron Copland: A Self-Portrait, is an important exception of interest to general audiences and seasoned musicians alike, it intertwines the story behind Copland's music with his substantial work in support of American composition as a whole. Through encouragement, counsel, and by example, he influenced many younger American composers." (Burkholder, Palisca, and Grout) " Before a single composition is mentioned, the reader learns that Copland "organized concert series and composer groups and promoted works of his predecessors and contemporaries. In the authoritative music encyclopedia, The New Grove, immediately after Copland's name, dates, and profession are given, the author asserts his importance "as a critic, mentor, advocate and concert organizer" who "played a decisive role in the growth of serious music in the Americas in the 20th century." (Pollack, " Aaron Copland")Ī classic music history text now gives his service equal billing to his music, calling him "the most important and central American composer of his generation through his own compositions and his work for the cause of American music. Sources geared toward musicians, though, are markedly different. The Wikipedia article on Copland describes his support for other composers only at the end, in a short section subtitled " Critic, writer, teacher." Britannica online barely mentions his activities outside of composing.
Surprisingly, the broad, listening public today remains largely unaware of Copland's ongoing, transformative commitment to the compositional community in the U.S.
Aaron Copland at piano in his studio in Ossining, with motion picture photographers in background., ca. Composers, directors, conductors, arts administrators, aspiring composers and publishers all knew him as an astute team player, even tempered, and unusually generous with his time and efforts toward improving the prospects for a broad range of American composers. He did far more than contribute masterpieces to the field of American music in the Western art music tradition he rolled up his sleeves, rallied co-laborers, and cleared land for the field to grow. But to those who knew him as a colleague, he was equally famous for his service to the profession. Copland's fame rests most broadly on his music.
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