aaron Copland

Copland (1900-1990) was a prolific American classical composer. He frequently drew on folk tones in some of his works. He also made choral arrangements of some traditioinal folk songs. He began shifting his composing in the 1930s in this direction. "Appalachian Spring" the best known piece of this sort premiered as an orchestral suite in 1944. It draws heavily on the Shaker hymn "Tis a Gift to Be Simple" (aka "Simple Gifts". "Appalachian Spring" was also the music for a ballet.