Symphony No. 3 (Copland)

Symphony No. 3 was Aaron Copland's final symphony. It was written between 1944 and 1946, and its first performance took place on October 18, 1946, the Boston Symphony Orchestra performing under Serge Koussevitzky. If the early Dance Symphony is included in the count, it is actually Copland's fourth symphony.

Written at the end of World War II, it is known as the essential American symphony that fuses his distinct "Americana" style of the ballets (Rodeo, etc.) with the form of the symphony, which has generally been a European-dominated musical form. The Fanfare for the Common Man, written in 1942, is used as a theme in the fourth movement. Various fragments from Fanfare are also used for primary thematic material in the first three movements.

$\relative c''' { \clef treble \key e \major \time 4/4 \tempo "Molto moderato - with simple expression" 4 = 42 \partial 4*1 e4(\p_"dolce" | b2) r4 e( | gis, e' a,2)~ | a8 r e'4( b2 ~ | \time 2/4 b }$

The first movement (Molto moderato) opens with a simple theme in the woodwinds and strings, which is echoed warmly throughout the orchestra, before quickly heightening into a brassy fanfare (in which we get our first hints of the Fanfare for the Common Man theme.) $\relative c { \clef bass \time 4/4 \tempo "Più moss ancora" 4 = 92 d\f-> f-- a2-- | b4-- a-- gis2-- | fis4-> a-- d-- cis-- | c-- ees-- g2-- }$

The movement ends as peacefully as it started, but we are quickly snapped out of the reverie with the thunderous timpani thump that launches the lively scherzo into action.
$<< \new Staff \relative c' { \clef treble \time 2/2 \key c \major \tempo "Allegro molto" 2 = 108 r4 c8\f-> f a4-> b-> | c1->\sf } \new RhythmicStaff { \clef bass f4_"Gran Cassa"\ff r4 r2 | r1 } >>$

The whirling second movement (Allegro molto) features a dashing, boisterous theme, settling into gentler, pastoral segment but ending exuberantly. $\relative c''' { \clef treble \key b \minor \time 5/4 \tempo "Andantino quasi allegretto" 4 = 84 b4(\pp d2) fis | gis4( fis2) eis | \time 3/4 dis4( fis2) | b4.( bes) | a( c) | e2. }$

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