Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He took piano lessons as a boy and attended the Garrison and Boston Latin Schools. At Harvard University, he studied with Walter Piston, Edward Burlingame-Hill, and A. Tillman Merritt, among others. Before graduating in 1939, he made an unofficial conducting debut with his own incidental music to "The Birds," and directed and performed in Marc Blitzstein's "The Cradle Will Rock." Then at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, he studied piano with Isabella Vengerova, conducting with Fritz Reiner, and orchestration with Randall Thompson. In 1940, he studied at the Boston Symphony Orchestra's newly created summer institute, Tanglewood, with the orchestra's conductor, Serge Koussevitzky. Bernstein later became Koussevitzky's conducting assistant. Bernstein was appointed to his first permanent conducting post in 1943, as Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic. On November 14, 1943, Bernstein substituted on a few hours notice for the ailing Bruno Walter at a Carnegie Hall concert, which was broadcast nationally on radio, receiving critical acclaim. Soon orchestras worldwide sought him out as a guest conductor. In 1945 he was appointed Music Director of the New York City Symphony Orchestra, a post he held until 1947. After Serge Koussevitzky died in 1951, Bernstein headed the orchestral and conducting departments at Tanglewood, teaching there for many years. In 1951 he married the Chilean actress and pianist, Felicia Montealegre. He was also visiting music professor, and head of the Creative Arts Festivals at Brandeis University in the early 1950s. Bernstein became Music Director of the New York Philharmonic in 1958. From then until 1969 he led more concerts with the orchestra than any previous conductor. He subsequently held the lifetime title of Laureate Conductor, making frequent guest appearances with the orchestra. More than half of Bernstein's 400-plus recordings were made with the New York Philharmonic. Bernstein traveled the world as a conductor. Immediately after World War II, in 1946, he conducted in London and at the International Music Festival in Prague. In 1947 he conducted in Tel Aviv, beginning a relationship with Israel that lasted until his death. In 1953, Bernstein was the first American to conduct opera at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan: Cherubini's "Medea" with Maria Callas. Bernstein was a leading advocate of American composers, particularly Aaron Copland. The two remained close friends for life. As a young pianist, Bernstein performed Copland's "Piano Variations" so often he considered the composition his trademark. Bernstein programmed and recorded nearly all of the Copland orchestral works --many of them twice. He devoted several televised "Young People's Concerts" to Copland, and gave the premiere of Copland's "Connotations," commissioned for the opening of Philharmonic Hall (now Avery Fisher Hall) at Lincoln Center in 1962. While Bernstein's conducting repertoire encompassed the standard literature, he may be best remembered for his performances and recordings of Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann, Sibelius and Mahler. Particularly notable were his performances of the Mahler symphonies with the New York Philharmonic in the 1960s, sparking a renewed interest in the works of Mahler. Inspired by his Jewish heritage, Bernstein completed his first large-scale work: Symphony No. 1: "Jeremiah." (1943). The piece was first performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 1944, conducted by the composer, and received the New York Music Critics' Award. Koussevitzky premiered Bernstein's Symphony No. 2: "The Age of Anxiety" with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Bernstein as piano soloist. His Symphony No. 3: "Kaddish," composed in 1963, was premiered by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. "Kaddish" is dedicated "To the Beloved Memory of John F. Kennedy." Other major compositions by Bernstein include "Prelude, Fugue and Riffs" for solo clarinet and jazz ensemble (1949); "Serenade" for violin, strings and percussion, (1954); "Symphonic Dances from West Side Story," (1960); "Chichester Psalms" for chorus, boy soprano and orchestra (1965); "Mass: A Theater Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers," commissioned for the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, and first produced there in 1971; "Songfest" a song cycle for six singers and orchestra (1977); "Divertimento," for orchestra (1980); "Halil," for solo flute and small orchestra (1981); "Touches," for solo piano (1981); "Missa Brevis" for singers and percussion (1988); "Thirteen Anniversaries" for solo piano (1988); "Concerto for Orchestra: Jubilee Games," (1989); and "Arias and Barcarolles" for two singers and piano duet (1988). Bernstein also wrote a one-act opera, "Trouble in Tahiti," in 1952, and its sequel, the three-act opera, "A Quiet Place" in 1983. He collaborated with choreographer Jerome Robbins on three major ballets: "Fancy Free" (1944) and "Facsimile" (1946) for the American Ballet theater; and "Dybbuk" (1975) for the New York City Ballet. He composed the score for the award-winning movie "On the Waterfront" (1954) and incidental music for two Broadway plays: "Peter Pan" (1950) and "The Lark" (1955). Bernstein contributed substantially to the Broadway musical stage. He collaborated with Betty Comden and Adolph Green on "On The Town" (1944) and "Wonderful Town" (1953). In collaboration with Richard Wilbur and Lillian Hellman and others he wrote "Candide" (1956). Other versions of "Candide" were written in association with Hugh Wheeler, Stephen Sondheim et al. In 1957 he again collaborated with Jerome Robbins, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents, on the landmark musical "West Side Story," also made into the Academy Award-winning film. In 1976 Bernstein and Alan Jay Lerner wrote "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue." Festivals of Bernstein's music have been produced throughout the world. In 1978 the Israel Philharmonic sponsored a festival commemorating his years of dedication to Israel. The Israel Philharmonic also bestowed on him the lifetime title of Laureate Conductor in 1988. In 1986 the London Symphony Orchestra and the Barbican Centre produced a Bernstein Festival. The London Symphony Orchestra in 1987 named him Honorary President. In 1989 the city of Bonn presented a Beethoven/Bernstein Festival. In 1985 the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences honored Mr. Bernstein with the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award. He won eleven Emmy Awards in his career. His televised concert and lecture series started with the "Omnibus" program in 1954, followed by the extraordinary "Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic," in 1958 that extended over fourteen seasons. Among his many appearances on the PBS series "Great Performances" was the eleven-part acclaimed "Bernstein's Beethoven." In 1989, Bernstein and others commemorated the 1939 invasion of Poland in a worldwide telecast from Warsaw. Bernstein's writings were published in "the Joy of Music" (1959), "Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts"(1961), "The Infinite Variety of Music" (1966), and "Findings" (1982). Each has been widely translated. He gave six lectures at Harvard University in 1972-1973 as the Charles Eliot Norton Professor of Poetry. These lectures were subsequently published and televised as "The Unanswered Question." Bernstein always rejoiced in opportunities to teach young musicians. His master classes at Tanglewood were famous. He was instrumental in founding the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute in 1982. He helped create a world class training orchestra at the Schleswig Holstein Music Festival. He founded the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan. Modeled after Tanglewood, this international festival was the first of its kind in Asia and continues to this day. Bernstein received many honors. He was elected in 1981 to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, which gave him a Gold Medal. The National Fellowship Award in 1985 applauded his life-long support of humanitarian causes. He received the MacDowell Colony's Gold Medal; medals from the Beethoven Society and the Mahler Gesellschaft; the Handel Medallion, New York City's highest honor for the arts; a Tony award (1969) for Distinguished Achievement in the Theater; and dozens of honorary degrees and awards from colleges and universities. He was presented ceremonial keys to the cities of Oslo, Vienna, Bersheeva and the village of Bernstein, Austria, among others. National honors came from Italy, Israel, Mexico, Denmark, Germany (the Great Merit Cross), and France (Chevalier, Officer and Commandeur of the Legion d'Honneur). He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1980. World peace was a particular concern of Bernstein. Speaking at Johns Hopkins University in 1980 and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York in 1983, he described his vision of global harmony. His "Journey for Peace" tour to Athens and Hiroshima with the European Community Orchestra in 1985, commemorated the 40th anniversary of the atom bomb. In December 1989, Bernstein conducted the historic "Berlin Celebration Concerts" on both sides of the Berlin Wall, as it was being dismantled. The concerts were unprecedented gestures of cooperation, the musicians representing the former East Germany, West Germany, and the four powers that had partitioned Berlin after World War II. Bernstein supported Amnesty International from its inception. To benefit the effort in 1987, he established the Felicia Montealegre Fund in memory of his wife who died in 1978. In 1990, Bernstein received the Praemium Imperiale, an international prize created in 1988 by the Japan Arts Association and awarded for lifetime achievement in the arts. Bernstein used the $100,000 prize to establish The Bernstein Education Through the Arts (BETA) Fund, Inc. before his death on October 14, 1990. Bernstein was the father of three children -- Jamie, Alexander, and Nina -- and the grandfather of four: Francisca, Evan, Anya and Anna.
ALBUM
Una raccolta completa degli album di Leonard Bernstein, dalle prime produzioni ai successi più recenti.
Leonard Bernstein
The Maestro – Very Best of Leonard Bernstein
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Mahler: Symphony No. 5
NEW SD
Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: Bizet - Brahms
Vol. 3
Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: Britten - Harris
Vol. 4
Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: Haydn - Liszt
Vol. 5
Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: Mahler
Vol. 6
Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: Mendelssohn - Mozart
Vol. 7
Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: Puccini - Shostakovich
Vol. 8
New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Mahler: Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"
NEW SD
Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: Sibelius – Stravinsky
Vol. 9
Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: Tchaikovsky – Wagner
Vol. 10Coro dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Leonard Bernstein
Puccini: La Bohème
2 CDsMstislav Rostropovich, Paul Sacher, Herbert von Karajan
Rostropovich - Chefs D'Oeuvres Pour Violoncelle
2 CDs
Los Angeles Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue; Prelude for Piano No. 2 / Bernstein: Symphonic Dances From "West Side Story"
NEWLouise Edeiken, Tatiana Troyanos, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue / Barber: Adagio for Strings; Overture / Bernstein: On the Town
Leonard Bernstein, William Steinberg
A Copland Weekend
West Side Story – Cast 2021, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
West Side Story
Original Motion Picture SoundtrackBerliner Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Mahler: Symphony No. 9
Edda Moser, Hanna Schwarz, René Kollo
Beethoven: Missa Solemnis
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Gustav Mahler: Symphonies 1 & 5 etc.
2 CDs
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Beethoven: Symphony No.9 in D Minor, Op. 125
Remastered 2017 / Live at Musikverein, Vienna / 1979
Leonard Bernstein
Schubert / Mendelssohn / Schumann
6 CD's
Margaret Price, Judith Blegen, Trudeliese Schmidt
Mahler: Symphony No. 8 "Symphony of a Thousand"
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Leonard Bernstein
Beethoven: Symphony No.9 in D Minor, Op.125
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Johannes Brahms: Symphonien & Konzerte
Live
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Beethoven: String Quartet No.14 in C Sharp Minor, Op.131; String Quartet No.16 in F, Op.135
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Beethoven: String Quartet No.14 In C Sharp Minor, Op.131
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Beethoven: 9 Symphonies
Non-limited
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein - The Final Concert
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Mendelssohn: Symphony No.3, Hebrides Overture
Live At Deutsches Museum, Kongress-Saal, Munich / 1979
Montserrat Caballé, Michael Wager, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Bernstein: Symphony No.3 "Kaddish", Dybbuk Suite No.2
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet, Francesca da Rimini
Live At Frederic R. Mann Auditorium, Tel Aviv / 1978
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Mendelssohn: Symphonies No.4 "Italian" & No.5 "Reformation"
Live At Frederic R. Mann Auditorium, Tel Aviv / 1978
Gidon Kremer, Ruth Mense, Dicky Tarrach
Bernstein: Serenade, Fancy Free
Live At Frederic R. Mann Auditorium, Tel Aviv / 1979
National Symphony Orchestra Washington, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: Songfest, Chichester Psalms
Adriana Maliponte, Marilyn Horne, James McCracken
Bizet: Carmen, WD 31
Gidon Kremer, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: Serenade, Fancy Free
Live At Frederic R. Mann Auditorium, Tel Aviv / 1979
Montserrat Caballé, Leonard Bernstein, Nicolai Ghiaurov
R. Strauss: Selections From "Salome", 5 Songs; Boito: Mefistofele (Prologo)
Montserrat Caballé, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Leonard Bernstein
R. Strauss: Selections From "Salome", 5 Songs; Boito: Mefistofele (Prologo)
Christa Ludwig, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein, Lukas Foss
Bernstein: Symphony No.1 "Jeremiah" & No.2 "The Age of Anxiety"
Live At Philharmonie, Berlin / 1977 / 96kHz/16Bit
Christa Ludwig, Lukas Foss, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Bernstein: Symphony No.1 "Jeremiah" & No.2 "The Age of Anxiety"
Live At Philharmonie, Berlin / 1977
Kiri Te Kanawa, José Carreras, Tatiana Troyanos
Bernstein: West Side Story
96kHz/16Bit
Edda Moser, Hanna Schwarz, René Kollo
Beethoven: Mass In D, Op.123 "Missa Solemnis"
Live At Concertgebouw, Amsterdam / 1978
Gundula Janowitz, Lucia Popp, René Kollo
Beethoven: Fidelio Op.72
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein & Wiener Philharmoniker
Kenneth Riegel, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Liszt: A Faust Symphony, S.108
Los Angeles Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Copland: Appalachian Spring / W. H. Schuman: American Festival Overture / Barber: Adagio For Strings, Op.11 / Bernstein: Overture Candide
Live From Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco / 1982
New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.5; Romeo & Juliet
New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.4; Francesca da Rimini
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein - Theatre Works on Deutsche Grammophon
Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein conducts Bernstein
7 CDs
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Wiener Philharmoniker
Beethoven: The Amnesty International Concert; Symphonies Nos.7 & 9; Overtures; String Quartet Arr.; Missa solemnis
6 CDsLeonard Bernstein Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: West Side Story - Highlights
New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Harris: Symphony No.3 In One Movement / Schuman, W.H.: Symphony No.3
Live At Avery Fisher Hall, New York / 1985
Los Angeles Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: West Side Story - Symphonic Dances
Leonard Bernstein, Hildegard Behrens, Peter Hofmann
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
Leonard Bernstein, Hildegard Behrens, Peter Hofmann
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (Highlights)
Judith Blegen, Brigitte Fassbaender, Claes-Håkon Ahnsjö
Haydn: Mass in C "Missa in Tempore Belli"
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Bizet: Carmen
3 CD's
Berliner Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Mahler: Symphony No.9
192 kHz / 24 Bit / LiveGwyneth Jones, Hanna Schwarz, René Kollo
Beethoven: Symphony No.9
Live At Staatsoper, Vienna / 1979Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: West Side Story; Candide
3 CDsIsrael Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: Chichester Psalms; Symphony No.3 "Kaddish"
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Brahms: Symphony No.1 / Beethoven: Overtures "Egmont" & "Coriolan"
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Brahms: Symphony No.4 in E Minor op.98; Tragic Overture op.81
New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies No.5 & No.6 "Pathétique"; Nutcracker; Romeo & Juliet
2 CDsIsrael Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Tchaikovsky: Overture "1812"; Romeo and Juliet; Capriccio italien
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos.3 "Scottish" & 4 "Italian"
Leonard Bernstein
The Leonard Bernstein Collection - Volume 1 - Part 2
Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Leonard Bernstein
Debussy: La Mer; Images; Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Charles Ives: Symphony No.2
London Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: Candide
2 CD'sChicago Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos.1 & 7 "Leningrad"
2 CD'sIsrael Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Dvorák: Symphony No.9 "From The New World"; Slavonic Dances Op.46
English Bach Festival Percussion Ensemble, English Bach Festival Orchestra, Members of the, Leonard Bernstein
Stravinsky: Les Noces; Mass
Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Leonard Bernstein
Mahler: Symphony No.9 In D
Live In Amsterdam / 1985
New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Mahler: Symphony No.7 In E Minor
Live At Avery Fisher Hall, New York / 1985
Leonard Bernstein, Wiener Philharmoniker
Mahler: Symphonies Nos. 8 In E Flat - "Symphony Of A Thousand" & 10 In F Sharp (Unfinished) - Adagio
Live At Vienna / 1974 & 1975Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Mahler: Symphony No.4
Leonard Bernstein
Mozart: Symphonies; Mass K.427; Requiem K.626
6 CDs
Kiri Te Kanawa, Marilyn Horne, Tatiana Troyanos
Bernstein: West Side Story
Live From RCA, Studio A, New York / 1984
Orchestre National de France, Leonard Bernstein
Franck: Symphony In D Minor; Roussel: Symphony No.3
Leonard Bernstein
The Leonard Bernstein Collection - Volume 1 - Part 1
Leonard Bernstein
The Leonard Bernstein Collection - Volume 1 - Part 4
Leonard Bernstein
The Leonard Bernstein Collection - Volume 1 - Part 3
Nicolai Ghiaurov, Wiener Staatsopernchor, Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen
Boito: Mefistofele - Prologue
CD 59New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Copland: Symphony No. 3; Quiet City
New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Ives: Central Park In The Dark
Live From Avery Fisher Hall, New York / 1987Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Bruckner: Symphony No.9
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps; Petrouchka
Leonard Bernstein, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
Australian Eloquence Digital
Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Leonard Bernstein
Symphonien 8, 9 (CC)
Classical Choice
Leonard Bernstein, Herbert von Karajan, Seiji Ozawa
Basic Opera
2 CD's
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Mozart: Symphony No. 40 in G minor K.550
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Dvoràk: Symphony No. 9 In E minor "From The New World"
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 35 "Haffner" & 41 "Jupiter"
Dolby AtmosOrchestre National De France, Leonard Bernstein
Franck: Symphony in D minor / Saint-Saens: Le Rouet d'Omphale
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Brahms: Violin Concerto Op.77
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Mozart: Symphonies Nos.35, 36 & 40
Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Leonard Bernstein
Mahler - Vol. 3
CD 5
Helmut Wittek, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Mahler: Symphony No. 4 in G Major
Dolby AtmosLeonard Bernstein
Mahler - Vol. 2
5 CD'sLeonard Bernstein
Mahler - Vol. 3
5 CD'sLeonard Bernstein
Mahler - Vol. 1
6 CD'sWiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Schubert / Mendelssohn / Schumann
CD 6
New York Stadium Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein: The 1953 American Decca Recordings
Leonard Bernstein, Various Orchestras
The Americans: The Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon
6 CD'sWiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos.5 & 7
CD3Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Leonard Bernstein
Haydn: Die Schöpfung (Part 2 Cont. & 3)
CD 4Leonard Bernstein, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Mozart: Piano Concerto No.15; Symphony No.36 "Linz"
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Bizet: Carmen (Highlights)
Leonard Bernstein
The Yellow Guide To Opera
3 CDs
Wolfgang Schneiderhan, David Garrett, Itamar Golan
Tune Your Brain With Mozart
Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, John Eliot Gardiner, Wiener Philharmoniker
Beethoven: Leonore; Fidelio
Complete Beethoven Edition Vol.4
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Schumann: The Symphonies
2 CD'sWiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Beethoven: Fidelio (Highlights)
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein conducts Stravinsky
2 CDs
Peter Hofmann, Hildegard Behrens, Yvonne Minton
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
4 CDs
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Beethoven: Concertos for Piano and Orchestra
CD 3Peter Schmidl, Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Mozart: Symphonies Nos.25 & 29 / Clarinet Concerto
Mischa Maisky, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Dvorak: Cello Concerto / Bloch: Schelomo
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein
Schubert: Symphonies Nos.5 & 8 "Unfinished"
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Mozart: Symphony No.36 "Linzer" & No.38 "Prague"
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Mozart: Symphonies Nos.35 "Haffner" & 41 "Jupiter"
Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein
Mozart, W.A.: Symphonies Nos.39 & 40
SINGOLI
I singoli più rappresentativi di Leonard Bernstein, tra successi storici e nuove uscite.
Los Angeles Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue – The Works
International Version
West Side Story – Cast 2021, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
West Side Story Sneak Peek
From "West Side Story"/Chorus
Los Angeles Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Gershwin: Rapsodia in Blu – The Works
Italian Version
Los Angeles Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Barber: Adagio – The Works
International VersionBIOGRAFIA
Leonard Bernstein was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He took piano lessons as a boy and attended the Garrison and Boston Latin Schools. At Harvard University, he studied with Walter Piston, Edward Burlingame-Hill, and A. Tillman Merritt, among others. Before graduating in 1939, he made an unofficial conducting debut with his own incidental music to "The Birds," and directed and performed in Marc Blitzstein's "The Cradle Will Rock." Then at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, he studied piano with Isabella Vengerova, conducting with Fritz Reiner, and orchestration with Randall Thompson.
In 1940, he studied at the Boston Symphony Orchestra's newly created summer institute, Tanglewood, with the orchestra's conductor, Serge Koussevitzky. Bernstein later became Koussevitzky's conducting assistant.
Bernstein was appointed to his first permanent conducting post in 1943, as Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic. On November 14, 1943, Bernstein substituted on a few hours notice for the ailing Bruno Walter at a Carnegie Hall concert, which was broadcast nationally on radio, receiving critical acclaim. Soon orchestras worldwide sought him out as a guest conductor.
In 1945 he was appointed Music Director of the New York City Symphony Orchestra, a post he held until 1947. After Serge Koussevitzky died in 1951, Bernstein headed the orchestral and conducting departments at Tanglewood, teaching there for many years. In 1951 he married the Chilean actress and pianist, Felicia Montealegre. He was also visiting music professor, and head of the Creative Arts Festivals at Brandeis University in the early 1950s.
Bernstein became Music Director of the New York Philharmonic in 1958. From then until 1969 he led more concerts with the orchestra than any previous conductor. He subsequently held the lifetime title of Laureate Conductor, making frequent guest appearances with the orchestra. More than half of Bernstein's 400-plus recordings were made with the New York Philharmonic.
Bernstein traveled the world as a conductor. Immediately after World War II, in 1946, he conducted in London and at the International Music Festival in Prague. In 1947 he conducted in Tel Aviv, beginning a relationship with Israel that lasted until his death. In 1953, Bernstein was the first American to conduct opera at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan: Cherubini's "Medea" with Maria Callas.
Bernstein was a leading advocate of American composers, particularly Aaron Copland. The two remained close friends for life. As a young pianist, Bernstein performed Copland's "Piano Variations" so often he considered the composition his trademark. Bernstein programmed and recorded nearly all of the Copland orchestral works --many of them twice. He devoted several televised "Young People's Concerts" to Copland, and gave the premiere of Copland's "Connotations," commissioned for the opening of Philharmonic Hall (now Avery Fisher Hall) at Lincoln Center in 1962.
While Bernstein's conducting repertoire encompassed the standard literature, he may be best remembered for his performances and recordings of Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann, Sibelius and Mahler. Particularly notable were his performances of the Mahler symphonies with the New York Philharmonic in the 1960s, sparking a renewed interest in the works of Mahler.
Inspired by his Jewish heritage, Bernstein completed his first large-scale work: Symphony No. 1: "Jeremiah." (1943). The piece was first performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 1944, conducted by the composer, and received the New York Music Critics' Award. Koussevitzky premiered Bernstein's Symphony No. 2: "The Age of Anxiety" with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Bernstein as piano soloist. His Symphony No. 3: "Kaddish," composed in 1963, was premiered by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. "Kaddish" is dedicated "To the Beloved Memory of John F. Kennedy."
Other major compositions by Bernstein include "Prelude, Fugue and Riffs" for solo clarinet and jazz ensemble (1949); "Serenade" for violin, strings and percussion, (1954); "Symphonic Dances from West Side Story," (1960); "Chichester Psalms" for chorus, boy soprano and orchestra (1965); "Mass: A Theater Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers," commissioned for the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, and first produced there in 1971; "Songfest" a song cycle for six singers and orchestra (1977); "Divertimento," for orchestra (1980); "Halil," for solo flute and small orchestra (1981); "Touches," for solo piano (1981); "Missa Brevis" for singers and percussion (1988); "Thirteen Anniversaries" for solo piano (1988); "Concerto for Orchestra: Jubilee Games," (1989); and "Arias and Barcarolles" for two singers and piano duet (1988).
Bernstein also wrote a one-act opera, "Trouble in Tahiti," in 1952, and its sequel, the three-act opera, "A Quiet Place" in 1983. He collaborated with choreographer Jerome Robbins on three major ballets: "Fancy Free" (1944) and "Facsimile" (1946) for the American Ballet theater; and "Dybbuk" (1975) for the New York City Ballet. He composed the score for the award-winning movie "On the Waterfront" (1954) and incidental music for two Broadway plays: "Peter Pan" (1950) and "The Lark" (1955).
Bernstein contributed substantially to the Broadway musical stage. He collaborated with Betty Comden and Adolph Green on "On The Town" (1944) and "Wonderful Town" (1953). In collaboration with Richard Wilbur and Lillian Hellman and others he wrote "Candide" (1956). Other versions of "Candide" were written in association with Hugh Wheeler, Stephen Sondheim et al. In 1957 he again collaborated with Jerome Robbins, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents, on the landmark musical "West Side Story," also made into the Academy Award-winning film. In 1976 Bernstein and Alan Jay Lerner wrote "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue."
Festivals of Bernstein's music have been produced throughout the world. In 1978 the Israel Philharmonic sponsored a festival commemorating his years of dedication to Israel. The Israel Philharmonic also bestowed on him the lifetime title of Laureate Conductor in 1988. In 1986 the London Symphony Orchestra and the Barbican Centre produced a Bernstein Festival. The London Symphony Orchestra in 1987 named him Honorary President. In 1989 the city of Bonn presented a Beethoven/Bernstein Festival.
In 1985 the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences honored Mr. Bernstein with the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award. He won eleven Emmy Awards in his career. His televised concert and lecture series started with the "Omnibus" program in 1954, followed by the extraordinary "Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic," in 1958 that extended over fourteen seasons. Among his many appearances on the PBS series "Great Performances" was the eleven-part acclaimed "Bernstein's Beethoven." In 1989, Bernstein and others commemorated the 1939 invasion of Poland in a worldwide telecast from Warsaw.
Bernstein's writings were published in "the Joy of Music" (1959), "Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts"(1961), "The Infinite Variety of Music" (1966), and "Findings" (1982). Each has been widely translated. He gave six lectures at Harvard University in 1972-1973 as the Charles Eliot Norton Professor of Poetry. These lectures were subsequently published and televised as "The Unanswered Question."
Bernstein always rejoiced in opportunities to teach young musicians. His master classes at Tanglewood were famous. He was instrumental in founding the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute in 1982. He helped create a world class training orchestra at the Schleswig Holstein Music Festival. He founded the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan. Modeled after Tanglewood, this international festival was the first of its kind in Asia and continues to this day.
Bernstein received many honors. He was elected in 1981 to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, which gave him a Gold Medal. The National Fellowship Award in 1985 applauded his life-long support of humanitarian causes. He received the MacDowell Colony's Gold Medal; medals from the Beethoven Society and the Mahler Gesellschaft; the Handel Medallion, New York City's highest honor for the arts; a Tony award (1969) for Distinguished Achievement in the Theater; and dozens of honorary degrees and awards from colleges and universities. He was presented ceremonial keys to the cities of Oslo, Vienna, Bersheeva and the village of Bernstein, Austria, among others. National honors came from Italy, Israel, Mexico, Denmark, Germany (the Great Merit Cross), and France (Chevalier, Officer and Commandeur of the Legion d'Honneur). He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1980.
World peace was a particular concern of Bernstein. Speaking at Johns Hopkins University in 1980 and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York in 1983, he described his vision of global harmony. His "Journey for Peace" tour to Athens and Hiroshima with the European Community Orchestra in 1985, commemorated the 40th anniversary of the atom bomb. In December 1989, Bernstein conducted the historic "Berlin Celebration Concerts" on both sides of the Berlin Wall, as it was being dismantled. The concerts were unprecedented gestures of cooperation, the musicians representing the former East Germany, West Germany, and the four powers that had partitioned Berlin after World War II.
Bernstein supported Amnesty International from its inception. To benefit the effort in 1987, he established the Felicia Montealegre Fund in memory of his wife who died in 1978.
In 1990, Bernstein received the Praemium Imperiale, an international prize created in 1988 by the Japan Arts Association and awarded for lifetime achievement in the arts. Bernstein used the $100,000 prize to establish The Bernstein Education Through the Arts (BETA) Fund, Inc. before his death on October 14, 1990.
Bernstein was the father of three children -- Jamie, Alexander, and Nina -- and the grandfather of four: Francisca, Evan, Anya and Anna.
