Leo Smit, the American composer, was Copland's authorized pianist - made the first recordings of his Sonata and his Piano Concerto. Also the first, many years after this, to record the complete piano music. The heading saying this is the "Suite" is incorrect; this is a preliminary draft version of the ballet. Is the final acetate missing, or had Copland simply not finished with the composition? Thanks for the upload.
Ah, thank you for the correction-I don’t know what I was thinking when I called it “suite,” as I was following the full score to make the cues. Anyway, fixed. It would be interesting to hear from anybody who knows the answer to your question.
@@Music-Lover This is the recording that was sent to the Library of Congress Music Division by Copland in 1944. Some years ago, I asked them whether they knew why measures at the end were missing and they did not. So it could have been that an acetate was damaged in the mail or that Copland simply hadn't quite finished the ending. Unclear which is the correct answer. In his autobiography Copland states that he and Smit made the recording at the Nola Recording Studios, which was founded in 1934 by Vincent Nola at 111 W. 57th St., 17th floor, atop the Steinway Building, a good location for musicians who wanted to make recordings. It appears to have closed in 2014. It was hearing this recording that inspired Martha Graham to name the ballet Appalachian Spring.
I should add that he sent this recording to Martha Graham as well. Unclear if the Graham Company still has their recording or what shape it might be in.
This is a treasure. Thank you for posting it here.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Leo Smit, the American composer, was Copland's authorized pianist - made the first recordings of his Sonata and his Piano Concerto. Also the first, many years after this, to record the complete piano music. The heading saying this is the "Suite" is incorrect; this is a preliminary draft version of the ballet. Is the final acetate missing, or had Copland simply not finished with the composition? Thanks for the upload.
Ah, thank you for the correction-I don’t know what I was thinking when I called it “suite,” as I was following the full score to make the cues. Anyway, fixed. It would be interesting to hear from anybody who knows the answer to your question.
@@Music-Lover This is the recording that was sent to the Library of Congress Music Division by Copland in 1944. Some years ago, I asked them whether they knew why measures at the end were missing and they did not. So it could have been that an acetate was damaged in the mail or that Copland simply hadn't quite finished the ending. Unclear which is the correct answer. In his autobiography Copland states that he and Smit made the recording at the Nola Recording Studios, which was founded in 1934 by Vincent Nola at 111 W. 57th St., 17th floor, atop the Steinway Building, a good location for musicians who wanted to make recordings. It appears to have closed in 2014. It was hearing this recording that inspired Martha Graham to name the ballet Appalachian Spring.
I should add that he sent this recording to Martha Graham as well. Unclear if the Graham Company still has their recording or what shape it might be in.