Fanfare for the Common Man
Encyclopedia
Fanfare for the Common Man is a 20th-century American classical music
work by American composer Aaron Copland
. The piece was written in 1942
for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
under conductor
Eugene Goossens
. It was inspired in part by a famous speech made earlier in the same year where vice president Henry A. Wallace
proclaimed the dawning of the "Century of the Common Man". Several cover versions have been made and fragments of work has appeared in many subsequent US and British cultural productions, such as in the musical scores of movies.
is a short piece scored for brass
and percussion
. The fanfare is written for the following instruments:
Copland, in his autobiography, wrote of the request: "Eugene Goossens, conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
, had written to me at the end of August about an idea he wanted to put into action for the 1942-43 concert season. During World War I
he had asked British composers for a fanfare to begin each orchestral concert. It had been so successful that he thought to repeat the procedure in World War II
with American composers". A total of 18 fanfares were written at Goossens' behest, but Copland's is the only one which remains in the standard repertoire.
It was written in response to the US entry into the Second World War and was inspired in part by a famous 1942 speech
where vice president Henry A. Wallace
proclaimed the dawning of the "Century of the Common Man".
Goossens had suggested titles such as Fanfare for Soldiers, or sailors or airmen, and he wrote that "[i]t is my idea to make these fanfares stirring and significant contributions to the war effort...." Copland considered several titles including Fanfare for a Solemn Ceremony and Fanfare for Four Freedoms
; to Goossens' surprise, however, Copland titled the piece Fanfare for the Common Man. Goossen wrote "Its title is as original as its music, and I think it is so telling that it deserves a special occasion for its performance. If it is agreeable to you, we will premiere it 12 March 1943 at income tax
time". Copland's reply was "I [am] all for honoring the common man at income tax time".
Copland later used the fanfare as the main theme
of the fourth movement
of his Third Symphony
(composed between 1944 - 1946.)
on the album Works Volume 1. It became one of the band's biggest hits when an edited version was released as a single that year. It peaked at No. 2 in the UK. Keith Emerson
had long been an admirer of Copland's Americana style, previously using Copland's Hoedown on the band's Trilogy
album in 1972.
An excerpt of Fanfare for the Common Man was used to open the Rolling Stones Tour of The Americas '75, and their Tour of Europe '76 supporting their Black and Blue
album.
The American rock band Styx
has also used the Copland piece. Their 1972 eponymous debut album
opens with a suite called Movement for the Common Man. The third section of the suite, titled Fanfare for the Common Man, is loosely based on the Copland original.
Additionally, the rock band Asia
(which shares the drummer Carl Palmer
from Emerson, Lake & Palmer) often plays a variation of "Fanfare" during their live shows. Different versions have appeared on various live Asia albums over the years as well.
The Woody Herman
Orchestra was known for closing their performances with a jazz rendition of Fanfare for the Common Man. It appears on the 1976 CD Woody Herman • Featuring Stan Getz
Bob Dylan
has also opened his shows with "Fanfare for the Common Man".
Mannheim Steamroller
also has a version on its "American Spirit" album.
TV sport program DeporTV. In Scotland, the BBC used it as the theme to their main news program Reporting Scotland
in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Australian television network Seven Network
used it in the 1980s and early 1990s as the theme music for Seven Sport
broadcasts, and continues to use a teaser version to this day. An early 1980s Canadian television series called "Titans" used Fanfare as its opening theme music.
In the early 1980's when Channel 0/28 (now SBS One) would begin transmission for the night, they would use the Aaron Copeland version as their opening theme. It was also used as the opening theme for the network's very first night of transmission.
During the 1980's, the Nine Network televised a lifestyle program call "World of Boats" (later to be broadened and called "World of Leisure") hosted by Chris Conroy which used the Emerson, Lake and Palmer version as the theme for the program.
In the mid-1990s, the piece was used as background music in United States Navy
recruitment advertisements, as well as the National Cattlemen's Beef Association
's "Beef. It's What's For Dinner
" advertising campaign.
The Chicago Blackhawks
of the NHL have used it as part of a pre-game video introduction of the team before it takes to the ice since moving into the United Center
in 1994.
This piece was used as the postlude at the funeral for Ronald Brown
, Bill Clinton
's Commerce Secretary, on April 10, 1996, at the National Cathedral.
Dan Cole, a radio talk show host on KFAN (AM)
, uses a Woody Herman
version of this piece as the opener of his sports show, the "Common Man Progrum" [sic
]. The piece is played in its entirety but is augmented by audio clips by celebrities such as Dennis Green
, Bill Clinton
and Mike Tice
.
The piece was used during the opening ceremony of the Bullring centre, Birmingham on September 4, 2003.
The piece was played to fireworks at the closing ceremonies of New York's Shea Stadium
on September 28, 2008.
On November 19, 2008, it was played as the wake-up music for the shuttle crew STS-126
for mission pilot Eric A. Boe
.
On January 18, 2009, it was played at the beginning of We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial
. It was also played at the beginning of "An American Reunion", the concert (also at the Lincoln Memorial) on the Saturday prior to the inauguration of Bill Clinton in 1992.
Several feature films employ the piece for dramatic effect. John Williams' original score for Saving Private Ryan
draws heavily on its soundworld (though Copland's piece is not actually heard in the movie). The fanfare functioned as Jimmy King's theme in Ready to Rumble
. The Bollywood film "Parinda" prominently features the piece as background score, including in a haunting opening depicting shots of Bombay.
On October 9, 2004, it was played as Queen Elizabeth II and her procession entered the debating chamber during the opening ceremony of the new Scottish Parliament building
in Edinburgh
.
The first three notes of the piece are coincidentally the same as the sound made by motors of the MR-73 class of cars on the Montreal Métro
as they leave the station and accelerate. "Fanfare for the Common Man" was one of the musical themes for Expo 67
, which was held in Montreal.
On August 28, 2010, it was played at the beginning of Glenn Beck
's Restoring Honor rally
.
On January 12, 2011, the piece opened "Together We Thrive: Tucson and America", the memorial service for the victims of the 2011 Tucson shooting
following the attempted assassination of Gabrielle Giffords
and the murder of six others.
On July 19, 2011, it was played as the wake-up music for the shuttle crew of STS-135
, the final mission for the Space Shuttle Atlantis
and the final overall shuttle mission.
Formula 1 Theme on Rede Globo in year 70/80 in the version of ELP.
English Premier League Football side, Wolverhampton Wanderers play the introduction to the song before all home matches, followed by Jeff Beck's
version of Hi Ho Silver Lining.
American classical music
American classical music is music written in the United States but in the European classical music tradition. In many cases, beginning in the 18th century, it has been influenced by American folk music styles; and from the 20th century to the present day it has often been influenced by folk, jazz,...
work by American composer Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later in his career a conductor of his own and other American music. He was instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition, and is often referred to as "the Dean of American Composers"...
. The piece was written in 1942
1942 in music
- Events :*July 21 - In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the Goldman Band performs a unique concert, playing all original works. This was the first time a concert of music originally composed for the wind ensemble had been performed....
for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
As the fifth oldest orchestra in the United States, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has a legacy of fine music making as reflected in its performances in historic Music Hall, recordings, and international tours...
under conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
Eugene Goossens
Eugène Aynsley Goossens
Sir Eugene Aynsley Goossens was an English conductor and composer.-Biography:He was born in Camden Town, London, the son of the Belgian conductor and violinist Eugène Goossens and the grandson of the conductor Eugène Goossens...
. It was inspired in part by a famous speech made earlier in the same year where vice president Henry A. Wallace
Henry A. Wallace
Henry Agard Wallace was the 33rd Vice President of the United States , the Secretary of Agriculture , and the Secretary of Commerce . In the 1948 presidential election, Wallace was the nominee of the Progressive Party.-Early life:Henry A...
proclaimed the dawning of the "Century of the Common Man". Several cover versions have been made and fragments of work has appeared in many subsequent US and British cultural productions, such as in the musical scores of movies.
Instrumentation
A fanfareFanfare
A Fanfare is a relatively short piece of music that is typically played by trumpets and other brass instruments often accompanied by percussion...
is a short piece scored for brass
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
and percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
. The fanfare is written for the following instruments:
- four french hornsHorn (instrument)The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
(in F) - three trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s (in B) - three tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
s - tubaTubaThe tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
- timpaniTimpaniTimpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
- gongGongA gong is an East and South East Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat metal disc which is hit with a mallet....
- bass drumBass drumBass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
The Fanfare
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
As the fifth oldest orchestra in the United States, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has a legacy of fine music making as reflected in its performances in historic Music Hall, recordings, and international tours...
, had written to me at the end of August about an idea he wanted to put into action for the 1942-43 concert season. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he had asked British composers for a fanfare to begin each orchestral concert. It had been so successful that he thought to repeat the procedure in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with American composers". A total of 18 fanfares were written at Goossens' behest, but Copland's is the only one which remains in the standard repertoire.
It was written in response to the US entry into the Second World War and was inspired in part by a famous 1942 speech
where vice president Henry A. Wallace
Henry A. Wallace
Henry Agard Wallace was the 33rd Vice President of the United States , the Secretary of Agriculture , and the Secretary of Commerce . In the 1948 presidential election, Wallace was the nominee of the Progressive Party.-Early life:Henry A...
proclaimed the dawning of the "Century of the Common Man".
Goossens had suggested titles such as Fanfare for Soldiers, or sailors or airmen, and he wrote that "[i]t is my idea to make these fanfares stirring and significant contributions to the war effort...." Copland considered several titles including Fanfare for a Solemn Ceremony and Fanfare for Four Freedoms
Four Freedoms
The Four Freedoms were goals articulated by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt on January 6, 1941. In an address known as the Four Freedoms speech , he proposed four fundamental freedoms that people "everywhere in the world" ought to enjoy:# Freedom of speech and expression# Freedom of worship#...
; to Goossens' surprise, however, Copland titled the piece Fanfare for the Common Man. Goossen wrote "Its title is as original as its music, and I think it is so telling that it deserves a special occasion for its performance. If it is agreeable to you, we will premiere it 12 March 1943 at income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
time". Copland's reply was "I [am] all for honoring the common man at income tax time".
Copland later used the fanfare as the main theme
Theme (music)
In music, a theme is the material, usually a recognizable melody, upon which part or all of a composition is based.-Characteristics:A theme may be perceivable as a complete musical expression in itself, separate from the work in which it is found . In contrast to an idea or motif, a theme is...
of the fourth movement
Movement (music)
A movement is a self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession...
of his Third Symphony
Symphony No. 3 (Copland)
Symphony No. 3 was Aaron Copland's third and final symphony, its premiere performance taking place on October 18, 1946, by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Serge Koussevitsky.It was written at the end of World War II...
(composed between 1944 - 1946.)
Alternative versions
Copland's fanfare was used in 1977 by British rock band Emerson, Lake & PalmerEmerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
on the album Works Volume 1. It became one of the band's biggest hits when an edited version was released as a single that year. It peaked at No. 2 in the UK. Keith Emerson
Keith Emerson
Keith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970...
had long been an admirer of Copland's Americana style, previously using Copland's Hoedown on the band's Trilogy
Trilogy (Emerson, Lake & Palmer album)
Trilogy is the third studio album by the English progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released in 1972. The front cover depicts Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, while the interior of the original gatefold sleeve features a photomontage showing multiple images of the band in Epping Forest...
album in 1972.
An excerpt of Fanfare for the Common Man was used to open the Rolling Stones Tour of The Americas '75, and their Tour of Europe '76 supporting their Black and Blue
Black and Blue
Black and Blue is the 13th British and 15th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1976. It was the band's first studio album released with Ronnie Wood as the replacement for Mick Taylor...
album.
The American rock band Styx
Styx (band)
Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
has also used the Copland piece. Their 1972 eponymous debut album
Styx (album)
Styx is the self-titled debut album by Styx, released in 1972. It was reissued in 1980 under the title Styx I with new artwork.-Track listing:#"Movement for the Common Man" – 13:11#*"Children of the Land" #*"Street Collage"...
opens with a suite called Movement for the Common Man. The third section of the suite, titled Fanfare for the Common Man, is loosely based on the Copland original.
Additionally, the rock band Asia
Asia (band)
Asia are an English rock group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a supergroup as it included former members of several veteran progressive rock bands, namely John Wetton , Geoff Downes , Steve Howe and Carl Palmer Asia are an English rock group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a...
(which shares the drummer Carl Palmer
Carl Palmer
Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist. He is credited as one of the most respected rock drummers to emerge from the 1960s...
from Emerson, Lake & Palmer) often plays a variation of "Fanfare" during their live shows. Different versions have appeared on various live Asia albums over the years as well.
The Woody Herman
Woody Herman
Woodrow Charles Herman , known as Woody Herman, was an American jazz clarinetist, alto and soprano saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading various groups called "The Herd," Herman was one of the most popular of the 1930s and '40s bandleaders...
Orchestra was known for closing their performances with a jazz rendition of Fanfare for the Common Man. It appears on the 1976 CD Woody Herman • Featuring Stan Getz
Stan Getz
Stanley Getz was an American jazz saxophone player. Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of his idol, Lester Young. Coming to prominence in the late 1940s with Woody Herman's big band, Getz is described by critic Scott...
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
has also opened his shows with "Fanfare for the Common Man".
Mannheim Steamroller
Mannheim Steamroller
Mannheim Steamroller is an American music group founded by Chip Davis and Jackson Berkey, known primarily for its modern recordings of Christmas music. The group has sold 28 million albums in the U.S. alone.-Beginnings:...
also has a version on its "American Spirit" album.
On television and other media
The fanfare has found much use as a theme for television programs. In the United States, Emerson, Lake and Palmer's arrangement of Fanfare for the Common Man was the opening theme song for the CBS Sports Spectacular. In Mexico, it was the main title theme of TV AztecaTV Azteca
Azteca, is the second largest Mexican television entertainment. It was established in 1983 as the state-owned Instituto Mexicano de la Televisión , a holding of the national TV networks channel 13 and 7 and was privatized under its current name in 1993 and now is part of Grupo Salinas...
TV sport program DeporTV. In Scotland, the BBC used it as the theme to their main news program Reporting Scotland
Reporting Scotland
Reporting Scotland is BBC Scotland's national television news programme. The programme first aired on 1 April 1968, with three main presenters - the most famous being Mary Marquis...
in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Australian television network Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
used it in the 1980s and early 1990s as the theme music for Seven Sport
Seven Sport
Seven Sport is the brand that all sporting events broadcast on the Seven Network are broadcast under.-History:The Seven Network is a major player in Australian sports broadcasting. Before 1999, Seven telecasted all matches of the Australian Football League. However, in 2000 Nine and pay TV provider...
broadcasts, and continues to use a teaser version to this day. An early 1980s Canadian television series called "Titans" used Fanfare as its opening theme music.
In the early 1980's when Channel 0/28 (now SBS One) would begin transmission for the night, they would use the Aaron Copeland version as their opening theme. It was also used as the opening theme for the network's very first night of transmission.
During the 1980's, the Nine Network televised a lifestyle program call "World of Boats" (later to be broadened and called "World of Leisure") hosted by Chris Conroy which used the Emerson, Lake and Palmer version as the theme for the program.
In the mid-1990s, the piece was used as background music in United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
recruitment advertisements, as well as the National Cattlemen's Beef Association
National Cattlemen's Beef Association
National Cattlemen's Beef Association or NCBA, an advocacy group for beef producers in the United States, reports that it works "to increase profit opportunities for cattle and beef producers by enhancing the business climate and building consumer demand."The NCBA operates the Cattle Industry...
's "Beef. It's What's For Dinner
Beef. It's What's For Dinner
"Beef. It's What's For Dinner" is an American advertising slogan and campaign aimed to promote the benefits of incorporating beef into a healthy diet...
" advertising campaign.
The Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
of the NHL have used it as part of a pre-game video introduction of the team before it takes to the ice since moving into the United Center
United Center
The United Center is an indoor sports arena located in Chicago. It is named after its corporate sponsor, United Airlines. The United Center is home to both the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
in 1994.
This piece was used as the postlude at the funeral for Ronald Brown
Ronald Brown
Ronald Brown or Ron Brown may refer to:*Ronald K. Brown , American dancer and choreographer*Ron Brown , American football player and Olympic athlete...
, Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
's Commerce Secretary, on April 10, 1996, at the National Cathedral.
Dan Cole, a radio talk show host on KFAN (AM)
KFAN (AM)
* See also KFXN-FMKTCN —branded News/Talk 1130—is a commercial radio station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, broadcasting a conservative news/talk format. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications, and serves the Twin Cities market. KTCN's main studios are in St...
, uses a Woody Herman
Woody Herman
Woodrow Charles Herman , known as Woody Herman, was an American jazz clarinetist, alto and soprano saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading various groups called "The Herd," Herman was one of the most popular of the 1930s and '40s bandleaders...
version of this piece as the opener of his sports show, the "Common Man Progrum" [sic
Sic
Sic—generally inside square brackets, [sic], and occasionally parentheses, —when added just after a quote or reprinted text, indicates the passage appears exactly as in the original source...
]. The piece is played in its entirety but is augmented by audio clips by celebrities such as Dennis Green
Dennis Green
Dennis "Denny" Green is an American football head coach for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League...
, Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and Mike Tice
Mike Tice
Michael Peter Tice is an American football National Football League coach, best known as the former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. He is currently the offensive line coach for the Chicago Bears.-Playing career:...
.
The piece was used during the opening ceremony of the Bullring centre, Birmingham on September 4, 2003.
The piece was played to fireworks at the closing ceremonies of New York's Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
on September 28, 2008.
On November 19, 2008, it was played as the wake-up music for the shuttle crew STS-126
STS-126
-Crew notes:Originally scheduled to fly on STS-126 was Joan E. Higginbotham, who was a mission specialist on STS-116. On 21 November 2007, NASA announced a change in the crew manifest due to Higginbotham's decision to leave NASA to take a job in the private sector. Stephen G...
for mission pilot Eric A. Boe
Eric A. Boe
Colonel Eric A. Boe, USAF , in Miami, Florida) is an Air Force fighter pilot, test pilot and a NASA astronaut. He flew as the pilot of Space Shuttle missions STS-126 and STS-133.-Early life and education:...
.
On January 18, 2009, it was played at the beginning of We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial
We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial
We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial was a public celebration of the then forthcoming inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States at the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on January 18, 2009. By some estimates the...
. It was also played at the beginning of "An American Reunion", the concert (also at the Lincoln Memorial) on the Saturday prior to the inauguration of Bill Clinton in 1992.
Several feature films employ the piece for dramatic effect. John Williams' original score for Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. It was directed by Steven Spielberg, with a screenplay by Robert Rodat. The film is notable for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes, which depicts the Omaha Beach assault of June 6, 1944....
draws heavily on its soundworld (though Copland's piece is not actually heard in the movie). The fanfare functioned as Jimmy King's theme in Ready to Rumble
Ready to Rumble
Ready to Rumble is a 2000 American comedy film directed by Brian Robbins and written by Steven Brill, which is based on Turner Broadcasting's now defunct professional wrestling promotion, World Championship Wrestling...
. The Bollywood film "Parinda" prominently features the piece as background score, including in a haunting opening depicting shots of Bombay.
On October 9, 2004, it was played as Queen Elizabeth II and her procession entered the debating chamber during the opening ceremony of the new Scottish Parliament building
Scottish Parliament Building
The Scottish Parliament Building is the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Edinburgh. Construction of the building commenced in June 1999 and the Members of the Scottish Parliament held their first debate in the new building on 7...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
The first three notes of the piece are coincidentally the same as the sound made by motors of the MR-73 class of cars on the Montreal Métro
Montreal Metro
The Montreal Metro is a rubber-tired metro system, and the main form of public transportation underground in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
as they leave the station and accelerate. "Fanfare for the Common Man" was one of the musical themes for Expo 67
Expo 67
The 1967 International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67, as it was commonly known, was the general exhibition, Category One World's Fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It is considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with the...
, which was held in Montreal.
On August 28, 2010, it was played at the beginning of Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck
Glenn Edward Lee Beck is an American conservative radio host, vlogger, author, entrepreneur, political commentator and former television host. He hosts the Glenn Beck Program, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks...
's Restoring Honor rally
Restoring Honor rally
The Restoring Honor rally was held on August 28, 2010 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. and was organized by Glenn Beck to "restore honor in America" and to raise funds for the non-profit Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Billed as a "celebration of America's heroes and heritage,"...
.
On January 12, 2011, the piece opened "Together We Thrive: Tucson and America", the memorial service for the victims of the 2011 Tucson shooting
2011 Tucson shooting
On January 8, 2011, a mass shooting occurred near Tucson, Arizona. Nineteen people were shot, six of them fatally, with one other person injured at the scene during an open meeting that U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was holding with members of her constituency in a Casas Adobes Safeway...
following the attempted assassination of Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Dee "Gabby" Giffords is an American politician. A Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, she has represented since 2007. She is the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to the U.S. Congress...
and the murder of six others.
On July 19, 2011, it was played as the wake-up music for the shuttle crew of STS-135
STS-135
STS-135 was the final mission of the American Space Shuttle program. It used the orbiter Atlantis and hardware originally processed for the STS-335 contingency mission, which was not flown. STS-135 launched on 8 July and was originally scheduled to land on 20 July 2011, but the mission was...
, the final mission for the Space Shuttle Atlantis
Space Shuttle Atlantis
The Space Shuttle Atlantis is a retired Space Shuttle orbiter in the Space Shuttle fleet belonging to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , the spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States...
and the final overall shuttle mission.
Formula 1 Theme on Rede Globo in year 70/80 in the version of ELP.
English Premier League Football side, Wolverhampton Wanderers play the introduction to the song before all home matches, followed by Jeff Beck's
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
version of Hi Ho Silver Lining.