THE COMMON MAN
Aaron Copland receives a letter from Eugene Goossens, the conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, asking him to compose a fanfare to be played at the opening of every concert in the 1942-43 season. This request revives an initiative Goossens had undertaken during World War I with British composers, which had been highly successful.
Aaron Copland accepts without hesitation and begins his work.
Inspired by a speech from Vice President Henry A. Wallace urging Americans to stand against imperialism, Copland carefully and deliberately composes the piece. He starts with powerful percussion, resonating and breaking through a spectral silence, followed by three trumpet notes rising from the darkness, symbolizing the lifting of an entire people against evil. It takes him over a month to perfect this fanfare, which he names "Fanfare for the Common Man," referencing Wallace's declaration that the coming era is the "century of the common man."
APRIL 1951, NEW YORK, USA
The fanfare is first played on March 12, 1943, in conjunction with Income Tax Day, celebrating the "common man" who contributes to the war effort amidst a challenging financial context.
In less than four minutes, a piece of music transforms into a stirring national anthem, brilliantly encapsulating the essence of a nation and the spirit of a pivotal moment. It captures the unity and resilience of a community facing adversity. This anthem resonates through history, celebrating the courage and heroism of America’s people, and stands as a timeless tribute to the enduring strength and unity of the American spirit.
WRITTEN BY : J STERLING
PHOTO N°1 : AARON COPLAND BY CANDLELIGHT, STUDIO IN THE BERKSHIRES, SEPTEMBER, 1946
BY VIKTOR KRAFT
PHOTO N°2 : COMPOSER AARON COPLAND IN FRONT OF THE BARN, 1955
BY GORDON PARKS