Copland - Appalachian Spring

The work was commissioned by choreographer Martha Graham for her dance company and premiered on October 30, 1944, at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Graham both choreographed and performed the lead role.

Copland incorporated the Shaker hymn 'Simple Gifts' into the composition, using it as the basis for a set of variations. The melody's appearance in the seventh section of the suite has made it virtually synonymous with the piece itself.

Yes, Copland was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1945 for 'Appalachian Spring.' The work also received the New York Music Critics' Circle Award the same year, cementing its status as a landmark of American music.

In 1945, Copland extracted an orchestral suite from the original ballet score, reducing it from thirteen instruments to full orchestra. The suite, which omits some sections of the ballet, is the version most commonly performed in concert halls today.