This performance done live in December 1985 by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic is a pretty good one.  Positives are a quality performance and some very attractive sections of music.  The downsides are the music's unevenness and the somewhat edgy early digital sound.

Aaron Copland completed his large-scale 3rd symphony in 1946 after a couple of years of work.  This is his longest non-theatric score and, strangely enough for a composer in his mid 40s, I think represents the end of his important output as a composer.  (The Clarinet Concerto from later in the decade may represent an exception.  I'll let you debate that.)  After the premiere of the 3rd, Copland wrote a number of works, quite a few using the twelve-tone method, which have failed to take a hold in the listening audience or the repertory.  This is a striking descent from Copland's output of the early 1940s, which contain several classic and notable works, including "Quiet City" (1941), which Bernstein includes here as an add-on and which I think is easily the best track on the CD.

I expect to be attacked for my opinion that the 3rd symphony is a lackluster work, but I find it only intermittently interesting.  The highlights include the outer sections of the scherzo (track 2), which remind me of Shostakovich, and of course the "Fanfare for the common man" in the finale.  In much of his music, Copland cultivated what I think is an intriguing style: sparse textures with simple, flowing often even rhythms.  There is something very American about it and it can yield attractive experiences in his best music.  But Copland's problem is that he can only write inspired themes and melodies some of the time.  This is apparent throughout his less known music (e.g. the Symphonic Ode) and it submarines a significant portion of his output.  The 3rd symphony was ambitiously conceived  and I believe Copland was unable to supply all of the work with really interesting motivic material, although he was able to do so some of the time.  Thus, we have the utterly dull Andantino, the indifferent elaboration of the Fanfare in the finale and an opening Molto moderato that has failed to leave any sort of impression on me after repeated listening over the span of years.  I also find the effort at monumentality - an emotion that seems to have been alien to the gentle, easy-going composer - off-putting and unsuccessful.  Go ahead and flame away.  I started listening to this 3rd symphony fifteen years ago, preparing to hear music that lived up to its high reputation, and I have just been consistently disappointed, despite my liking for other Copland.

As mentioned, "Quiet City" is a very attractive ten-minute long work depicting a night-time city scene that is done very well by Bernstein, the NY Phil and the two talented soloists, Phil Smith (trumpet) and Thomas Stacy (English Horn).  The recorded sonics are early digital and are mediocre with a bit too much glare. 4 stars.
This performance done live in December 1985 by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic is a pretty good one. Positives are a quality performance and some very attractive sections of music. The downsides are the music's unevenness and the somewhat edgy early digital sound. Aaron Copland completed his large-scale 3rd symphony in 1946 after a couple of years of work. This is his longest non-theatric score and, strangely enough for a composer in his mid 40s, I think represents the end of his important output as a composer. (The Clarinet Concerto from later in the decade may represent an exception. I'll let you debate that. )  After the premiere of the 3rd, Copland wrote a number of works, quite a few using the twelve-tone method, which have failed to take a hold in the listening audience or the repertory. This is a striking descent from Copland's output of the early 1940s, which contain several classic and notable works, including "Quiet City" (1941), which Bernstein includes here as an add-on and which I think is easily the best track on the CD. I expect to be attacked for my opinion that the 3rd symphony is a lackluster work, but I find it only intermittently interesting. The highlights include the outer sections of the scherzo (track 2), which remind me of Shostakovich, and of course the "Fanfare for the common man" in the finale. In much of his music, Copland cultivated what I think is an intriguing style: sparse textures with simple, flowing often even rhythms. There is something very American about it and it can yield attractive experiences in his best music. But Copland's problem is that he can only write inspired themes and melodies some of the time. This is apparent throughout his less known music (e. g. the Symphonic Ode) and it submarines a significant portion of his output. The 3rd symphony was ambitiously conceived  and I believe Copland was unable to supply all of the work with really interesting motivic material, although he was able to do so some of the time. Thus, we have the utterly dull Andantino, the indifferent elaboration of the Fanfare in the finale and an opening Molto moderato that has failed to leave any sort of impression on me after repeated listening over the span of years. I also find the effort at monumentality - an emotion that seems to have been alien to the gentle, easy-going composer - off-putting and unsuccessful. Go ahead and flame away. I started listening to this 3rd symphony fifteen years ago, preparing to hear music that lived up to its high reputation, and I have just been consistently disappointed, despite my liking for other Copland. As mentioned, "Quiet City" is a very attractive ten-minute long work depicting a night-time city scene that is done very well by Bernstein, the NY Phil and the two talented soloists, Phil Smith (trumpet) and Thomas Stacy (English Horn). The recorded sonics are early digital and are mediocre with a bit too much glare. 4 stars.