Talk:Appalachian Spring

Dance vs Music

This article should probably be cut into two, or at least have two distinct sections: information concerning the dance by Martha Graham, and information concerning the musical score by Copland. As it currently stands, the article switches back and forth between the two (the dance and the score) and is, I think, confusing as a result. J. Van Meter 02:18, 23 October 2005 (UTC)

I'd second that. I've just turned to the article hoping to have some information about the Martha Graham ballet (the whole reason the score exists in the first place) only to find next to nothing, and the article going on as if the (to my mind overbloated) orchestral version was its most important incarnation and sole justification. If only I had some info to hand I'd try to do something about it. Anyone else out there? Alfietucker (talk) 19:30, 7 January 2012 (UTC)

Ballet storyline

Could the synopsis be more embellished? It would also be nice to see how the brief storyline fits into the eight-section structure of the piece.

Additionally, the storyline currently mentions a character named "Graham" without having mentioned who that is beforehand: "... The newlyweds muse on their future as night falls. In the course of the dance, Graham reveals the inner lives of the four principal characters..."

Grammar?

This is grammatically incorrect:

The melody I borrowed and used almost literally, is called "Simple Gifts."

It should be

The melody I borrowed and used almost literally is called "Simple Gifts."

or

The melody I borrowed, and used almost literally, is called "Simple Gifts."

Is it written sic, or is it simply a misquote?

mysterd429 11/15/05 11:30 PM EST

And two years later this is still not resolved? It's unclear from the text whether Copland was describing it verbally or in print. If it was in an interview, punctuation is somewhat subjective, and I think we can correct it here (since the complaint regards misuse of punctuation, not syntax). If the description was in writing (say, in his memoirs, published commentary, etc.) I think we need to tag it "sic", or paraphrase. It is not clear at any point whether the descriptions are actual quotes anyway. Hell, I'm just going to fix the comma. If the material presented was a quote, it needs to be formatted properly to reflect this. 12.22.250.4 17:50, 22 August 2007 (UTC)

Type of dance

Appalachian Spring is not a ballet. It is a modern dance, which is very different. Martha Graham is one of THE names in the early history of modern dance.

Tasedjebbast 06:28, 24 April 2007 (UTC)Tasedjebbast

I believe you are splitting hairs. Appalachian Spring has always been described as a ballet, even by Copland himself (even in its earliest draft stages, he called it a ballet). Regardless of whether it's a "ballet" or "modern dance", when the creator of the piece and 99.9% of the musical world call it a "ballet", it's a ballet. The choreography follows after the score, so regardless of what form of dance Graham created for it, it takes the name of the score. If you can quote a single reference that states AS is a modern dance score and not a ballet, present it and change the article. 12.22.250.4 17:59, 22 August 2007 (UTC)

I offer no opinion as to whether AP is in fact a ballet or a "modern dance." However I mention as point of interest that this question does come up in one of Copland's letters, to Harold Spivacke, dated November 13, 1944, which refers to some tension between "the balletomanes and the modern dance enthusiasts," concerning AP. So the question raised here is perhaps not so quite so new. ThaddeusFrye (talk) 00:38, 3 February 2009 (UTC)

Is there even such a thing as "A modern dance"? IMO, modern dance is a style, not a denomination for a stage piece. Whereas yoou can, of course, say "a ballet". -- 14:02, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

Meaning of Spring in title of this work

I have always understood that "spring" in the title of Appalachian Spring does not refer to the season, but refers to an expanse of water, similar to a brook, rill or stream.This article hardly clarifies this and if anything, goes on to mislead people. ACEOREVIVED (talk) 17:25, 16 December 2010 (UTC)

I was told the same thing on the German Wikipedia. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 08:00, 6 April 2024 (UTC)

I've found surprisingly little about the title of the work, besides the poem Graham got it from... she never connected it to a specific idea. It seems she just liked the sound MyCatIsAChonk (talk) (not me) (also not me) (still no) 17:40, 6 April 2024 (UTC)

Lord of the Dance

Should this article not include reference to the fact that it has been influenced by the hymn Lord of the Dance?ACEOREVIVED (talk) 15:18, 6 June 2013 (UTC)

It already does (see Shaker Melody section). You've got your chronology backwards, though. Lord of the Dance was written in 1963 borrowing from the old Shaker Melody Simple Gifts from 1848. Appalachian Spring was written in 1944 and also uses the Simple Gifts melody. The could be no direct influence of Lord of the Dance on Appalachian Spring because it was written nineteen years later.DavidRF (talk) 17:58, 6 June 2013 (UTC)

Form of the Piece

Could we get a source for the form of the orchestral suite? When and where did Copland describe these sections? Jwberns (talk) 12:04, 29 May 2022 (UTC)

Did you know nomination

The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was: promoted by PrimalMustelid talk 00:12, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

(

• Comment or view
• Article history

)

• ... that the early drafts of Appalachian Spring contained an Indian girl to act as an invisible theatrical device, but it was cut in the final production? Source: Pollack, Howard (1999). Aaron Copland. New York: Henry Holt. ISBN 978-0-8050-4909-1. p. 394
  • ALT1: ... that the premiere of Appalachian Spring took place in a concert hall named after the works commissioner? Source: Martin, J. (October 8, 1944). "Announcement of a Performance of Martha Graham's Commission by the Coolidge Foundation". The New York Times (PDF). Archived from the original on August 12, 2023. Retrieved August 12, 2023 – via Library of Congress.
    Copland, Aaron; Crist, Elizabeth B.; Shirley, Wayne (2008). The Selected Correspondence of Aaron Copland. New Haven: Yale University Press. doi:10.12987/9780300133479. ISBN 978-0-300-11121-7. p. 164
  • ALT2: ... that the New York premiere of Appalachian Spring took place days after Victory in Europe Day, causing it to be massively successful due to its American themes? Source: Oja, Carol J.; Tick, Judith, eds. (2005). Aaron Copland and His World. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-12470-4. p. 135
  • ALT3: ... that the idea of using the Shaker tune "Simple Gifts" in Appalachian Spring likely came from a rocking chair mentioned in the scenario? Source: Oja, Carol J.; Tick, Judith, eds. (2005). Aaron Copland and His World. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-12470-4. p. 138
  • Reviewed: Template:Did you know nominations/Mark Wetjen

5x expanded by MyCatIsAChonk (talk). Self-nominated at 22:03, 15 August 2023 (UTC). Post-promotion hook changes for this nom will be logged at Template talk:Did you know nominations/Appalachian Spring; consider watching this nomination, if it is successful, until the hook appears on the Main Page.

• The article was recently expanded fivefolds, long enough, referenced, neutral and no copyvio obvious. The hooks are sourced, and I think ALT0 and 2 are interesting, but 1 and 3 are weaker. The images in the article either free or fair use. QPQ done. AGF tick due to the use of offline sources. Corachow (talk) 21:05, 30 August 2023 (UTC)

Poem subsection

The sources currently present (Ross 2007 and Rutkoff & Scott 1995) do not state that The Dance is a subsection of Powhatan's Daughter. If you wish to change this, please add a reliable source- you could even just add a citation to the Crane book itself. MyCatIsAChonk (talk) (not me) (also not me) (still no) 13:39, 5 September 2023 (UTC)

Ping for @I14546j930. MyCatIsAChonk (talk) (not me) (also not me) (still no) 19:26, 5 September 2023 (UTC)

Contradictory wording

"On the contrary, Hawkins was stiffer, exhibiting a masculinity and suppleness that stuck in the role with future performers." "Suppleness" means the "quality of being soft and able to bend", which is the opposite of "stiff". So did it exhibit suppleness or stiffness or both? I can't make sense of it. Nosferattus (talk) 00:46, 6 April 2024 (UTC)

Odd, didn't notice that when writing- upon rereading the source, I figured out my misunderstanding. Thanks for letting us know! MyCatIsAChonk (talk) (not me) (also not me) (still no) 01:28, 6 April 2024 (UTC)