European inspirations of his previous works and dabbled with jazz (Berger 421-422). In the same year he obtained the Guggenheim Fellowship, Copland wrote Music for a suite for small orchestra influenced by jazz that included Theatre, “Burlesque” elements, for Koussevitzky (Ross 292). The jazz ingredients used in Music for Theatre was also present in Copland’s next work, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (Copland, from Brooklyn” xxv). “Composer In the 1930s, Copland’s music entered a different stage. Copland experimented with abstract music using dissonance with lean textures and patterns (Berger 422). Meanwhile, to support the progress of contemporary music, Copland co-founded the Copland-Session Concerts that lasted from 1928 to 1931 (Berger 422). One of Copland’s works during his high modern” (Ross 293) period “dissonant was his of 1930. This chaotic masterpiece introduced a new American Piano Variations harmony, both brash and bluesy (Ross 293). has a recurring four-note Piano Variations motif consisting of E, C, D♯, and C♯ an octave higher weaved into its striking notes (Ross 293). theme is subjected to an astringent sequence of permutations that at times “The approaches twelve-tone writing” (Ross 293), and there are occurrences of polytonality throughout the piece. lacks ornamentation and complex rhythms, Piano Variations resulting in a focus towards its pungent statements of dissonance. The rests seem to be placed in a way that emphasizes the striking notes in between as much as the notes themselves. Although difficult to listen to for the public audience, was Piano Variations greatly praised by Copland’s colleagues and various other composers, including the American composer who was a great appreciator of Copland, Leonard Bernstein.
European inspirations of his previous works and dabbled with jazz (Berger 421-422). In the same year he obtained the Guggenheim Fellowship, Copland wrote Music for Theatre, a suite for small orchestra influenced by jazz that included “Burlesque” elements, for Koussevitzky (Ross 292). The jazz ingredients used in Music for Theatre was also present in Copland’s next work, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (Copland, “Composer from Brooklyn” xxv). In the 1930s, Copland’s music entered a different stage. Copland experimented with abstract music using dissonance with lean textures and patterns (Berger 422). Meanwhile, to support the progress of contemporary music, Copland co-founded the Copland-Session Concerts that lasted from 1928 to 1931 (Berger 422). One of Copland’s works during his “dissonant high modern” (Ross 293) period was his Piano Variations of 1930. This chaotic masterpiece introduced a new American harmony, both brash and bluesy (Ross 293). Piano Variations has a recurring four-note motif consisting of E, C, D♯, and C♯ an octave higher weaved into its striking notes (Ross 293). “The theme is subjected to an astringent sequence of permutations that at times approaches twelve-tone writing” (Ross 293), and there are occurrences of polytonality throughout the piece. Piano Variations lacks ornamentation and complex rhythms, resulting in a focus towards its pungent statements of dissonance. The rests seem to be placed in a way that emphasizes the striking notes in between as much as the notes themselves. Although difficult to listen to for the public audience, Piano Variations was greatly praised by Copland’s colleagues and various other composers, including the American composer who was a great appreciator of Copland, Leonard Bernstein.
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