Who composed Appalachian Spring?

• A. Debussy
• B. Mahler
• C. Mussorgsky
• D. Copland

Answer: (D)

Appalachian Spring was composed by Aaron Copland. Copland’s music is widely recognized for an unmistakably American voice—clear melodies, open, spacious harmonies, and a folk-influenced sensibility that fits the spirit of rural American life. The ballet, created in 1944 for Martha Graham, even features the Shaker tune Simple Gifts woven into the score, which is a hallmark of his approachable, distinctly American style. By contrast, Debussy represents French impressionism with nuanced color and ambiguous tonality, Mahler stands in the late-Romantic Viennese tradition with large-scale, dramatic statements, and Mussorgsky embodies Russian nationalist idioms. None of them wrote Appalachian Spring, making Copland the natural composer for this work.