Editing Appalachian Spring (section)

=== Background ===
During the late 1920s and early 1930s, [[Aaron Copland]] spent much of his time promoting American composers and music.{{Sfn|Philip|2018|p=182}} Copland's compositions during this time turned jazzy and dissonant,{{Sfn|Ross|2007|pp=292–293}}{{Sfn|Pollack|1999|p=113}} a style that interested few.{{Sfn|Philip|2018|p=182}} During the [[Great Depression]], his [[left-wing political stances]] strengthened, motivated by addressing the concerns of ordinary people.{{Sfn|Pollack|2013|loc=1. Life}}{{Sfn|Philip|2018|p=182}}{{Sfn|Ross|2007|p=297}} This initiated the idea of music that was simple and accessible enough to be liked by the general public,{{Sfn|Philip|2018|p=182}}{{Sfn|Crist|2005|p=23}} a concept pioneered in his opera for children ''[[The Second Hurricane]]'' (1937) and his greatly successful ballet ''[[El Salón México]]'' (1936).{{Sfn|Philip|2018|p=182}}{{Sfn|Pollack|1999|pp=302–303}}{{Sfn|Copland|Perlis|1984|p=245}} This "ordinary music" idea is present in ''Appalachian Spring''; Copland remarked in a 1980 interview that the music was "plain, singing, comparatively uncomplicated and slightly folksy. Direct and approachable".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dickinson |first=Peter |title=Peter Dickinson: Words and Music |publisher=Boydell & Brewer |year=2016 |isbn=978-1-78204-666-0 |edition=1 |pages=80 |chapter=Charles Ives and Aaron Copland |doi=10.1017/9781782046660.006 |access-date=August 14, 2023 |chapter-url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/peter-dickinson-words-and-music/charles-ives-and-aaron-copland/CBDA2499EA4CC7BFFD52B0BABC64051B}}</ref> The composer solidified his [[Populism|populist]] and [[Americana (music)|Americana]] style with ballets like ''[[Billy the Kid (ballet)|Billy the Kid]]'' (1938) and ''[[Rodeo (ballet)|Rodeo]]'' (1942),{{Sfn|Ross|2007|p=300}}{{Sfn|Oja|Tick|2005|p=94}} both of which used [[cowboy songs]] and fit with the popular stereotypes about the [[Wild West]].{{Sfn|Oja|Tick|2005|p=94}}{{Sfn|Pollack|1999|pp=320, 322}} In addition, ''[[Lincoln Portrait]]'' (1942) and ''[[Fanfare for the Common Man]]'' (1942) received widespread acclaim for their American themes, distinguishing Copland's versatility as a composer.{{Sfn|Pollack|1999|p=362}}

[[Martha Graham]] was a modern dancer and choreographer best known for creating the "[[Graham technique]]" of dance.{{Sfn|Pollack|1999|p=389}}<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Teachout |first=Terry |date=June 8, 1998 |title=The Dancer Martha Graham |url=https://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,988513,00.html |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |language=en-US |access-date=August 10, 2023}}</ref> The [[Martha Graham Dance Company]] originally consisted of only women due to Graham's feminism; this played a key role in productions like ''[[American Document]]'' (1938), which mixed important moments in [[History of the United States|American history]] with [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] themes and [[American Folklore|American folklore]].{{Sfn|Rutkoff|Scott|1995|p=214}} In the 1930s, she began commissioning scores from various composers; the scenarios often involved American history and [[Culture of the United States|culture]].{{Sfn|Pollack|1999|p=389}}