Spotify playlists and tracks below will play for you if you’re logged into Spotify; otherwise, you will be able to hear only a sample of the music. Some tracks are also available on YouTube. The siglum from the MUSA edition for each version of the music is given in parentheses.
Ballet — chamber version (BC)
Andrew Schenck
Atlantic Sinfonietta
This recording was made in cooperation with the Martha Graham Dance Company.
Suite — orchestra version (SO)
Artur Rodzinksy
New York Philharmonic
Rodzinsky premiered the orchestral suite on 4 October 1945. This recording from the Philharmonic’s archives is from the last performance that weekend.
Suite — orchestra version (SO)
Leonard Bernstein
New York Philharmonic
Bernstein was a close friend of Copland’s, and his recordings are considered authoritative.
Extended suite — orchestra version (EO)
Eugene Ormandy
Philadelphia Orchestra
Copland orchestrated the Fear in the Night/Day of Wrath/Moment of Crisis section (which was omitted from the suite) for Ormandy, who included it in his 1954 recording, the first appearance of the extended suite.
Extended suite — orchestra version (EO)
Leonard Slatkin
St. Louis Symphony
Slatkin was the first to record the extended suite after Ormandy, and the first to use all six available inserts.
Suite — chamber version (SC)
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Extended suite — chamber version (EC)
Aaron Copland
Columbia Chamber Ensemble
Copland’s own recording of the extended suite includes only the long insert no. 6.
Copland rehearses Appalachian Spring (EC)
Aaron Copland
Columbia Chamber Ensemble
These rehearsal excerpts are from Copland’s recording of EC, above.