riabin. Finally his studies led him to France at the age of 21, where he studied under Paul Vidal for a short period of time and then under Mlle. Boulanger for three years. Beforereturning to America, in 1924, Mlle. Nadia Boulanger asked Mr. Copland to write her a piece to perform on an American tour. He accepted and wrote "Symphony for organ and orchestra, with Walter Camrosch as conductor andNadia Boulanger as soloist...." Also during this time, he wrote The Cat and the Mouse and a Passacaglia which "made him known to a large and influential public and definitely established his position in Americanmusical life."His musical career took off from there with invitations to write original pieces for concerts, tours, and such groups as the Boston Symphony. In 1938, Copland wrote a ballet about William Bonney. William grewup in Brooklyn, New York, Aaron's hometown. At the age of 12 he saw his mother shot by a wayward bullet during a street brawl. Following this he stabbed the man responsible for his mother's death. This is the first ofseveral murders William commits. Later in life he is accused of cheating during a card game and kills the accuser. Finally, he is captured after a showdown and jailed. To flee from prison, he slayed his jailer and escaped.William then meets his lover in the desert and is murdered by his boyhood companion-turned-sheriff Pat Garrett. All of these actions gained young William the nickname "Billy the Kid." Copland's rendition includes manyclassic cowboy tunes. For example, in the first scene, entitled Street in a Frontier Town, Copland "used such tunes of the Wild West as Goodbye, Old Paint; The Old Chisholm Trail; Git Along, Little Dogies; The Streets ofGeruso 4 Laredo; and Great Grand-Dad." The songs throughout the piece are slightly changed, providing for great musical adaptation and amazing listening. "But the composer decked them out with poly-rhythms, polytonalharmonies, and dissonance made more striking bec...
