Title
Nonet
For
strings
Year Composed
1960
Scoring
3 vln.3 vla.3 vlc
ARCO Number(s)
80
Category
Chamber
Duration
18'
Premiere
  • World: Washington, DC, March 2nd, 1961 (cond. Copland)
Commission Info
The Dumbarton Oaks Research Library
Dedication
to Nadia Boulanger after forty years of friendship
Publisher
Boosey & Hawkes
Publishing Status
Published
Buying Options
Boosey & Hawkes
Jump To

Program Note

The Dumbarton Oaks Research Library commissioned Copland's Nonet in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss (who presented the library to Harvard University). The premiere was to have been conducted at a special anniversary concert by Nadia Boulanger, who was a longtime friend of the music-loving Bliss family. The work was not finished in time for that event, so Copland conducted the premiere himself with nine string players from the National Symphony, and dedicated the score to Boulanger, "after forty years of friendship." The composer authorized three string configurations for performance by larger ensembles.

Author
Vivian Perlis
Year
1998