Rodeo (ballet)

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Rodeo (pronounced by Copland as IPA pronunciation: ['rodiːˌo] [1]") is a ballet score written by American composer Aaron Copland in 1942. It was originally created for a string orchestra but was later modified for a full symphony orchestra. Originally known as Four Dance Episodes, Rodeo consists of four sections: Buckaroo Holiday, Corral Nocturne, Saturday Night Waltz and Hoe-Down.

The original ballet was choreographed by Agnes de Mille for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, a dance company that moved to the United States during World War II. De Mille herself played the lead, and the premiere received 22 curtain calls. The other principal dancers in the cast included Frederic Franklin and Casimir Kokitch.

"Hoe-Down", the ballet's final section, was prominently used by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association for television commercials in the US. The well-known main theme of "Hoe-Down" is based on a unique version of the American folk song "Bonaparte's Retreat," played by Salyersville, Kentucky fiddler William Hamilton Stepp, which was recorded in 1937 by Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress. A meticulous transcription by Ruth Crawford Seeger of that performance appeared in Lomax's 1941 book, "Our Singing Country."

In 1946 Copland arranged just the "Hoe-Down" portion of the ballet for string orchestra, and later that year arranged the same piece for violin and piano.

In 1972 the rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer recorded a version of "Hoedown" (note slightly altered spelling) for the album Trilogy, and the piece became a staple of the band's live shows.

In 2002, "Hoe-Down" was used in the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics of Salt Lake City. The piece was played during a hoe-down in the Olympic Stadium.