Symphonic Meditations for 9/11

This post was written by Peter Gilmour, and posted on September 4, 2007 | Filed Under uncategorized | Double-click any word for more info | View other posts by Peter Gilmour | | For info on this author, visit http://homepages.luc.edu/~pgilmou/

I came across an informative piece on Aaron Copland, his politics and his music, titled, “Appalachian Autumn” written by Alex Ross in the August 27, 2007 issue of the New Yorker magazine (page 34). This article struck me personally as we approach the sixth anniversary of 9/11.In the days immediately following 9/11, numbed by the endless reportage on television, I turned to two American composers, Aaron Copland and Charles Ives. Their music not only soothed my soul but also helped me reflect deeply on the unique genius of America, and the problematic interpretations of that genius from inside and outside this country. I am forever grateful to these two American composers for assisting me to look more deeply into the significance of life after 9/11.So I was most interested in this Copland article. Copland realized that “a mood of suspicion, ill-will and dread that typifies the Cold War attitude” during his productive years stymied the artist. Yet he managed to create a body of work that continues to help me navigate life in this tender land today. Would Copland be able to create music today in the present atmosphere of suspicion, ill-will and dread that has been generated since 9/11?

I don’t know.

But this I do know: even though Copland is long gone, his sometimes deceptively simple music lives on, and reveals a complex mind who thought deeply about the American experiment. Ross ends his piece, “Copland conjures a perfect American Sunday in which the music of all peoples streams from the open doors of a white-steepled church that does not yet exist.”

Both Copland and Ives weave explicitly spiritual music in their various works. Yet their work is often categorized as secular. Certainly, for me, in the aftermath of 9/11, and now, six years later, their works function as sacred music for me.

What makes sacred music? What makes music sacred? Good questions for sure. Listen to Copland and Ives carefully before trying to answer these questions.

Comments

One Response to “Symphonic Meditations for 9/11”

Charles Jonah on September 4th, 2007 6:34 pm

Copland and Ives, while similar in the fact they used sacred music as part of their compositions, are remarkably different in many other ways.

Copland made his living with music; for Ives, it was solely a hobby.

Ives made the world come to his music; Copland changed styles.

Both are immensely popular with the recital singer — so many programs will include one of Copland’s “Old American Songs” and so many include a selection from Ives’song collection (and I shouldn’t be surprised if even more would, if they could convince their accompanists to play them.)

Both of course were close associated with Bernstein as Bernstein was one the best-known conductors of both their music.

Leave a Reply