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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000078.txt from 2006/01
From: PhilFrei@-----.com
Subj: [DR-L] Re: Stravinsky and Copland
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2006 17:08:07 -0500
Hi -
Just curious, what is a good example of a piece by Copland that is similar to
a piece by Stravinsky?
The similarity between the two that I am aware of is that both made heavy use
of folk melodies at some points in their careers. I don't know if I was more
disappointed to hear the original fiddle melodies played that were used in
"Rodeo" or the folk songs sung by a Russian chorus that were used in "Petrushka."
My main disappointment is in the presumption that they had created these gems
(some of my favorite moments in each work) from scratch, brilliant like a
Borodin or Mussorgsky melody. I read that Mussorgsky didn't use actual folk
tunes, but strove to understand and use their characteristics, as he felt that
writing a music that was more clearly connected to the language would be more
"Russian".
Is it considered "Russian" to make use of open fourths, and "American" to
make use of open fifths? So many things are being trade-marked today, I'd hate to
think these fine intervals might become restricted.
Copland studied with Nadia Boulanger, Stravinsky with Rimksy-Korsakoff. Was
there a Boulanger-Rimsky connection? Maybe indirectly through Debussy's being
strongly influenced by Mussorgsky?
Were their (Copland & Stravinsky) temperments and values similar? That sort
of thing would be harder to ascribe to "influence" but could lend itself to
similar aesthetics.
- Phil Freihofner
In a message dated 1/29/2006 2:02:15 AM Pacific Standard Time,
doublereed-digest-help@-----.org writes:
No; not at all. I just thought that such laudatory remarks smelled a little
of pandering when he was so obviously influenced by Stravinsky.
Statistically it is probably difficult to write anything so clearly original
that there is no possible connection to the past.
I am a great admirer of Copland's music, and Mozart's, and Stravinsky's
etc.I love 'em all. Do you like the Dohnanyi variations on nursery tune?
Yeah, Mozart liked the tune too, but I haven't yet found it in Copland's
work; probably doesn't lend itself well to open fourths.
Herb
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