Leonard Bernstein conducting

[Jo498]

There is only one Vienna/Bernstein Beethoven cycle for all I know (unless there is a different one for video/Laserdisc, I always assumed they were identical). The sound is not (and never has been) all that great (live, and DG hardly ever had great sound) and of the recordings I have heard I do prefer the NYPO. But the Vienna certainly has its admirers.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

...the "Philharmonia Orchestra" ( )...

No need to put quotations around the name. The Philharmonia is as legit as any orchestra out there. Here's their Wikipedia page. Just in case you were wondering... 

[Brian]

No need to put quotations around the name. The Philharmonia is as legit as any orchestra out there. Here's their Wikipedia page. Just in case you were wondering...

Next you'll be telling me there's a real ensemble called the "Cleveland Orchestra" 

[North Star]

Next you'll be telling me there's a real ensemble called the "Cleveland Orchestra" 

No-one would ever pretend to be from Cleveland.

[Pat B]

"The Third Eye" classical music guide raves about the Vienna Bernstein Beethoven (maybe a different cycle?).

Sometimes the Third Ear, Penguin, Gramophone, ARG, Fanfare, etc. are wrong.

From the Vienna/DG cycle I have only heard the 9th, which is quite good, though not among my absolute favorites. His 1989 Berlin Wall performance was my favorite for a long time, but I haven't listened to it since I got Fricsay and Jochum.

[Ken B]

Sometimes the Third Ear, Penguin, Gramophone, ARG, Fanfare, etc. are wrong.

Indeed. Only though when they disagree with me.

The Philharmonia was a recording orchestra formed by Walter Legge. In the 50s they were one of the very best in the world.

As we say in Ontario, anyone who admits he is from Cleveland is actually from Buffalo.

[Mookalafalas]

Indeed. Only though when they disagree with me.

  Anyway, thanks, all, for the information.  I should have been more careful in my post (especially embarrassed about typing "third eye" for "third ear"--a publication I really like, btw, and one I sorely wish would be updated).

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Anyway, thanks, all, for the information.  I should have been more careful in my post (especially embarrassed about typing "third eye" for "third ear"--a publication I really like, btw, and one I sorely wish would be updated).

If a "Philharmonia" big box ever comes out, grab it!

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Next you'll be telling me there's a real ensemble called the "Cleveland Orchestra" 

I coulda sworn...I've been wrong before, though...

[Ken B]

Next you'll be telling me there's a real ensemble called the "Cleveland Orchestra" 

I know there is! I've seen Sarge vote against it!

[North Star]

I know there is! I've seen Sarge vote against it!

I don't think he voted in favour of its banishment, though. 

[Mookalafalas]

It turns out I may have been unduly harsh towards the Beethoven 1 & 3.  I realized tonight that the recording level of the disc is unusually low.  I sometimes get carried away with the volume and bother the neighbors, so I try not to fiddle with it much.  It turns out this disc needs to be turned up several more notches to be at the same volume I usually listen at.  Making that adjustment it definitely regained a little excitement, although it's still probably not in my top 10. 

[Jo498]

Yes, I only have about two discs from this Vienna Beethoven set (in the edition with the white covers and b/w Lennie photos) and when I first got the one with the Eroica I also had new speakers recently installed and thought something was wrong with them because I had to crank up the volume considerably....

[david johnson]

Sony: Bernstein century series/Modern Masters - Lopatnikoff/Concertino for Orchestra, Dallapiccola/Tartiniana for Violin and Orchestra, Shapero/Symphony for Classical Orchestra - all with the Columbia SO/Bernstein

[Daverz]

Sony: Bernstein century series/Modern Masters - Lopatnikoff/Concertino for Orchestra, Dallapiccola/Tartiniana for Violin and Orchestra, Shapero/Symphony for Classical Orchestra - all with the Columbia SO/Bernstein

Another great one in that series:

[vandermolen]

Another great one in that series:

The Harris (best ever recording), Diamond and Thompson disc is very special - probably my favourite in that entire Bernstein Sony series.

[relm1]

Couldn't figure out exactly what thread this post belongs to, but crazy how much Bradley Cooper looks like Leonard Bernstein in the new biopic he is directing.  All these pictures are of Bradley Cooper!

[vandermolen]

Couldn't figure out exactly what thread this post belongs to, but crazy how much Bradley Cooper looks like Leonard Bernstein in the new biopic he is directing.  All these pictures are of Bradley Cooper!

Amazing! I was sure that they were of Lenny.

[Brian]

Guaranteed Oscar nomination for makeup, wow. Cooper is a smart filmmaker, so I'm looking forward to seeing what he does with to shape Lenny's bio into a movie.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Guaranteed Oscar nomination for makeup, wow. Cooper is a smart filmmaker, so I'm looking forward to seeing what he does with to shape Lenny's bio into a movie.

There is a Facebook discussion (which I'll specify by Message to anyone interested), with blistering comments on using a non-Jewish actor and nasal prosthetics to portray a Jewish individual. The person who started the thread is so definite, and so aggrieved, that I will avoid wading into those waters there. As far as I'm concerned, it's the acting that matters. (I have a play about a Jewish college student myself. I have used a Jewish actor in the role, I have rejected a Jewish actor whose demeanor was too stereotypically "Jewish," and I've used a gay Italian-American lapsed Catholic who gave an excellent performance.)