Hardly any semblance of the music industry as we know it existed at the time of Copland’s writing, and thus in most cases the only way to hear classical music would be to attend a concert in person. What to Listen for in Music was originally written in 1939, so it is important to note that it predates the LP record by nearly a decade. There is debate among critics about the quality of some of his more accessible pieces, but there can be no debate about his influence on composers in the United States. However, his works were not always limited to this style: compositions like Passacaglia demonstrate his more technical side. It, like many of his popular works, borrows from American folk songs for some of its melodies. His most famous work is Appalachian Spring. He wrote several fairly mainstream compositions that are considered instrumental in defining “the American sound”: that pastoral, pioneering tone that has flourished in our consciousness through everything from Disney to the Olympic Games.
Copland was one of the first and most important composers ever to come from the United States. We’ll begin with some outside information about Aaron Copland and his book. Since it has been a goal of mine over the past couple of years to develop that knowledge, it’s a shame I hadn’t read such a book sooner. Lacking any college-level education in musical composition or theory, Copland’s book marks the first time that I have ever been exposed to the underlying principles of classical music. I wasn’t sure what I would find when I read this book, but now that I’ve done it, I’m glad for the knowledge that was imparted to me. What we have here today is a beginner’s guide to classical music, or “what to listen for when you listen to ‘serious’/’art’ music.” It lacks the cerebral prose of the scholars we’ve engaged with thusfar - in fact, this is the first book I’ve reviewed here that was written by a native English speaker, and an American no less. It isn’t a philosophical analysis on the history or purpose of music. When compared to the mixture of book reports done on this blog to this day, What to Listen for in Music is rather unique.
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