Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland - Glory to the Liberators (Paris, August 1944)

This footage shows the parade on August 26 1944 to celebrate the liberation of Paris. General Charles de Gaulle, General Omar N. Bradley and General Raymond Oscar Barton are standing in front of the Luxor Obelisk at Place de la Concorde in Paris.

Aaron Copland - Fanfare for the Common Man

Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra
Hugh Wolff - conductor

Aaron Copland (1900-1990) is best known and loved for the hugely popular compositions he wrote 1936-49, such as "Appalachian Spring", "Billy the Kid" and "Rodeo". He was one of the first to capture the essence of American life in sound. Together with Gershwin, Ives and Bernstein, he created music that mirrored the world in which he lived.
"Fanfare for the Common Man" was inspired by Henry A. Wallace's speech, in which he proclaimed the dawning of the "Century of the Common Man". It also had an impact on the scores of several Hollywood films, such as "Superman", "Saving Private Ryan" or "The Patriot".

© 2001, Licensed by Digital Classics Distribution