Leonard Bernstein 1918-1990

Started by vandermolen, May 13, 2009, 03:20:23 AM

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Maestro267

I picked up the new Baltimore/Alsop recording of Symphonies 1 & 2 yesterday. I listened to the 'Jeremiah' yesterday for the first time and really enjoyed it. Plenty of Bernstein's vivaciousness in the Profanation. All 3 symphonies, while perhaps impractical as a concert-hall programme, will make a nice early evening of listening as a complete cycle.

San Antone

Quote from: vandermolen on December 12, 2015, 12:48:18 AM
The 'Jeremiah Symphony' is my favourite work by Bernstein and I have every single recording of it (OCD   ::)). The Slatkin is one of the very best - a fine performance and recording. My other favourite is the one conducted by Bernstein himself on CBS/Sony, the second of his three recordings. The discussions above have encouraged me to listen to the Mass. I also like the score for 'On the Waterfront'.

I am a real big fan of Mass ever since I first heard it back when it was first released on LP. I think 1971.  I did a survey of the available recordings, if you are interested:  Leonard Bernstein's Mass.


(poco) Sforzando

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 04, 2015, 07:54:10 AM
There are some parts of the Mass that I enjoy, but I think in this instance Bernstein bit off more than he could chew. The whole work is an absolute mess and many of the ideas just seem haphazardly strung together without any kind of care or thought whatsoever. I like Bernstein's music, but this work has never done anything for me. Perhaps I should re-listen to it at some point, but I've heard it several times and never felt anything from it other than being terrified by its kitschiness.

I will agree with this. I see I haven't written to this thread before, but I know I've commented on Mass somewhere way-back-when, and for me the whole work is a pretentious embarrassment. Someone above wrote, and I will agree, that the piece is a "a stillborn behemoth which only occasionally shows flickers of life."

For me, the best things in Bernstein's music are Candide, the Serenade (except for that god-awful fake-jazzy finale), and parts of Songfest. In fact I heard LB conduct Songfest at the NYPhil where the companion was the Schumann 2. Since I didn't have much money in those days, I didn't get to hear Lenny Live as often as I would have liked (since who knew he'd die so young?), but that was a memorable concert. As was a 1990 Mahler 2 at Avery Fisher, and a Vienna Phil at Carnegie where the program included the Mahler Rückerts with Hampson and Sibelius 1.

I see in his article that SA makes reference to LB's political involvement. Those interested should read a book by a close friend of mine, Barry Seldes's "Leonard Bernstein: The Political Life of an American Musician." Seldes's conclusion about Bernstein's inability to complete his wished-for great American opera seems to me weak, but the body of the book is illuminating.
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

San Antone

I think that's why I love Mass so much: it is so inclusive and outrageous. 

Bernstein was a product of his times and this work, for me, is the most Bernsteinian of all his compositions.  Sure, it's a pastiche.  Sure, it is gauche and corny.  But it is also moving, and beautiful, and even "thorny".  And, this is probably the most important aspect, it asks tough questions but ends up expressing hope.

;)

Karl Henning

Quote from: sanantonio on January 20, 2017, 08:11:46 AM
I think that's why I love Mass so much: it is so inclusive and outrageous. 

Bernstein was a product of his times and this work, for me, is the most Bernsteinian of all his compositions.  Sure, it's a pastiche.  Sure, it is gauche and corny.  But it is also moving, and beautiful, and even "thorny".  And, this is probably the most important aspect, it asks tough questions but ends up expressing hope.

;)

I can see your viewpoint, even while my suspicion is that I should likely align more or less with (poco) sfz.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Karl Henning

At the very least, I marvel that half a century on, opinion is so sharply divided.  Reminds me of that line from the Preface to The Picture of Dorian GrayWhen critics disagree, the artist is in accord with himself.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

(poco) Sforzando

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on January 20, 2017, 08:21:58 AM
I can see your viewpoint, even while my suspicion is that I should likely align more or less with (poco) sfz.

As would I.
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

vandermolen

Quote from: Maestro267 on January 20, 2017, 06:44:00 AM
I picked up the new Baltimore/Alsop recording of Symphonies 1 & 2 yesterday. I listened to the 'Jeremiah' yesterday for the first time and really enjoyed it. Plenty of Bernstein's vivaciousness in the Profanation. All 3 symphonies, while perhaps impractical as a concert-hall programme, will make a nice early evening of listening as a complete cycle.
I have played the CD several times now with great pleasure on every occasion. I am growing to appreciate the 'Age of Anxiety' (maybe appropriate for today - sorry). I think that this CD together with Daniel Jones's 1st and 10th symphonies and Nathaniel Dett's 'Ordering of Moses' will be amongst my best discoveries of this year.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Maestro267

I'm a huge fan of Bernstein's Mass. Easily my favourite work of his that I've heard.

Karl Henning

Quote from: vandermolen on January 20, 2017, 09:10:53 AM
I have played the CD several times now with great pleasure on every occasion. I am growing to appreciate the 'Age of Anxiety' (maybe appropriate for today - sorry). I think that this CD together with Daniel Jones's 1st and 10th symphonies and Nathaniel Dett's 'Ordering of Moses' will be amongst my best discoveries of this year.

The Age of Anxiety is one of my Top Five Lenny Compositions  8)
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

vandermolen

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on January 20, 2017, 10:53:46 AM
The Age of Anxiety is one of my Top Five Lenny Compositions  8)
I think that it will become one of mine too Karl.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

ComposerOfAvantGarde

Looks like an special upload from Cmaj7 on youtube for the inauguration..........

https://www.youtube.com/v/c6GyiGMM9pE

(poco) Sforzando

Quote from: jessop on January 20, 2017, 04:49:29 PM
Looks like an special upload from Cmaj7 on youtube for the inauguration..........

https://www.youtube.com/v/c6GyiGMM9pE

This is even more embarrassing than Mass . . . .
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

Karl Henning

Quote from: (poco) Sforzando on January 20, 2017, 05:04:31 PM
This is even more embarrassing than Mass . . . .

I very nearly want to listen to Mass in order to better appreciate this post.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Mirror Image

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on January 20, 2017, 10:53:46 AM
The Age of Anxiety is one of my Top Five Lenny Compositions  8)

Oh, that's a groovy work. 8) Really enjoy it.

ComposerOfAvantGarde

Mass is AWESOME! Don't diss it, guys! :(

ComposerOfAvantGarde

https://www.youtube.com/v/sBVgCxbZaIc


HAAAAAALF OF THE PEOPLE ARE STONED AND THE OTHER HALF ARE WAITING FOR THE NEXT ELECTION!

HALF OF THE PEOPLE ARE DROWNED AND THE OTHER HALF ARE SWIMMING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION!

;D

vandermolen

Heard 'On the Waterfront' Suite from the film live  in London last night - it was terrific (Cincinnati SO/Louis Langree). The concert also featured Copland's 'Lincoln Portrait' and Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony. It was a great evening.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

San Antone

Quote from: jessop on January 20, 2017, 08:21:38 PM
Mass is AWESOME! Don't diss it, guys! :(

I agree, it is among my favorite works he's written, and one I revisit fairly often.  But I've quit arguing its merits those who disagree.

;)

Karl Henning

Quote from: sanantonio on August 28, 2017, 02:04:46 PM
I agree, it is among my favorite works he's written, and one I revisit fairly often.  But I've quit arguing its merits those who disagree.

;)

This is exactly my policy with the Leningrad 0:)
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot