Aaron Copland's Lincoln Portrait
Russian-born conductor André Kostelanetz became an American citizen in 1928, six
years after moving to the United States. Kostelanetz expressed deep devotion for
his new country in many different ways. During World War II he presented many light
classical and popular concerts as conductor, arranger and musical advisor for CBS
Radio; was guest pops conductor with many orchestras; and conducted armed forces
bands in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Another demonstration of his
patriotism came with a series of commissions in 1941.
Kostelanetz commissioned Aaron Copland, Jerome Kern and Virgil Thomson to create
musical portraits of great Americans for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and for
guest conducting appearances with his wife, coloratura soprano Lily Pons, during
the spring and summer concert seasons in 1942. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
introduced three of the commissioned works—Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, Kern’s
Mark Twain: A Portrait for Orchestra and Thomson’s Mayor LaGuardia Waltzes
and Canons for Dorothy Thompson—at a single concert on May 14, 1942.
Click here to download* Copland's
Lincoln Portrait
Copland originally considered a musical portrait of Walt Whitman before redirecting
his interests toward Abraham Lincoln. “I had no great love for musical portraiture,”
the composer stated, “and I was skeptical about expressing patriotism in music—it
is difficult to achieve without becoming maudlin or bombastic, or both.” Assembling
a text from Lincoln’s own speeches and writings helped him steer clear of the perceived
hazards. Composition moved swiftly once Copland decided upon a subject. Sketches
were finished in February 1942, and the fully orchestrated score was completed in
early May.
Lincoln Portrait can be subdivided into three major sections, according to
Copland’s analysis. The opening strives to capture “the mysterious sense of fatality
that surrounds Lincoln’s personality . . . [and] his gentleness and simplicity of
spirit.” This section incorporates two popular tunes: Stephen Foster’s Camptown Races
and the ballad Springfield Mountain. Copland continues with faster music,
decorated by jingling sleigh bells and based in part on Camptown Races, depicting
the “colorful times in which Lincoln lived.” In the final segment, newly written
narrative passages bind together the Lincoln quotes. Copland recommended that the
Speaker read “simply and directly, without a trace of exaggerated sentiment.”
— Program notes © Todd E. Sullivan 2009
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