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Post by jk on Aug 25, 2020 4:06:18 GMT -5
The multi-talented Leonard Bernstein was born 102 years ago today, as good a reason as any to give him his own topic. The title comes from a remark he made when visiting Amsterdam's concert hall (Concertgebouw) and seeing the name "Dopper" amidst all the famous composers' names emblazoned on the balcony edges and walls (I shall start delving into Lennie's wide-ranging musical career next time):  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Bernsteinen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelis_Dopper |
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Post by jk on Aug 26, 2020 5:38:42 GMT -5
My first Bernstein acquisition was at the close of 1966 (the musical year of years), when Bernstein Conducts Ives was first released: :format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-10100426-1496475335-7755.jpeg.jpg) Knowing little of Charles Ives at the time, this LP was a revelation. But it was the closing piece, The Unanswered Question, that turned my musical world upside down. See the link for a description of this extraordinary work. You'll need to whip up the volume, otherwise you'll miss the hushed strings at the beginning: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unanswered_Question |
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Post by jk on Aug 28, 2020 4:40:09 GMT -5
My son bought me Lenny's live ( sans audience noise) 1981 recording of César Franck's Symphonie sometime in the late '80s, early '90s. I remember years earlier having the central movement's nervous string motif playing in my head as I scrambled frantically through undergrowth and whatnot on my cross-country journey to meet an appointment.  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_in_D_minor_(Franck) |
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Post by jk on Sept 6, 2020 6:20:53 GMT -5
Here's Lennie (with another musical giant of the 20th century, the Canadian pianist Glenn Gould, here aged 28) introducing and conducting a work by a musical giant of centuries past. This is for halblaineisgood aka treatzapiza, hoping he is doing well: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harpsichord_Concerto_in_D_minor,_BWV_1052 |
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Post by jk on Oct 2, 2020 7:43:43 GMT -5
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Post by jk on Oct 13, 2020 15:16:11 GMT -5
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Post by jk on Oct 22, 2020 15:20:48 GMT -5
By way of an interlude, here is a highly regarded work by the Dutch composer Cornelis Dopper, whose name on a balcony ledge in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw caused Bernstein to query it in no uncertain terms (see topic title and opening post). Ciaconna Gotica (1920) can be followed in an annotated but highly legible copy of the score: Dedicated to Willem Mengelberg and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra 1. Adagio mesto, con molta tristezza 2. Largo 3. Adagio mesto 4. Allegretto - Moderato Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kees Bakels (1995) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelis_Dopper |
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Post by jk on Dec 22, 2020 6:04:33 GMT -5
This is very cool. Lenny conducts his Prelude, Fugue and Riffs in the programme Omnibus - The World of Jazz, broadcast on 16 October 1955. The clarinet soloist is Al Gallodoro. Big shout-out to commenter Steve Shulman for listing the performers: TRUMPETS: Lou Oles, Bernie Glow, Al de Risi, Louis Mucci. TROMBONES: Urbie Green, Frank Siracco, Erwin Price. SAXES: Danny Bank (bass), Boomie Richman (tenor), Romeo Penque (tenor and clarinet), Sam Marowitz (alto), Al Gallodoro (alto and [solo] clarinet). VIBES: Phil Kraus. PIANO: Bernie Leighton. BASS: Jack Lesberg. DRUMS: Sol Gubin. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prelude,_Fugue,_and_Riffs |
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Post by jk on Jan 31, 2021 15:55:19 GMT -5
I heard a great anecdote about our Lenny on the telly this evening from ace Dutch guitarist Harry Sacksioni. It's in his autobiography, he says, so it's safe enough to repeat it (I hope). Sacksioni had been invited to a big party held by his then record label Polygram in a castle somewhere in Germany, I can't recall where. He was talking to one of the label people about the musicians he admired, not just guitarists but also the likes of, well... Leonard Bernstein. "Bernstein? ", his host almost exploded, "He's here tonight! Would you like to meet him?" Well yes, he did! So off they go to find him in one of the crowded semi-lit rooms. And then they came upon Lenny from behind. On being introduced to the Dutch guitarist, he swung round but ignored Harry's outstretched hand. Not a tall man, certainly when measured against Mr Sacksioni, Lenny looked up at his face and then proceeded to slowly continue his gaze down the length of his body. Once at his feet, the gaze slowly continued back up, stopping about halfway (!) before carrying on to his face. Then, in measured tones, he enquired of Harry, who was 25 at the time: "What time can you be at my room, boy?" Oh dear.  |
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Post by jk on Dec 22, 2023 14:43:24 GMT -5
We left this thread dangling on a somewhat sour note nearly three years ago (!) but having just watched the 1961 version of West Side Story on TV it’s time to revive it along more positive lines. (Why anyone would stoop to doing a remake of this classic musical film is quite beyond me.) Bernstein and Sondheim's timeless OST includes half a dozen songs familiar the world over but also the lesser-known likes of "Cool": en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Story_(1961_soundtrack) |
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Post by jk on Dec 27, 2023 10:34:41 GMT -5
Bernstein was only thirty when he conducted the world premiere of Olivier Messiaen's gigantic and prodigiously complex Turangalîla-Symphonie, on 2 December 1949, having taken over from its ailing dedicatee, the Russian-born naturalized American conductor Serge Koussevitzky, at the shortest notice. The performance itself was not recorded; all we have is part of a rehearsal under Bernstein, an extraordinary historical document in itself, with an introduction by Koussevitzky: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turangal%C3%AEla-Symphonie |
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", his host almost exploded, "He's here tonight! Would you like to meet him?" Well yes, he did! 