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Copland’s cheery Appalachian Spring was written for a ballet commissioned in 1944. With its bright wide-open melodies, bounding strings, occasional hoe-down rhythms and sheer optimism, Copland’s piece sums up the American style he represented. French composer Ibert derived his Divertissement from incidental music for the film Un Chapeau de paille d’Italie. Like the Copland the piece is characterised by its colour and humour.