(No, he’s not forgotten, don’t quibble)
EVEN the casual classical music fan knows the name Leonard Bernstein, especially if you’re over fifty. In the swinging Sixties, his “Young People’s Concerts” on Sunday afternoon TV introduced millions (who weren’t watching football) to the wonders of classical, which, until about a century ago, wasn’t “classical music,” it was just “music” as it was the completely dominant form, along with opera.
Bernstein was a conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim. According toThe New York Times, he was “one of the most prodigiously talented and successful musicians in American history.”
His fame derived from his long tenure as the music director of the New York Philharmonic, from his conducting of concerts with most of the world’s leading orchestras, and from his music for West Side Story, as well as Candide, Wonderful Town, On the Town and his own Mass.
Bernstein was also the first conductor to give numerous television lectures on classical music, starting in 1954, continuing until his death. In addition, he was a skilled pianist, often conducting while performing piano concertos simultaneously. wikipedia
While going through my voluminous backlog of photos, I decided to feature Bernstein as his life story will be playing out on the big screen in late 2023 as he is portrayed by Bradley Cooper.
I hope to visit Green-Wood again soon, it’s been too long.
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12/6/23
5 comments
Bernstein was nothing if not an interesting and misunderstood character. He became the target of ridicule for throwing a party for the Black Panthers at his elegant townhouse, when in fact it was more like a serious discussion of civil liberties. Later on, he left his wife to carry on affairs with men, but returned to care for her when she became ill and was devastated by her death
The late, great Tom Wolf covered a cocktail party/fundraiser hosted by Bernstein in this 1970 bestseller:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15209.Radical_Chic_Mau_Mauing_the_Flak_Catchers
During a recent tour of Greenwood Cemetery the guide told us a quartet from the NY Philharmonic occasionally makes
unannounced visits to Bernstein’s grave beside which they play
music. A fitting tribute to a great master of the arts.
Nothing on the tombstone to indicate he was a musician?I guess they felt that since
he was so famous he needs no introduction.
Looking at how many Stones of Remembrance that are around the gravestone, I’d say the site has had a lot of visitors.