Appalachian Spring
by Aaron Copland
Originally composed for a chamber ensemble of thirteen instruments as a ballet score for choreographer Martha Graham, Appalachian Spring premiered in Washington D.C. in 1944 and won the Pulitzer Prize. Copland subsequently arranged it as an orchestral suite. The work's open harmonies, diatonic clarity, and luminous orchestration created a sound that came to define American pastoral music. Its central theme and variations on the Shaker hymn 'Simple Gifts' is among the most beloved passages in 20th-century orchestral literature.
Editions
Boosey & Hawkes
Aaron Copland, 1945
Composer-approved edition of the orchestral suite. The standard performing text; includes both original chamber version and full orchestral arrangement.
Belwin Mills
Alan Belkin, 1974
Study score edition with analytical introduction. Widely used in orchestration and analysis courses.
Library of Congress / Boosey & Hawkes
Wayne Shirley, 1984
Critical edition prepared for the Library of Congress centennial series, incorporating the original 1944 chamber score facsimile.