For Music of the Week, we have chosen a uniquely American piece by one of the most American composers of the 20th century, Aaron Copland. Copland was particularly able to evoke and express the spirit of the trailblazing American settlers and the vast landscapes of the country.

Many of Copland’s pieces, carrying a sense of patriotism and optimistic Americana motifs, became hugely popular—sometimes also labeled populist. This is true for the 1942 ballet Rodeo, which incorporated a number of American folksongs. “Hoe-Down” is the final part of the composition and concludes the ballet with great fanfare.

We have chosen a modern version of the “Hoe-Down” by the Annie Moses Band. In the related links you will also find a performance that Copland himself conducted. Notice the tempo being considerably slower than many of the more contemporary renderings such as the excellent performance of the Philadelphia Virtuosi linked below.

Picture yourself on horseback or road-tripping through the American Southwest and ride along…

Related:

Aaron Copland conducts the Hoe-Down in 1976

The Philadelphia Virtuosi playing the Hoe-Down in 2014

Composer Aaron Copland on Wikipedia