The first of a two-part examination of recent editions of Copland's music, how they came to be, and why they matter.
Read more- Title
- Billy the Kid
- Subtitle
- Ballet Suite
- For
- orchestra
- Alternate Title
- Billy the Kid: Ballet - Suite (Alternate/Synonymous)
- Year Composed
- 1939
- Scoring
- 2(II=picc).2.2.2-4.3.3.1-timp.perc(5):glsp/xyl/cyms/sleigh bells/tgl/guiro/wdbl/whip/BD/SD/tin whistle-harp-pft-strings
- ARCO Number(s)
- 33-A
- Category
- Orchestral
- Duration
- 20'
- Sections
- 1. The Open Prairie Version of: The Open Prairie in Billy The Kid (ballet) (1938) for orchestra
- 2. Street in a Frontier Town Version of: Street in a Frontier Town in Billy The Kid (ballet) (1938) for orchestra
- 3. Card Game at Night Version of: Card Game at Night in Billy The Kid (ballet) (1938) for orchestra
- 4. Gun Battle Version of: Gun Battle in Billy The Kid (ballet) (1938) for orchestra
- 5. Celebration After Billy's Capture Version of: Celebration After Billy's Capture in Billy The Kid (ballet) (1938) for orchestra
- 6. Billy's Demise Version of: Billy's Demise in Billy The Kid (ballet) (1938) for orchestra
- 7. The Open Prairie (epilogue) Version of: The Open Prairie Epilogue in Billy The Kid (ballet) (1938) for orchestra
- 1. The Open Prairie
- Premiere
- World: New York, November 9th, 1940 (NBC Symphony Orchestra, cond. William Steinberg)
- Publisher
- Boosey & Hawkes
- Publishing Status
- Published
- Arrangements
- Scenes from Billy the Kid (arr. Quincy C. Hilliard) (Excerpt)
- In Collection
Lincoln Kirstein and Eugene Loring of Ballet Caravan asked Copland to compose music for a cowboy ballet."Lincoln tempted me with several books of western tunes, and Loring wrote a scenario about the notorious bandit of the Southwest, Billy the Kid. I became intrigued with using tunes such as Git Along Little Dogies, The Old Chisholm Trail, and Goodbye Old Paint." The ballet is still performed regularly, and the orchestral suite of six connecting movements is one of Copland's most popular works.
Prairie Night and Celebration Dance: Two movements from Billy the Kid were reduced for small orchestra by the composer.
Waltz: The dance of the outlaw and his sweetheart is often performed as a single movement in the version Copland arranged for small orchestra.
- Author
- Vivian Perlis
- Year
- 1998
A new edition of this work, edited by Philip Rothman, is now available from Boosey and Hawkes.
