Voice of Spring:  Aaron Copland’s America

Macon, GA — American folk music reaches deep into the soul of America.   It expresses everything from the heartache of loss to the silly and whimsical joys of life.  It has reflected tongue-in-cheek political winds of the times and told stories through its ballads.

            On Sunday, April 30, at 4:00 P.M., the Choral Society of Middle Georgia and the Mercer University Choir, under the direction of Dr. Stanley Roberts, Associate Dean of the Townsend School of Music at Mercer University, will present a concert featuring Aaron Copland’s “Old American Songs.”    These are a collection of folk melodies which Copland arranged in the early 1950’s.   It includes “The Dodger” (campaign song), “Simple Gifts” (Shaker song), “I Bought Me a Cat” (children’s song), “At the River” (hymn tune), and the upbeat “Ching-A Ring Chaw” (minstrel song).

            20th century composer Aaron Copland devoted his life to fostering, developing, creating, and establishing music that was distinctive American.   He won the 1945 Pulitzer Prize in Music and is well known for his compositions “Appalachian Spring” and “Fanfare for the Common Man.”

            If you have ever performed in a high school choir, you have very likely sung choral pieces from Randal Thompson’s “Frostiana.”   This collection of Robert Frost poems set to music will round out the concert. 

            In 1958, the town of Amherst commissioned Randal Thompson to compose a choral work to celebrate its bicentennial.  Thompson and Robert Frost were friends and Frost had a long association with Amherst and from there, “Frostiana” was born.   Both men were from New England and their poems and compositions reflect their love of Americana.

            “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair.”    On Sunday, April 30, choose the road that brings you to the “Voice of Spring” Concert.   Concert time is 4:00 P.M. at Mulberry Street United Methodist Church.   For tickets, call 478-216-7841 or email tickets.csmg@gmail.com

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