Beef. It’s what’s for dinner. Remember this old commercial for the Beef Council? I remember growing up and hearing it, and thinking that the tune in the background was really catchy. It also, somehow, reminded me of open pastures and ranches. What I didn’t know until just recently, was that none other than Aaron Copland composed that piece nearly a half a century before the first commercial hit the airwaves. Hoedown from the ballet Rodeo will forever remind me of the iconic fields and ranches across rural America, as well as the thought of biting into a big flavorful slice of steak. Aaron Copland was an American composer, author, and later, director. Born on November 14, 1900 in Brooklyn, New York, as the youngest of five children. He developed an interest in music …show more content…
Copland was determined to compose music that epitomized the American feeling, as well as music that was accessible to the general public. When World War II broke out, Copland was busy composing music that would help to shape America in the decades to come. However, I WWII may have changed the way he composed songs for public consumption. Copland composed songs with a specific American style that was noted by the use of folk melodies and use of more simplified harmonics. He wanted everyone to be able to enjoy music, not just the musicians, so he composed his music in order to cater to the people who may not have had much musical experience. Although he was composing music that was easier for the public to listen to, he was still writing literature that aided in the understanding of musical elements for the general public. He published the book Our New Music in 1941, two years after Germany invaded Poland. In Our New Music Aaron Copland discusses many composers that contributed to the American sound that was now being churned out by composers such as Copland