(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