Lincoln Portrait: Aaron Copland; Katharine Hepburn, speaker..wmv

[@willworkforwages]

I agree with you. Her conviction is absolute. Unlike so many male performers, Ms. Hepburn's delivery isn't bellowing oratory. She is expressing belief and telling a story about our greatest Pressident.

[@NStacey1987]

Played this piece in high school for a middle school that was honoring lincoln. It took us over 6 weeks to learn.

[@Hiram2you]

She sends chills up my spine! What a fantastic recording. Perfect in every way. Gerald F.

[@mir88cee]

gonna play this with my high school band for spring concert! playing first clarinet!

[@FRILIZZOCK]

I have never listened to this one before but an incredible performance, I agree with the previous post this sent chills down my spine as well

[@joshvigh]

"Fanfare for the Common Man" is a short piece and one of his most influential and distinctly American pieces.

[@aresee8208]

It seems to me she speaks this much more like a real person would than most versions I've heard. Most sound like they are lecturing the audience. I prefer this.

[@Richard40171]

We'll find out what Lincoln REALLY sounded like when we hear Daniel Day-Lewis in Spielberg's film (apparently high-pitched, according to historical testimony). The problem is "high-pitched" is a little general anyway. The fact is these are just comments; it doesn't take away from the fact that we're all happy these posts are on youtube! And this is not criticism of the poster who deserves thx for his post. But what kind of forum would this be if everyone said great, divine, superb, beautiful!

[@DanielSinger122]

I have heard a lot of criticism of Hepburn that her voice isnt strong enough for this, essentially that she doesnt have an epic enough voice. I thought this at first but the more I listened, the more I liked it. Her pacing is a lot better than Heston, Peck, and other males I have heard. She also does it with a lot more emotion than the others. This one actually makes me cry. I was actually sobbing by the end of this one

[@johnmumper2341]

Agreed.

[@VtRD]

This version is superb. Even with Kate's shaky voice--there's a lot of talent in that voice. Check out the shorter version with narration by historian Dr. Allen Guelzo--it is on KZbin. Powerful.

[@jochanaan58]

The voice of the elder, the wise woman!

[@ntnstern]

This masterpiece is an overwhelming hymn for humanity and freedom-I think it is not important who speaks it-this performance takes your heart and I think that´s much more than a "strong male voice"!

[@vQlse]

goosebumps!

[@beatsxtin]

He got game brought me here

[@skulldogackley]

I have to do a project on this guy and i need 3 songs under 5 mins.... BUT ALL OF THEM ARE LIKE 10min OR ABOVE!!!!

[@FifthContinentMusic]

Poor old Kate. Her voice was beginning to show the effects of her debilitating condition over time.

[@johnmumper2341]

I agree. BUT... WOW. She makes you feel it. She makes ME feel it.

[@Richard40171]

But the quotations ARE Lincoln's, if I can enlighten you. Look, we're not going to settle this mathematically, like we can prove that 2+2 is 4. KZbin can be a fine forum for the exchange of ideas and POV's or it can be a TZ cornfield episode where we send anyone who disagrees with us to the cornfield. I think I said it all in other posts. BTW I wouldn't want Clint Eastwood to narrate this either. Between a male with a weak voice and a female (Condy Rice) with a strong voice, I'll take Rice.

[@Richard40171]

I have to disagree with comments here. If nothing else, gender-neutral as we hope to be, a text like this calls out for a strong male voice; so far as I know, Lincoln was male. Apart even from the gender issue, Hepburn's voice is not strong enough, quavery, even croaking, most of the time. But each to his (her) own. Thanks for the post.

[@kend.6797]

Agree 100%. The piece requires a Male narrator, and aside from that Hepburn was not up to the task. Not a good recording.

[@Richard40171]

I disagree with your superlatives ("overwhelming hymn for humanity") & generalizations (collective "you"): "takes YOUR heart." Perhaps yours, not mine. Which is not to say I don't like the piece, though many tunes are not Copland's.The music is still unmistakeably his. Anyway, here's my version of the First Amendment: "A well-informed dialogue being necessary to the intelligence of cultured netizens, the right to keep and express different opinions on youtube shall not be infringed."