Saturday, October 11, 2008

LOUIS LANE/ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: APPALACHIAN SPRING, RODEO, FANFARE FOR THE COMMON MAN

"Louis Lane and the Atlanta Symphony offer fine performances and remain at the head of the pack for uncompromising audiophile sound." - Fanfare

The Lane/Atlanta SO recording comprises three of Copland’s best-known works, and is a decent, if unspectacular, introduction to his works. Some years ago I would have said that "A Fanfare for the Common Man" is Copland’s most famous work. It was written on commission by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; ten composers were commissioned to write patriotic fanfares to "foster patriotic spirit" during World War II. Copland’s is the only of these fanfares to survive in the repertory (although I’ve always wanted to hear the others; I wonder if they’re recorded anywhere). The "Fanfare" opens with a mighty pounding of the drum, followed by a breathtaking trumpet theme which is then expanded by the rest of the brass. The "Fanfare" demands spectacular sound, but to my ears the Louis Lane/Atlanta Symphony recording here is a bit muted and flat, which is curious given that Telarc Digital recordings tend to the "spectacular" side. The other works on the disc fare better: the "Appalachian Spring" and "Rodeo: Four Dance" "Episodes" are well-done, with the sound opening up a bit. Conductor Lane gives the inner movements of "Rodeo" a nice lilt, and the "Buckaroo Holiday" is also well-shaped. I do think that he takes the "Hoe-Down" (which, thanks to the long-running advertising campaign for American beef, is now indisputably the most well-known of all of Copland’s works) a bit too fast. The Atlanta players, particularly the brass, keep up quite well, but some of this music’s charm is lost in Lane’s trip to the races. His "Appalachian Spring" is also brisk, which tends to keep the score’s most dramatic segments from achieving their true potential. But it, too, is well-played by the orchestra.

This spectacular recording, recorded in 1981 and released in 1982, won kudos from the critics for both sound and performance. One of the earliest available CDs, it was known to audiophiles the world over for the stunning clarity and sound of its opening track, containing Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man.


1. Fanfare For The Common Man (1942) 3:20

Rodeo, Ballet Suite (1942)
2. Buckaroo Holiday (7:21)
3. Rodeo - Corral Nocturne (3:42)
4. Rodeo - Saturday Night Waltz (4:05)
5. Rodeo - Hoe Down (3:15)

6. Appalachian Spring, Ballet Suite (1943-44) 22:25

Louis Lane conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Recorded at Atlanta Symphony Hall, Atlanta, GA USA on May 24, 1982

7 comments:

Scoredaddy said...

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Horacio said...

Dear friend: Congratulations your blog is again a reality thanks for all those who love Mr Copland?s music and american culture. The Best for you!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey there! I really appreciate this gift you have given to us. This is a fantastic album. I love Copland.
Thank you!

lets said...

hi,

great to see more posts from you.

Thank you!

Scoredaddy said...

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R said...

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Scoredaddy said...

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