Appalachian Spring -- Aaron Copland

Today being the first day of Spring, it seems appropriate to play this lovely piece by Aaron Copland - to me, as a relatively new citizen of the U.S., he is a "pure American" composer...and "Appalachian Spring” captures the essence of an ideal America: one of open fields and endless possibilities that many immigrants dream of when they come here. Part of the score is a melody based on a traditional Shaker song, “Simple Gifts.”