Fanfare for the Common Man is a short piece for brass and percussion by the American composer Aaron Copland. He wrote it in 1942, during World War II. It lasts about three minutes. Drums and a gong boom, and then three trumpets call out a slow, bold tune.
Quick facts
- Composer: Aaron Copland, who lived from 1900 to 1990
- Written: 1942
- First played: March 1943, in Cincinnati
- Length: about 3 minutes
- Played by: four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, a tuba, timpani, a bass drum, and a gong
- No strings and no woodwinds
What a fanfare is
A fanfare is a short, bright piece for brass instruments. It announces that something important is about to happen: a king arrives, a race begins, or a ceremony opens.
Most fanfares are fast and showy. This one is slow and wide, with long silences.
Why Copland wrote it
In 1942, the United States had just entered World War II. The conductor of the orchestra in Cincinnati asked American composers to write fanfares to open his concerts. He wanted music to lift people’s spirits. Eighteen fanfares came in.
Many of the composers named their fanfares for soldiers, airmen, and allied countries. Copland chose a different title. He honored the common man: the ordinary people who did the work of the war and held no rank or title. The phrase came from a speech that the vice president of the United States gave that year.
What to listen for
| Part | What happens |
|---|---|
| The drums | The timpani, the bass drum, and the gong strike together. The sound fades into silence. They strike again. |
| The trumpets | Three trumpets play the tune together, all on the same notes. The tune climbs in wide leaps. |
| The horns | The horns join, and the tune splits into harmony. |
| The low brass | Trombones and the tuba enter with the tune, low and heavy. The drums answer. |
| The ending | All the brass play together, and the last chord rings out over a drum roll. |
The piece grows by adding players. It starts with a single line and ends with the full group.
Why it sounds so big
- Wide leaps. The tune jumps across large gaps and does not move by step.
- Silence. Copland leaves room around each phrase.
- Few instruments at first. When the low brass enter, the change is easy to hear.
- Slow speed. Nothing hurries.
Where it went next
Copland used the fanfare again four years later. It opens the last movement of his Third Symphony, where the flutes play it soft before the brass take over.
The fanfare plays at ceremonies and sports events. A rock band recorded its own version in 1977.
Things to do together
Announce someone. Play the fanfare while a family member makes a slow, grand entrance.
Add the players. Start with one person standing. Add a person each time a new group of instruments joins.
Be the drums. Pat a pillow with both hands on each drum stroke. Freeze in the silences.
Draw the leaps. Draw the tune as a line of mountain peaks. Make each leap a climb.
Find the two families. This piece uses brass and percussion alone. Read brass instruments for kids and percussion instruments for kids.
Write a fanfare. Pick three notes on a piano or a recorder. Make up a short call for someone in your family.
Questions to ask
- Who is the “common man” in your town?
- How would the piece feel if it were twice as fast?
- Which instruments play first? Which play last?
- Whom would you write a fanfare for?
Words to know
- Fanfare: a short piece for brass that announces something
- Brass: the family of trumpets, horns, trombones, and tubas
- Timpani: the kettledrums
- Unison: everyone on the same notes
Print and play
Tick the brass and percussion on the instrument families listening chart. Read Copland for kids, the guide to Rodeo and Appalachian Spring, and the timpani for kids.
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This article is part of Classical music listening guides for kids: famous pieces, one at a time.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.