The music of Aaron Copland (1900-1990) has long been recognized for its unique "American" sound and distinctive individuality, as well as its great influence on American music. Copland`s increasingly conscious and literal American orientation becomes especially apparent in Rodeo (1942); it is here that the composer portrays the American West through a concept of "simplicity" we have come to associate with American culture. This illusion of "being simple" is promoted through Copland sophist acted command of compositional techniques and musical language. Musical form, harmony, melody, and other elements in Rodeo all serve to create music that is heard as open, free and consistently interesting-much as we perceive the early days of the American West themselves. This study will help to define Copland`s "simplicity" in Rodeo-"American" in sound.