One of America's most beloved and accomplished composers, Aaron Copland played a crucial role in American music's coming of age. Indeed, Copland masterworks like Appalachian Spring and A Lincoln Portrait only begin to tell the epic story of a career spent composing a wealth of music for opera, ballet, chorus, orchestra, chamber ensemble, band, radio, and film.

Howard Pollack's expansive biography examines Copland's long list of accomplishments while also telling the story of the composer's musical development, political sympathies, personal life, relationships as an openly gay man, and tireless encouragement of younger composers. A winner of the Pulitzer Prize and an Academy Award, Copland played a vital role in the Yaddo Festival and as a beloved teacher at Tanglewood, Harvard, and the New School for Social Research. He turned to conducting later in life and via tours promoted American classical music overseas while taking it to appreciative audiences across the United States.

Howard Pollack is John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Music at the University of Houston. His books include George Gershwin: His Life and Work and The Ballad of John Latouche: An American Lyricist’s Life and Work.

Introduction   ix
1. A Copland Portrait   3
2. Background Matters   15
3. Early Education and First Works   30
4. Paris   45
5. Copland and the Music of Europe   57
6. From Sonata Movement to Grohg (1921-24)   76
7. Return and Rediscovery   88
8. The Usable Past   107
9. From the Organ Symphony to "Vocalise" (1924-28)   121
10. From Vitebsk to the Piano Variations (1928-30)   142
11. Copland Among His Peers   159
12. Copland and Younger American Composers   178
13. South of the Border   216
14. Personal Affairs   234
15. Copland and the American Theater   257
16. An Engaged Citizen   270
17. From the Short Symphony to A Prairie Journal (1933-37)   288
18. From Billy the Kid to John Henry (1938-40)   314
19. Music for the Movies and for Keyboard (1939-41)   336
20. From Lincoln Portrait to Danzon Cubano (1942)   357
21. From The North Star To Appalachian Spring (1943-44)   378
22. From "Jubilee Variation" to Four Piano Blues (1945-48)   407
23. From The Red Pony to the Piano Quartet (148-50)   428
24. The Changing Scene   451
25. From Old American Songs to the Piano Fantasy (1950-57)   467
26. From Dance Panels to Connotations (1959-62)   486
27. From Emblems to Proclamation (1964-82)   503
28. Identity Issues   518
29. The Later Years   532
Conclusion   550
Appendix: List of Works   556
Notes   564
Selected Bibliography   665
Index   671