Tatyana Sanders April 22, 2021

Music Appreciation MUSI 1306 Mr.Christopher Lee

Concert Critique-Aaron Copland

Aaron Copland was an American composer, composition teacher, writer,

and later a conductor of his own and other American music. He was born

November 14, 1900, in Brooklyn, New York. He died December 2, 1990, in

Tarrytown, New York ( Machilis). Copland composed over a hundred works in

diverse range of genres. He is best known for the works he did in the1930’s and

1940’s. Among all the many compositions he wrote, I was able to hear the

performance of four songs from his song cycle, “Twelve Poems of Emily

Dickinson,” streamed from the Houston Grand Opera. The composition has

twelve songs, but the performer only sang four songs. The composition was

completed in 1950. Due to the pandemic, the performance was recorded and

streamed live from the Cullen. While watching the performance online all I could

see was the two performers and the stage. The stage had a blueish tint to it. The

performers were dressed as if they were performing in front of a live audience.

The two songs that stood out to me were, “Why did they shut me out of heaven,”

and “Heart, we will forget him.

Two key performers were Soprano Nicole Heaston and Richard Bado

playing the piano. Nicole Heaston has been performing in the opera for over

twenty years. She has achieved many accomplishments and received many

awards. She has sung leading roles in numerous international operas houses

(Stevenson). Richard Bado has been conducting music for many operas houses all

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over the world for over thirty years. His current position is the Houston Grand

Opera’s head of the music staff and chorus master ( McGlaughlin).

The first song that was sung during the performance, “Why do they shut

me out of heaven,” starts off with a high pitch tone from the piano. Heaston starts

to sing in alto while the piano accompanies her. Throughout the song she goes

from alto to mezzo-soprano and ends the song in full soprano. As she sings low or

alto Bado on the piano are playing notes that matches her singing. When she sings

low pitch, he plays a low tone. Same thing as she sings a high pitch, he plays a

tone. The texture of the song is homophonic. You can hear the way her voice

changes throughout the song. The tempo of the song goes from adagio to andante.

The dynamics of the song interchange throughout the song. Some parts of the

song you can hear mezzo-forte and then you can hear pianississimo. The melody

is lively.

The fourth song, “Heart, we will forget him,” begins in a vivace and presto

tempo. The song is sung in an alto tone Heaston does not change her tone. The

texture of the song is homophonic, and the dynamics is fortissimo. The melody is

lively and upbeat and has rhythm is quadruple meter. The piano is played by

going from low tone to a high tone during the song. You can even hear the piano

imitating knocks on a door.

Aaron Copland was wanting to write poetry to music. Emily Dickinson

inspired him to do so with her book, “The Chariot.” He began reading twelve of

her poems and with those poems he composed his song cycle. Each song has its

own character that portrays perfectly with the words.

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 I would attend another opera concert because after listening to the music I

learned they tell actual stories. I enjoyed the music because I can relate to some of

them. The performance changed my opinion of opera music because I always

thought of the opera of people just singing loud almost screaming. I could never

understand what they were singing. However, Aaron Copland’s, “Twelve Poems

of Emily Dickinson,” has shine a new light on me. It allowed me to experience a

new genre of music and being able to relate to it on different aspects of life.

Work Cited

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Machilis, Joseph http://britiannica.com/biography/Arron-Copland

McGlaughlin,Bill

http://saintpaulsunday.publicradio.org/artists/fleming_bado/index.html

Stevenson, Joseph http://www.allmusic.com/artist/nicole-heaston-

mn00016697171/biography

Live From the Cullen: Nicole Heaston and Richard Bado Recital

https://www.houstongrandopera.org/events-tickets/hgo-digital/live-from-the-

cullen-recitals/nicole-heaston