I love Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland. What a majestic piece! But it wasn’t until last year that I finally added it to my classroom repertoire. I tend to gravitate toward songs with a strong beat and lively tempo. But it is important to realize that students need exposure to pieces in a variety of tempo ranges. Today I have not one but three different activities for Fanfare for the Common Man that you can add to your next music lesson.
The Composer of Fanfare for the Common Man
The composer of Fanfare for the Common Man is Aaron Copland. Copland is probably one of the most influential composers of American music of all time. Copland grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He was the child of immigrant parents and the youngest of five children. Growing up he studied piano and when he grew up he went on to study composition with famed music pedagogue Nadia Boulanger.
Aaron Copland experimented with different styles. But it wasn’t until 1936, after a trip to Mexico, that Aaron Copland composed “El Salon de Mexico,” his first major work in his signature “American” style. This simple style resonated with Americans and helped establish his popularity. Copland went on to write around 100 pieces over the course of his career and remains a primary influence on composers for generations to come.
What Was Fanfare for the Common Man Written For?
Fanfare for the Common Man was written in 1942 by Aaron Copland. The piece was commissioned by Eugene Goossens, the conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. The symphony had been playing fanfares at the beginning of each performance, in an effort to boost morale during World War II.
The title was inspired by the US entering World War II and by a speech by the Vice President at the time, Henry Wallace, which spoke about the century of the common man.
Listening Activity
Usually I will start out a piece we are going to study by doing a focused listening activity. Students listen and follow along with the song using a listening map. Click here for ideas on how to use listening maps in your classroom.
Then I can have students do a listening response worksheet. One of my favorites for my older grades is my Composer Intent Worksheet. Students are forced to (hopefully) think about the piece from another person’s perspective. And for 4th and 5th grade students they often have to write pieces where they cite evidence in their writing assignments in class. This worksheet prompts them to explain why they came to the conclusion they did, and I will often encourage students to cite specific evidence from the piece to explain their answer. It’s a great ELA tie in that still keeps the integrity of my subject matter.
Movement Activity
This is a scarf activity that I created to go along with the song. I have used it successfully with 3rd and 4th grade at my school. After listening to the piece, we identified a few main sections – the percussion theme, section A, section B and the coda. Here are the movements for each section:
Percussion theme: bounce the rhythm on your lap
Section A: stand and raise L hand. Raise R hand. Both hands go down.
Spin in a circle *this part is omitted during the first A section
L hand up. R hand up. Both hands down. Sit down.
Section B: Step forward on each note. Jump back on the last two notes of the phrase.
Coda: Toss one scarf. Toss the other scarf. Toss both scarves. Bobble scarves until
the release of the last note.
Here’s a more comprehensive view of how the movements play out during the piece.
Here’s a video to help clarify.
Fanfare for the Common Man Emerson Lake and Palmer
You can take your listening a step further with a compare and contrast activity. Emerson, Lake and Palmer did a classic rock cover of Fanfare for the Common Man. This is a great way to do some comparing and contrasting on two similar pieces in your class. Play both versions. Have students make note of musical elements such as instruments, dynamics, and tempo in both pieces. Then have them work in groups (or solo) to compare and contrast the two versions of the song.
Related Blog Posts
Variations on Simple Gifts by Aaron Copland
Finding Joy and Beauty With the Music of Aaron Copland in Elementary Music
Fanfare for the Common Man Listening Map
If you want an easy to follow listening map to show your students, as well as three different listening response worksheets for Fanfare for the Common Man, then check out this listening map in my TPT store.
Want More Aaron Copland?
Check out my Aaron Copland Composer Bundle. It contains a biography on Aaron Copland, worksheets, listening maps to some his greatest works, and fun movement and rhythm activities you can do while listening to Copland’s music.
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