Reworking Themes

Aaron Copland's Third Symphony is an imposing orchestral work. Written in the late 1940s, it isn't a particularly radical work but the sound world, while tonal, is clearly of the 20th century with that spacious "american" feel and hints of folk melodies. The final movement is particularly impressive, built as it is around Copland's famous Fanfare For The Common Man theme. This recording is by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Judd. This orchestra has become something of a work horse for the budget Naxos label and the performances are always perfectly serviceable. that isn't meant to damn them with faint praise. The cd is rounded off with the Billy the Kid Suite, which I've talked about in an earlier post about the other Copland cd I have in my collection. The symphony is the meat of the release, however.