In this episode, learn about the four sections of the orchestra; why a composer chooses specific instruments; and about German composer Ludwig van Beethoven and American composer Aaron Copland. Why did Beethoven choose the strings section to express the humanity in Symphony No. 7? What drew Copland to choose the brass and percussion sections for his Fanfare for the Common Man?

Summon the Heroes!

Strike Up the Band

Throughout the ages, composers have celebrated the accomplishments of famous heroes through music. What does a hero “sound” like? Get ready to find out! This multi-part audio series is part of the NSO’s Young People’s Concert: Summon the Heroes at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. Listen to rousing marches by composers Aaron Copland and John Williams, and hear heroes caringly remembered in moving tributes by George Walker, Edward Elgar, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Richard Strauss.

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Summon the Heroes!