Espressivo Returns to the Roots of Americana with Copland’s Original Appalachian Spring
SANTA CRUZ, CA — On June 6 and 7, Espressivo, Santa Cruz’s "small, intense orchestra," continues its season with a program centered on the original, intimate chamber version of Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring. Led by guest conductor Michael McGushin, the program explores the power of "small-scale" masterpieces by Copland, Sibelius, Mendelssohn, and Milhaud.
From its first performance in 1944, Appalachian Spring was hailed as a definitive American work. “It is a celebration of the human spirit,” wrote New York Times dance critic John Martin following the premiere. While often heard in its full-orchestral suite, Espressivo returns to Copland’s original scoring for just thirteen musicians. This spare instrumentation highlights the idealism and hope of a work composed during the closing years of WWII—themes that resonate deeply in today's landscape.
The program also features:
Jan Sibelius: En Saga. Presented in a rare version for seven instruments, honoring the composer's original chamber concept for this atmospheric tone poem.
Felix Mendelssohn: String Symphony No. 7. A sophisticated work of genius written when the composer was only thirteen.
Darius Milhaud: Little Symphony No. 3. An exuberant, four-minute "pocket symphony" for seven instruments.
Conducting Espressivo for the first time is Michael McGushin, a staple of the Monterey Bay music scene and conductor of the UCSC Chamber Singers.