Aaron Copland

An American composer of film scores, opera, piano, chamber music, and other forms. Copland is best known for his ballet music ("Appalachian Spring," 1944; "Rodeo," 1942) and his orchestral works ("Lincoln Portrait," 1942; "Fanfare for the Common Man," 1942). Sincerely concerned about relating to a wide public without compromising his music, Copland succeeded brilliantly both with more complex works like the "Piano Variations" and "Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson" (1949-1950) and the subtle simplicity of his highly popular ballet music suites. He was the quintessential American nationalist composer.