They were musical ambassadors for their two countries—sharing cross-border influences, supporting each other’s work, and building a lifelong friendship.
In the next hour, how Aaron Copland’s best-known orchestral works were shaped by his close ties with Mexican composer Carlos Chávez—becoming a driving force in the music of both.
FEATURED RECORDINGS
Title | Group/Artist | Catalog # | UPC |
Copland: Appalachian Spring, etc. [for El Salon Mexico] | Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, Antal Dorati | Mercury Living Presence Collector’s Edition 1 | 88697755552 |
Copland: Clarinet Concerto, etc. [for Music for the Theater: Epilogue] | New York Chamber Symphony, Gerard Schwarz | EMI CDC 7 49095 2 | 077774909525 |
Mi Alma Mexicana [for Chávez “Horsepower: “El Tropico”] | Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, Alondra de la Parra | Sony Classical 88697755552 | 886977555527 |
Chávez: Complete Symphonies [for Sinfonía India] | London Symphony Orchestra, Eduardo Mata | Brilliant Classics 94858 | 5028421948584 |
Música Mexicana [for Chávez Dark Meadow/ Daughter of Colchis] | Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de México, Fernando Lozano | Forlane UCD 16688/16689 |
3399242166887 |
Copland: Billy the Kid, etc. [for Street in a Frontier Town, Mexican Dance & Finale] | BBC Symphony, Leonard Slatkin | BBC Music MM98 | [none] |
Chavez: Piano Concerto, etc. [for “Meditacion”] | Jorge Federico Osorio | Cedille CDR 90000 140 | 735131914024 |
Copland: Music for Films [for The Red Pony] | Saint Louis Symphony, Leonard Slatkin | RCA Victor Red Seal 09026-61699-2 | 090266169924 |
Copland - Collection - Late Orchestral Works (1948-1971) [for Latin American Sketches] | Detroit Symphony, Leonard Slatkin | Sony SM2K 47236 | 07464472362 |
Copland - Piano Concerto, Tender Land, Old American Songs [for end music only] | Howard Hanson | Naxos 8.559297 | 636943929728 |
Copland: Orchestral Works 1 – Ballets [for El Salon Mexico opening, break & promo music, and Appalachian Spring] | BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, John Wilson | Chandos CHAN 5164 | 095115516423 |