Preliminaries
The sky was stained infrequently with the red of a lifeless sunset and, as Michael watched the desolation of summer's retreat, he listened sadly to the sibilant heather lisping against the flutes of the pines, while from time to time the wind drummed against the buttresses and boomed against the bulk of the church.
Sinister Street, Compton MacKenzie, 1913
First, Some Advice
about reading Copland's book. Small bites ! It is a short but pithy little thing, and I recommend that you take it in small bites of reading (like one chapter, listening to all musical excerpts as you go), and then large bites of listening (to suggested works, while referring to the readings), before you move on to the next chapter. A pace of one chapter plus associated listening per week seems ideal. If you read the whole thing through in a few days, you are not likely to digest this very rich material very well. If you are a voracious reader, work on some other reading projects at the same time. I have read this book at least half a dozen times in my life (see A Small List of Small Books), and when I taught from it, and read only a chapter per class hour, I learned that I had missed lots. To get the most from Copland's patient efforts to teach you to listen musically, steep yourself in the book and its music, and take your very sweet time.
Musical Excerpts
Musical excerpts in this chapter, performed by Adam Matlock. In most instances, Adam plays the excerpt twice, the first time at reduced tempo. Page numbers refer to the recommended edition.
How to use excerpts: As you encounter each short musical score in the chapter, stop reading and listen to the excerpt using the videos on this page. Listen more than once if you do not recognize, in the music, the idea that Copland is presenting. Then continue reading.
Excerpts for Chapter 1
There are no musical excerpts within this chapter, but to get you started, and see if everything works for you, here is a sample. Turn to page 36 in the text, where you find Copland's first musical excerpt. Click the PLAY arrow in the center of the picture below, and watch the musical score on page 36 as you listen. Adam usually plays each passage first very slowly, then at a normal tempo (tempo in music means speed). Can you follow the musical line as he plays and you listen? Then listen again and glance back and forth between score and video. How much of what his hands are doing can you see in the score?
Musical Excerpt, Copland p. 36:
Don't be frightened by musical scores if they are a new thing for you. The main point of providing these videos is NOT to teach you to read music, but to let you HEAR the passages Copland uses to illustrate his teaching points. Focus on listening for what Copland is describing. (Some people find it fun to read a score as music plays; some don't.)
Author's Listening Suggestions for This Chapter
None in this chapter.
Additional Listening Recommendations
In the resources for each chapter, I have added recommendations of works, often shorter works, that fit with the chapter. I welcome recommendations from readers for this section, particularly from genres other than classical music.
