Title
Prairie Journal
For
orchestra
Alternate Titles
  • Music for Radio: Saga of the Prairie (Original Title)
  • Saga of the Prairie (Alternate/Synonymous)
Year Composed
1937
Year Modified
1968 (retitled)
Scoring
2(II=picc).2.2.asax(=cl).tsax(=bcl).1-2.3(2).2.1-timp.perc(2):vib/ xyl/tgl/BD-harp-pft(cel)-strings
ARCO Number(s)
31
Category
Orchestral
Duration
12'
Premiere
  • World: New York, NY, July 25th, 1937 (CBS Radio Orchestra, cond. Howard Barlow)
Commission Info
Davidson Taylor and the Columbia Broadcasting System
Dedication
To Davidson Taylor
Publisher
Boosey & Hawkes
Publishing Status
Published

Program Note

Radio was a novel and exciting medium for classical music in the 1930s. Copland always enjoyed the challenge of something new, so he welcomed a commission from CBS for an orchestral work specifically for their network. He used several special effects, such as muted trumpets, woodwinds at the microphone, and a vibraphone. A contest for the title was announced, and the winner was Music for Radio, Saga of the Prairie. The piece was later renamed Prairie Journal.

Author
Vivian Perlis
Year
1998