Saturday, March 28, 2015

Ballet for Martha: Making the Appalachian Spring

Cover image for Ballet for Martha : making Appalachian SpringHere is a short nonfiction about the creation of the Appalachian Spring ballet.  I hadn't realized that Aaron Copland asked Martha Graham to write a story for a ballet.  Aaron Copland then wrote the music for it and gave it to Martha.  While Martha created the choreography, artist Isamu Norguchi created a dramatic set for the stage.  All three elements came together to create an American classic.  The Floca does a wonderful job with the illustrations which capture the appearance and the mood of the ballet.  This book got a lot of attention when it came 2010 and won the Sibert honor medal.  It is best read with a recording of Appalachian Spring playing in the background.  (48 p)

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