Members Bruce Swedien Posted January 15, 2007 Members Share Posted January 15, 2007 Forumites... Aaron Copland was way HOT!!! Dig this... "When I speak of the gifted listener, I am thinking of the non-musician primarily, of the listener who intends to retain his amateur status. It is the thought of just such a listener that excites the composer in me." - Aaron Copland (1900-1990) ********************************* I try to keep his words in my mind's ear when I mix.... When I grow up I want to retain my amateur status. Bruce Swedien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tedster Posted January 15, 2007 Members Share Posted January 15, 2007 Aaron Copland was a genius. His music endures as if it were written yesterday. When I think of composers that define America (albeit during different periods) those who immediately come to mind are Copland and the Gershwins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted January 15, 2007 Moderators Share Posted January 15, 2007 Inspiration may be a form of superconsciousness, or perhaps of subconsciousness - I wouldn't know. But I am sure it is the antithesis of self- consciousness. Aaron Copland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members spokenward Posted January 15, 2007 Members Share Posted January 15, 2007 You don't get to be an orchestrator as great as Copland without loving sound. So that makes him OK by me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steveg Posted January 15, 2007 Members Share Posted January 15, 2007 Copeland wrote a book in the subject, "What to Listen for in Music", appears to be on Amazon and certainly worth checking out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bunny Knutson Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 Aaron Copland!! :thu: I went to hear the San Francisco Symphony perform Copland several years ago. It was wonderful!! They're performing Copland again in May of this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenchin Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 This is one of my favorite Copland things. Even more favorite because this entire performance at the link was done with VSL. Samples have come so far since the lowly days of the Mirage. http://vsl.co.at/Player2.aspx?Lang=13&DemoId=4821 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steveg Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 One thing that always struck me about Copeland is how great his music sounds when played by "other" instrumentation. A great example is ELP playing Fanfare and Howdown on synthesizer, or Bela Fleck on banjo. I played that same piece for my college music senior project using electric guitar, electric violin, bass and drums and it worked great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rasputin1963 Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 Big Copland fan here... In college I did an all-synthesised version of his OUR TOWN movie theme, which came out quite good. Copland was always an advocate of new music to be unveiled in America's various symphony halls... He sharply criticized the symphonic societies who programmed mostly the "greatest hits" of the classical idiom!! Every time I hear a perfect fourth or open fifth interval, I subconsciously think of Copland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steveg Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 This is one of my favorite Copland things. Even more favorite because this entire performance at the link was done with VSL. Samples have come so far since the lowly days of the Mirage.http://vsl.co.at/Player2.aspx?Lang=13&DemoId=4821 Yes, this is amazing that it is played with samples. I worked with the very first Emulator unit and the Mirage later, and yes, it has come an awfully long way!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alfonso Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 I try as much as possible to keep my way to listen to the music as if I were not a musician, or a guitar player or a sound "mangler". I need a way out, sometimes. I remember when I was nine years old (1970) that I loved to listen to some records at an older friend's "stereo" where I lived in Naples, Soft Machine, Deep Purple, Hendrix...I wasn't even able to know what instruments was I hearing and totally unaware of the recording process, but my mind was absolutely free to ride in other worlds and I was really happy... I must say that when I find some music that makes me forget how is it performed and enginered, that is great music for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boosh Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 I have a CD called Copland Conducts Copland,.... I love the Boatman's Dance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MorePaul Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 of the listener who intends to retain his amateur status. It is the thought of just such a listener that excites the composer in me."- Aaron Copland (1900-1990)*********************************I try to keep his words in my mind's ear when I mix.... When I grow up I want to retain my amateur status. Kurt Andersen brought up a good point abt the meaning of "amateur" a few years ago in a commentary on his arts radio program "Studio 360" [text version]http://www.studio360.org/yore/commentary070602.html [audio version]http://www.wnyc.org/stream/ram.py?file=studio360/commentary070602.ra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MorePaul Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 Perhaps somewhat tangential (I hope not too much, I bring up the tangent to examine the interesction) Yo-Yo ma did a little interview on NPR the other day http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6835078&ft=1&f=1008 in that (I want to say abt 3/4 ofthe way through...it's not all that long) he talks about his passion not being msic, as such, but about people [that's as far as I'll paraphrase/distort it] I think it ties into that idea of keeping "the other" in the picture so that the art and process doesn't become to self-absorbed...selfish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted January 16, 2007 Members Share Posted January 16, 2007 Every time I hear a perfect fourth or open fifth interval, I subconsciously think of Copland. Yes! I went through years of college being told to steer away from P4s and P5s, then suddenly Copland and Stravinsky opened up another world for me. Now I try to write with as many of this chords as possible because I like they way they sound but also to piss off my old professors! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members realtrance Posted January 18, 2007 Members Share Posted January 18, 2007 Yes, another thing to remember is that Copeland was one of the few composers who could actually conduct his own music in a performance that was compelling. Many of the recordings of other composers trying to conduct their own music fail, miserably (I include Stravinsky in this). However, Copeland I think held on to the ability to hear the way he hoped his listeners would hear, and that, in my opinion, made his music far more universal than much of the more technically innovative work of his contemporaries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted January 18, 2007 Members Share Posted January 18, 2007 Forumites... Aaron Copland was way HOT!!! Dig this... "When I speak of the gifted listener, I am thinking of the non-musician primarily, of the listener who intends to retain his amateur status. It is the thought of just such a listener that excites the composer in me." - Aaron Copland (1900-1990) ********************************* I try to keep his words in my mind's ear when I mix.... When I grow up I want to retain my amateur status. Bruce Swedien Excellent!!! Someone who values the "average listener". I applaud that totally, and already have more respect for Mr. Copland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steveg Posted January 18, 2007 Members Share Posted January 18, 2007 I find that the average listener in many ways is the best gauge of whether a musical recording is "good" or not. With all of our knlowedge and experience it seems like we can get mired in the gray areas and the technique, etc. The average listener seems to simply like it or not and says so. Any other thoughts on this anyone?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dicky sofa Posted January 18, 2007 Members Share Posted January 18, 2007 Another Copland junkie here. I never tire of listening to his music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted January 18, 2007 Members Share Posted January 18, 2007 "The Average Listener":That person takes it back to the song. What we do in arranging, tracking, mixing, etc. is support that song. I believe that, as artists, engineers, composers, etc., there is *nothing* to be gained by looking down on the "average listener". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted January 18, 2007 Members Share Posted January 18, 2007 I find that the average listener in many ways is the best gauge of whether a musical recording is "good" or not. With all of our knlowedge and experience it seems like we can get mired in the gray areas and the technique, etc. The average listener seems to simply like it or not and says so.Any other thoughts on this anyone?? Dr Dre was asked how he knows if his productions are hits or not. He said something like, "I bring a CD home and let my 3 year old hear it. If hes jumping up and down to it, its a hit." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bruce Swedien Posted January 18, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 18, 2007 Dr Dre was asked how he knows if his productions are hits or not. He said something like, "I bring a CD home and let my 3 year old hear it. If hes jumping up and down to it, its a hit." Ernest..... Along that same line of thought - I think Igor Stravinsky had the same idea when he said: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steveg Posted January 18, 2007 Members Share Posted January 18, 2007 Ernest..... Along that same line of thought - I think Igor Stravinsky had the same idea when he said: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boosh Posted January 18, 2007 Members Share Posted January 18, 2007 Ahh this is why my three year old son keeps asking me to play "Without Me "from Eminem each day,......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted January 20, 2007 Members Share Posted January 20, 2007 Ernest..... Along that same line of thought - I think Igor Stravinsky had the same idea when he said: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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