PRELUDE, FUGUE News for Friends of Leonard Bernstein RIFFS Summer/Spring 2005 An Accolade for One Helluva Show
by Richard Morrison
As Lu11do11 welcomed back the pz,ergreen musical On the Town, the limes talks to lyricist Bctt)' Comden.
any writers have captured something The Creative Team of the spirit of of On the Town New York. But in an apartment high above the Leonard Bernstein, bustle of her beloved Broadway Jerome Robbins, sits a frail 89-year-old woman who defined the city for a genera Betty Comden, and tion. Sixty-one years ago, Betty Adolph Green. 1944 Comden sat down with her writing partner, Adolph Green, in a little room just two blocks from where she now lives, and encapsulated the frenetic swirl of the great metropolis in one of the most evocative quatrains ever penned: New York, New York, a helluva town. The Bronx is up but the Battery's down, The people ideas, wrote the lyrics," she says. 24 hours' leave to explore its ride in a hole in the groun'; "We had complementary minds. delights. As Comden says: New York, New York, The same kind of humour, the "New York's streets were full it's a helluva town. same views. But as I had foolishly of servicemen, all searching for learnt to type, I was the one who joy before being sent into the Whether it was Comden or had to write it all down." war. We wanted to capture the Green who came up with these What she typed in the summer poignancy of those times." pulsating lines will never be of 1944 were the opening words Comden knew at first hand of known. Green died two years of a musical perfectly tailored that poignancy. Two years earlier ago, and Comden is not going to the snatch-it-while-you-can she had married. Since then she to give away the trade secrets of mood of wartime New York. The had hardly seen her husband, the 20th century's most endur plot was simple: three American who was fighting overseas. In ing lyric-writing team. "We did sailors new to the city, with just her wonderful 1995 memoir, Off everything together: hatched the (continued on page 2)
4 Candide Bernstein & Ca lendar of Events Inside ... On the Waterfront The Bernstein Beat Looking Ahead 1 In the News An Accolade, continued
Stage, she writes: "It was a heart ing work in the nightclubs of rending time, brimming with anx Greenwich Village. There she met To Our iety and unremitting loneliness ... another aspiring thespian - the Sometimes I'd think I saw him Bronx-born Green. Together with Readers in the crowd, and even though I three other friends (one of them knew better, I'd run and look." Judy Holliday) they formed a per The frenetic vibrancy of the forming group called the Revuers. city that never sleeps; the gnaw "We wrote all the music ing desire of young people thrust and sketches," Comden says. t is stunning to be reminded how together by circumstance and "Satire mostly. I still have some Iwidely Leonard Bernstein spread as swiftly wrenched apart: that material, in very poor condition. his creative net. This issue illus was the intensity which On the We picked up work ... well, trates the point in no uncertain Town captured when it opened sporadically. We never got to be terms. Yes, he was a conductor on Broadway in December 1944. famous. But we stayed together. - and here comes the re-release of It was a massive hit, running And we were yo ung, in New some fascinating early recordings for 460 performances. Then, in York. It was fun." Then a new on Deutsche Grammophon. Yes, he 1949, with Gene Kelly and Frank figure entered their lives. Green was a composer - and in this issue Sinatra in the leads, it became took a lodger in his little East alone, we hear of On the Town one of the most vibrant of film 9th Street apartment: a young at the English National Opera, musicals (though much changed musician out of Harvard called Candide at New York City Opera, from the stage show). Leonard Bernstein. "He was and the long-unseen Dybbuk at the And now it is being staged exuberant, brilliant, funny, hand San Francisco Ballet. In addition, in London by English National some, incomparable," Comden On the Waterfront has received Opera. "I'm thrilled they want recalls. "He came one night to see renewed attention for its ground to do it," Comden says. ''I'd like our show, then sat down at the breaking approach to film scoring. to come over and see it. But it's piano at 3:00 am when we (Bernstein fought bitterly with been a tough winter." had finished and played the director Elia Kazan over the At 61 years' distance, the whole thing back to us from haunting solo French horn under success of On the Town seems memory. I went home, woke the opening credits; no one had almost predestined. Particularly my mother and said: 'Mom, ever had "quiet" opening as its creators were four people I've met my first genius'." credits before!) now regarded as gods of the Comden, Green and Bernstein Meanwhile, The Bernstein Beat American musical: Comden were soon close friends; they goes around the country exposing and Green writing the lyrics, remained so until Bernstein died a new crop of young people to his Leonard Bernstein composing the in 1990. "The three of them music. When asked if they've heard music and Jerome Robbins doing had this incredible mixture of of West Side Story, kids shoot their the choreography. goofiness and brilliance and hands up enthusiastically all over But that was not how it total dedication to their craft," the auditorium. With the 50th seemed at the time. In fact the Bernstein's son, Alexander, anniversary of West Side Story show was a massive gamble. recalled years later. So it was approaching, a postage stamp Amazingly, none of the four, then natural that when a producer commemorating the show's birth in their mid-twenties, had worked suggested that a ballet called seems like a great idea. (And you on Broadway before. "Never Fancy Free, which Bernstein had can help! See p.11.) came close," Comden says. composed for Jerome Robbins, be Bernstein festivals are brewing "The anxiety was enormous." expanded into a full-length musi from Cambridge to New Orleans All four - like Irving Berlin, cal, the composer should turn to to England and beyond. His books the Gershwins, and practically his old Greenwich Village chums The Joy of Music and The Young every other great figure in Tin to supply the necessary words. People's Concerts have been Pan Alley in the 1920s and 1930s That was how On the Town reprinted - and to top it all off, - were talented, ambitious started. But its progress was far Steve Rowland's ambitious scions of Jewish immigrant from easy. To begin with, the four 11-part radio documentary families from Eastern Europe. collaborators wrote a kind of Leonard Bernstein: An American Comden's original name, she artistic statement of intent. "We Life has won a Peabody Award. In delights in revealing in her were determined to make a show short, Bernstein's creative contrail memoir, was Basya Astershinsky that was integrated," Comden has never been brighter. Simselyevitch-Simselyovitch, says. "We wanted the book, J.B. • which would surely have looked lyrics, dance and music to work wonderful on a Broadway bill together to tell the story." board, had it ever got that far. The trouble was, virtually Brooklyn-bred, she studied everything had to be written drama at New York University on the hoof. Bernstein, who was 0 and started picking up perform- often conducting on tour, actually composed the tune of Hollywood masterpiece Singin' and death in his thirties. She also New York, New York on a train in the Rain. Though married to quotes Edith Wharton's line: crossing Nebraska - about as other people, they met every day "Life is the saddest thing there is, far removed from a big city's and sustained a working relation next to death." bustle as it is possible to get. And ship over six decades. But sadly, But her genius, and the genius the show's most tender number, they worked only once more with of all those indefatigable troupers Some Other Time - a song of Bernstein - on the 1952 musical in Broadway's golden age, was immeasurable wistfulness - was Wonderful Town, very much an to conjure something so joyous on stage that, if only momen tarily, it lifted the heart out of its own turmoil. "The best thing for me," she says, "is when people say: 'You brought us such pleasure'. And yes, I still think New York is a helluva town. Or a wonderful town, depending on which lyric you would like me to quote." • Richard Morrison is chief music critic and cultural commentator for The Times, London. First Published in The Times, London. Reprinted by permission.
The uraxi NumberH from the ENO Production. cobbled together in a desperate evocation of the bohemian 1930s all-night session in Boston. Greenwich Village where they On the Town "We were in the window of had all met. a music store because that was "After On the Town the only place we could find a Lenny promised his mentor his spring the English National Opera piano," Comden recalls. "We Koussevitzky [the conductor of presented On The Town to sold-out needed a special song, and we the Boston Symphony] that he houses and added-on performances. found it there, in that window, wouldn't kid around any more Here is what the critics had to say: in the middle of the night." on Broadway; that he would Then, with the first rehearsals get back to 'serious' music," "A Helluva hit for ENO!" looming, Bernstein and Green Comden recalls. b,t,J had to go into the hospital for Then, in the late 1950s, when "You will love this show. You'll minor operations. To save time, Bernstein and the playwright definitely have a great night they decided to synchronize their Arthur Laurents asked Comden surgeries. As a New York gos and Green to write the lyrics for On the Town!" sip column reported: "Leonard a new musical about New York J.. n k J;1vf Bernstein and Adolph Green gangs, tentatively titled East Side "On the Town is the biggest show in will be operated upon on the Story, the latter duo were com London and it's absolutely fantastic." same day by the same doctor. mitted to another project. Does During their stay in the hospital Comden wish that Bernstein Stt.v lle1 JC they will finish their new show, had written fewer symphonies "A helluva Town! ENO's revival of On the Town." and more shows like West Side Bernstein's neglected musical should Miraculously, they did. And Story and On the Town? "Well, be applauded." the best news, from Camden's I wouldn't say fewer sympho perspective, was that she and nies," she replies. "But he should Hugb C<11 n n6 z. '10-1)1 Times Green were not only co-authors, have done more shows." ,, "A total delight." iil but co-stars. "Yes, we took care And what of Comden herself? i: i no eS C:lus 1, P" a. to write ourselves extremely good She is the last survivor of that ~.., C: parts," Comden recalls wryly. breezy, sharp-witted Greenwich "A brilliant production by English IQ C: "Adolph played one of the three Village milieu. Almost the last National Opera." ID 20 sailors. I was Claire de Loon, survivor, in fact, of the old New \I ·} ard I rm, n J ,1i-incu1I Tim.P.t: ::0 the anthropologist. Or, as York that On the Town so ~ ,;V, people said in those days, the perfectly freeze-frames. But her "You feel you have died and gone s· lady anthropologist." life has not been all greasepaint to heaven." '& C Comden and Green went and glamour. In Off Stage, 3 Pa tl Ta. l 'hr: Independent 3 on to write the words for a string she tells - movingly and with ~ N 0 of musicals after that - most anguished remorse - of her 0 Ul notably for Gene Kelly's son's descent into drugs, AIDS Candide
These past few munths brought Candide to the New Yo rk City Opera. about this whole notion of "opti famte Remstein gaz,e a pre-performance talk on March 19, 2005. The mism," the philosophy presented ·fol/01mna ,,.e exre>'flts f• ·r.>11 her remm·k~ in the teachings of Leibniz, which Voltaire used as the comic spring like what Terry Teachout wrote limitations - as if Candide were board of his novella. Ilast week in the Wall Street saying: "Oh, let's quit spewing According to Gopnik, what Journal: "If you don't succumb our fancy philosophy and go Voltaire was really steamed about to the champagne-like charms of make ourselves useful for was not Leibniz; Leibniz was just The Best of All Possible Worlds, a change." But the music is the tool Voltaire used to whittle You Were Dead, You Know, telling us something completely away at his real nemesis: the Glitter and Be Gay, I Am Easily different: the soaring chorus Church hierarchy and its collu Assimilated, What's the Use? and seems to be telling us that grow sion with the French state. "What the divinely radiant Make Our ing our garden is a metaphor drives Voltaire crazy," Gopnik Garden Grow, it's time to triple for the flowering of mankind Keith Jameson. writes, "is the ability of religious up on the Prozac." itself! I'm pretty sure that's not fanatics to exploit the fatality of Stacey Logan, But here's the irony: at the what Voltaire meant at all. But the world in order to enact their point where the score chokes while this finale may not quite John Cullum, own cruelties." you up, that's the point where align itself with Voltaire's origi Candide makes quite a Kyle pfortmiller Bernstein and Voltaire have nal intent, I think the end result compelling argument for the parted ways. is greater than the sum of the and Anna Christy. separation of church and state - which strikes me, more and more, as the most profound idea anyone ever had. In these strange times of ours, when Christian fundamentalism is all tangled up with the current White House administration, we could even look to Candide as a cautionary tale about what can happen if we let this sort of thing slip too far away from us. Adam Gopnik writes about how a calamity like the Lisbon earthquake could, literally, shake people's faith to their founda tions. He then speculates that the fall of the Twin Towers on 9/11 was our own faith-shaking equivalent. Gopnik writes: "The realization that all may not be tending toward the best, that religious fanaticism and tribal intolerance could prevail over liberal meliorism, is the earth quake of our time." That was a new word for me: meliorism, the belief that the world keeps getting healthier, The tone of Voltaire's novella parts. After all, when it comes to wealthier and wiser. It-just-keeps .,, is remorselessly cynical about the cynicism and idealism, the truth iii getting-betterism. Unconsciously c foibles and hypocrisies of man about our existence lies some a. or not, most of us go through life !J.., - and yet Bernstein's music takes where in between. C harboring that general sensibility IC us somewhere else entirely, espe I hope you all caught that C - until something comes along II> cially in the much-loved finale, wonderful article about Voltaire QO to shake us up. "'a: Make Our Garden Grow. by Adam Gopnik in the New I think the event that shook V, When Candide says "Cultivons Yorker a couple of weeks ago. -g up my father and his generation 5 · notre jardin," Voltaire meant it Gopnik discusses Candide at was the assassination of President '§, as an expression of rueful resigna some length, in a most intriguing C John F. Kennedy. 3 3 tion, an acceptance of one's way. He's particularly insightful ~ N 0 0 <.n 0 I had never seen my parents it's the only one in which he cry before November 22nd, 1963. addressed these wrenching, So on that Friday after school, difficult issues with a sense of when my father's face distorted humor. Voltaire might not have with anguish and my mother approved of that mushy ending, crumpled on her bed and sobbed, but I bet he would have loved the I felt my world lurch on its foun rest of it. dations - because I sensed that's After the Kennedy assassina what their world had just done. tion, my father's musical works My father struggled all his grew darker, his assessment of our life with his own clashing emo state of things grimmer. But he tions of optimism and pessimism. never stopped working toward the He worked so hard to make the goals of brotherhood and world world a better place. But was the peace that he held so close to his world coming to its senses? Was heart. And in spite of his gloom it in fact becoming a better place? about the way things were going, He wasn't sure, and we can hear he never gave up hope for a better him wrestling with the notions of world. After all, artistic creation is faith, hope and despair in piece in itself a most profound act of - after piece. well, optimism. • Anna Christy and Keith Jameson. What makes Candide unique among my father's works is that
• •• upDATE ,.' ' Leonard Bernstein is interna tionally famous for his televised educational series, the Young
People's Concerts. In 1962, --;- Books in ·Print fifteen of these programs were collected in a book by the same -. !...:: _:-..... -~ name. Amadeus Press has now 1- -- madeus Press has reprinted reprinted the book, which acts Leonard Bernstein's The Joy as a companion to the recently 11 of Music and Young People's released DVD compilation. -..., Concerts. The Joy of Music is a The fifteen lectures included :. collection of conversations on the in the book are: II meaning and wonder of music. Topics include the importance What Does Music Mean? -~. of the symphony in America, What Makes Music American? • l ~ ·- . the greatness of Beethoven and What is Orchestration? : . . -- .:..-_,--·~ - ... '... ~.., l the art of composing. In the first What Makes Music Symphonic? • -->- section of the book Bernstein What is Classical Music? employs the creative device of Humor in Music "Imaginary Conversations." What is a Concerto? This reprint includes Folk Music in the Concert Hall photographs and transcripts What is Impressionism? from Bernstein's contributions What is a Melody? ---·.,.; to the Omnibus television What is Sonata form? --· series: "Beethoven's Fifth A Tribute to Sibelius Symphony," "The World of Musical Atoms: A Study Jazz," "Introduction to Modern of Intervals Music," and "What Makes Music What is a Mode? - :: : - ... _,a, _._..,.- Grand." The book includes a new :I,:. Berlioz Takes a Trip introduction by Tim Page, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and To order these books, please visit N 0 Washington Post critic. www.leonardbernstein.com 0 lJ1 Minneapolis
The followmg installment is from a "blog" that Jamie Bernstem 1s keeping about her travels with the Bernstein Beat.
by Jamie Bernstein
A ell, it was exhausting to emerging from the back wall of "royalty" check of 5 bucks. 1 \, get there; NYC's blizzard the stage - like sugar cubes The sound guys supplied me weary streets delayed my car by on steroids. with one of those modern, tiny 40 minutes, but when I got to the We played six concerts over wireless microphones that fit airport I discovered that my plane the course of the week. The first around the ear and rest against had left, for once, PUNCTUALLY four, two on Wednesday morning one's cheek just to the side of on time - and I MISSED IT!! and two on Thursday morning, the mouth. Very Madonna. In The Northwest folks had to were for school groups. They order for the earpiece not to reroute me through Detroit ... have a fantastic committee there slide around, the sound guy has I don't know about this gigs that raises money for buses to to tape down the wire that leads in-January business. bring the school groups to con down to the battery pack. The But what an amazing week certs several times a year. They most secure place for the tape I wound up having. After two filled that enormous hall to the is at the back of the neck, that student orchestras in a row, I was rafters, four times! The students very vulnerable area where the STUNNED to hear the Minnesota were lively, attentive, polite hairline ends. Inevitably a few Orchestra. They're one of the and engaged: model citizens. hairs get stuck under the tape and great ensembles, no question. And when I asked them to yell it's not fun pulling the tape off "MAMBO!", I never heard such after the concert. Before the third "The stu ents were a roar. Some of the violinists concert, the sound guys arrived were covering their ears. The hall in my dressing room to attach the lively, attentive, polite acoustics helped, I think, to make microphone. "So, are you ready the sound absolutely enormous. for your mic?" they asked and engaged: model After one of the concerts, there cheerfully - and then I noticed citizens. And when I asked was a reception for the committee they were brandishing a giant that bused in the students. One of roll of heavy-gauge, extra-gummy them to yell 6 MAMBO!', the ladies on the committee told gaffer's tape and a staple gun! me that when she was 12, she Funny guys. I never heard such a roar." was a huge Bernstein fan. She The Minnesota Orchestra said she'd recently discovered, in members were particularly The Albany kids had four her attic, a drawing she'd made friendly, and highly engaged in rehearsals; the Charlottesvile at that age, of ladies in fancy the concert. They really loved High School musicians rehearsed outfits - the sort of drawing 12- playing it - even six times. I for six weeks. In less than an year-old girls love to make. At was very touched by their hour and a half, the Minnesota the top of the drawing she'd writ involvement. So many of them Orchestra had rehearsed all ten: "Spring Wardrobe for Mrs. came up to tell of their Bernstein the music for the concert, and Bernstein." I was enchanted. related experiences. One violinist it sounded great - even the Toward the end of my script, told me that she'd been play- Jeremiah excerpt, which is I talk about how connected all ing in the St. Luke's Orchestra so difficult that both student world beats are; all complex two years ago, when Michael orchestras had cut it from their rhythms can be broken down into Barrett and I did Bernstein Beat programs. And Orchestra Hall 2- and 3-beat bundles: call them at Carnegie Hall. She said she'd in Minneapolis is one of the hot dogs and hamburgers - or been terribly distracted dur- ..., most resonant spaces I've ever sushi and sashimi, or mangos and ing the concert, because all she iil platanos ... and a violinist in the could think about was her audi i: heard - a study in contrast with C. J.D Avery Fisher Hall, which was orchestra, David Wright, offered tion the very next day - for the "Tl C: designed by the same architect! the addition of "lefse and lute Minnesota Orchestra. IQ C: 11) fisk," some Minnesota specialities Not only did this architect favor Read more about journeys 11" the Minneapolis hall with good of questionable deliciousness. I :>:I to Little Rock, Milwaukee, a: acoustics; he also gave them got a big laugh every time I said V, Charlottesvile, Albany and more -g. these cool gigantic boxlike things it. I plan to send Mr. Wright a :::, at www.J-Beat.blogspot.com • '§; C: 3 3 ~ N 0 0 tJ1 e Celebrating Michael Tilson Thomas
MTT-60
1. May This Text 31. Musicians Tremble To 2. Make True Tribute, 32. Meet This Titan; 3. Mikey, To Thee. 33. Mostly, Though, They're 4. Many Talented, Troubadoring 34. More Touched Than 5. Merrymakel's Traveled To 35. Mortally Terrified; This 6. Mark This Time. 36. Maestro Transforms Them. 7. Mainly Three Things (Just Remember: 8. Make Tilson Thomas Joshua ROCKS.) -~ Jamie Bernstein and Michael Tilson 9. Most Terrific: There's 37. Michael's Taken Two Thomas at the Symphony Gala 10. Musical Talent; Two, 38. Mansions, Transformed Them 11. Matchless Tenderness; Then 39. Meticulously. Their Trappings n December 21, 2004, 12. Menschitude: That's Three. OMichael Tilson Thomas 40. Make Tutankhamen Tacky! celebrated his 60th birthday. 13. Making Triumphs Through 41. Many's The Truculent At an April gala for his Miami 14. Managerial Tests, Through 42. Misfit, Turned To 15. Monetary Thickets, Through based New World Symphony, 43. Mush Through The Jamie Bernstein honored Michael 16. Myriad Trials - These 44. Multifarious Talk, Tasty with a birthday poem, right. 17. Made Thomas Tougher. 45. Morsels, Tunes, Tapdancing, The reference to "Joshua" is 18. Michael Tilson Tensile! Joshua Robison, Michael Tilson 46. Marvels Throughout. There's Thomas's manager and partner (Just Remember: 47. Music, Traditional To of 29 years. Joshua RULES.) 48. Modern: Tchaikovsky, Tredici, 19. Mark This Truth: 20. Michael Thrives Through 49. Mahler... Tilson Thomas! 21. Minding Thomashefsky 50. Morpher, Transformer, Taking Treasure. 51. Madly Tricky Turns, 22. Mama Thomashefsky Taught 52. Minding Treasures, Tutoring 23. Michael To Twinkle; 53. Musicians, Toughening 24. Mr. Thomashefksy Taught Trainees - 54. Mojitoville to Trolleytown. 25. Michael To Teach. 26. Magnificent 55. Michael: Throw That Thomashefskys! They 56. Magic Twice Thirty 27. Mingled Their Talents, 57. More Times! Take
28. Mandated Them To 58. Music To The 29. Mikey. Twice Thousandfold 59. Millions 'Ti! They're 30. Mikey's Thanked Them. 60. Moved To Tears. -- Did you lmow?
Michael Tilson Thomas and Jamie Bernstein Thomas are often mistaken for a married couple. Apart from possibly sharing some distant cousin in a long-ago stet! near Vilna, Russia, the two Thomases are not known to be related. (Jamie married David Thomas in 1984.) When Michael invited Jamie to accompany him to a Buena Vista Social Club concert at Carnegie Hall, their house seats were waiting at the press office, misleadingly yet accurately addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. Thomas." 0 Bernstein & On the Waterfront
Though Copland even adapted The result is a taut, intensely some of his movie music for characterful score whose themes ON THE WATERFRONT concert performance, it was are brilliantly integrated rather BENIDA RECORD No. 5017 Bernstein and his 1954 score to than episodic. And though Kazan On the Waterfront that truly gave the composer wide berth merged the highbrow world of musically, he limited him to classical music and Hollywood's 35 minutes of music in the populist terrain. To be sure, 108-minute film. Prokofiev and Shostakovich had Though On the Waterfront already done something similar, won seven Oscars, including best but they lived in the Soviet Union, picture, Bernstein lost to Dmitri where class distinctions were Tiomkin for The High and the ostensibly abolished and all state Mighty. Perhaps the defeat soured approved art was created equal. him on Hollywood, but more In America, things were differ likely his growing conducting ent. Copland's homespun scores career as well as a desire to write and the work of a generation theater and symphonic music of European emigre composers simply crowded out composing notwithstanding, classical music for pies. Regardless, Bernstein
881111111- figured in films as a means of never again wrote movie music. - Wlllllllll·IIEl.cm lending "class" to middlebrow Yet 50 years on, this score - --1111V1111 ._,...... fare. Conversely, the enjoyment of whether in its original form or ----.--.... ., ... .. classical music was often depicted in the self-standing concert in mocking terms, as a sign of a version Bernstein composed the character's snobbery or effeteness. following year - remains a mile By David Mermelstein Bernstein changed all that, or stone, still a concert-hall favorite hen music lovers hear that at least helped alter perceptions. and an inspiration to budding Howard Shore's Lord of He had already made a name film composers the world over. • the Rings Symphony will be for himself in concert halls - David Mermelstein writes about performed by the Baltimore having composed two sympho music for The New York Times, Symphony Orchestra (as it was nies, two ballets and an opera, the Los Angeles Times and other December 7 and 8) or that among other works. But with On publications. A contributor to Yo-Yo Ma has released an album the Town and Wonderful Town the second edition of "The New consisting entirely of arrange he'd also achieved success on Grove Dictionary of Music and ments from film scores by Ennio Broadway, then a form of mass Musicians," he co-wrote the Morricone (as he recently has entertainment, so the transition American Tradition chapter on Sony Classical), they may not to movies wasn't a total shock. of "The Cambridge Companion realize the debt owed the great In fact, according to to Conducting." American composer-conductor Humphrey Burton's Leonard Leonard Bernstein. Bernstein, the composer was Reprinted by permission, Variety Bernstein, who died in 1990 at ambivalent about scoring pies. 72 but is suddenly in the limelight He admired Copland's efforts and again, was not the first "serious" the recognition they brought, but composer to write a film score. he hated not being the center of He wasn't even the first native attention, a fact intrinsic to such born American composer to do so collaborative work. - that would be Aaron Copland, Yet the film's producer, the a mentor of Bernstein's, whose indomitable Sam Spiegel, perse masterly efforts included Of vered, and after seeing a rough Mice and Men (1939), Our Town cut of director Elia Kazan's work, (1940), The Red Pony (1949) and Bernstein - especially impressed The Heiress (1949), which won by Budd Schulberg's script and him an Oscar. Brando's star turn - accepted the commission. Reclaiming The Dybbuk
By Joseph Carman include a dance for seven male elders, at times assuming the n 1974 Jerome Robbins shape of a menorah, and a chill Ipremiered an enigmatic choreo ing pas de deux depicting the graphic work, The Dybbuk, for dybbuk's possession of the girl. New York City Ballet. A collabo At the 1974 premiere, critics ration with Leonard Bernstein, it either adored the collaborative was based loosely on the play of experiment or dismissed it as the same name by S. Ansky about lacking the searing emotional spirit possession and exorcism. ism of the play. Nonetheless, On April 5 at the War Memorial Newsweek hailed it as "the Opera House, San Francisco loving handiwork of inspired Ballet revived the ballet, which men," and composer Ned Rorem has not been danced for a quarter called Bernstein's score his "best of a century. music to date." But Robbins, Robbins was long obsessed disappointed by the reception of with the idea of creating a the work, kept editing the ballet ballet based on the dybbuk, into abstraction - even changing a spirit of a dead person who the name to Dybbuk Variations enters the body of a living one. - until New York City Ballet "Dybbuk, Dybbuk, Dybbuk," finally dropped it from the Robbins wrote in a letter to repertoire in 1980. Bernstein in 1958. "I'm sending "I kept wondering, 'Why over an unseen but continu- didn't Jerry bring this work San Francisco Ballet in Robbins' Dybbuk. ally haunting prodder who will back?"' said Helgi Tomasson, creep into your sleep and into artistic director of San Francisco abandon it could have resulted your spare moments and will Ballet, who danced the male lead from a personal feeling of say the words Dybbuk, Dybbuk, at the world premiere of The failure to communicate in dance Dybbuk. With this ghost's effort, Dybbuk. Tomasson had his own form the essence of an esteemed I know that suddenly something suspicions. Two years before piece of Jewish theater. Robbins, will be on paper that will get us The Dybbuk premiered, New who died in 1998, never tackled all started." York City Ballet had scored a another Jewish theme in his Ansky's play, containing huge success with its Stravinsky choreography. And he never elements reminiscent of both Festival, in which George collaborated with Bernstein again. Romeo and Juliet and The Balanchine prolifically turned In a 1974 Newsweek article, Exorcist, provided the source out neo-classical, abstract works, Robbins and Bernstein material for the ballet, which many of which have become discussed their inspirations for Robbins's choreography and modern-day classics. The Dybbuk. Robbins claimed, Bernstein's music referenced "I think in some ways, when "Choosing The Dybbuk had without overtly literalizing it... Jerry did The Dybbuk, which was nothing to do with my being Robbins never intended sim very dark and dramatic, people Jewish." Bernstein countered ply to recycle the story, but, in were perplexed" said Tomasson, with: "In a larger sense, what his own words, he saw his ballet now in his 20th year with San we've had is based on our "as a point of departure for a Francisco Ballet. "But I think we experience of Jewishness. Isn't series of related dances concern should give the audience a chance that right, Jerry?" Robbins ing rituals and hallucinations to view it again and see what paused and said, "I don't know," which are present in the dark their take is." and then smiled and added, magico-religious ambiance of Throughout his existence, "But we are what we are, and .., iil the play and in the obsessions of Robbins experienced conflict that feeds into it." • c C. about the role that Judaism !» its characters." Divided into 11 Joseph Carman is the author .,, C: sections, with names such as "In played in his life and creativity. 10 of "Round About the Ballet" C: the Holy Place," "Invocation of He had triumphed with Fiddler ID (Limelight Editions, 2004) II" the Kabbala," "Possession" and on the Roof, and his 1965 ::,, "Exorcism," the choreography ballet Les Noces about a Russian This article originally appeared ~ V, Jewish wedding was widely in The Forward. Reprinted -g. occasionally suggests Jewish folk => movement, while retaining the praised. But his decision to gut by permission '3, C The Dybbuk and finally 3 vocabulary of ballet. Highlights 3 ~ N 0 0 Ul e THEINfle
Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts
r he Festival of the Creative Copland and Miles Davis, I Arts at Brandeis, founded in poetry readings by William 1952 by Brandeis faculty member Carlos Williams, and symposia Leonard Bernstein, was dedicated on the then state of the arts. to the belief that "the art of an Beginning this year, the era is a reflection of the society in Festival has been renamed in which it is produced, and through Mr. Bernstein's honor. For five creative endeavors the thoughts spring days, Brandeis celebrated and expression which characterize his legacy and the creativity of each generation are revealed students, faculty, alumni, and .9 and transformed." professional artists though 5 That historic event included concerts, plays, and visual arts the premieres of Mr. Bernstein's exhibits across campus. The new opera Trouble In Tahiti and Marc Performance Festival on Sunday Blitzstein's translation of The afternoon, April 17, featured Threepenny Opera performed by more than 150 actors, singers, Lotte Lenya. The festival offered dancers, and musicians, as well dance performances by Merce as public art and interactive Original Festival of the Creative Arts program, 952 Cunningham, music by Aaron creative experiences. •
Hiroshima Peace Concert
wenty years ago in the sum the atomic bombings, memorial festival programs: European mer of 1985 in Hiroshima, musical events will take place Union Youth Orchestra, Gustav Leonard Bernstein led the at two sacred venues: Peace Mahler Jugend Orchestra, Pacific European Community Youth Memorial Park in Hiroshima on Music Festival, Schleswig Orchestra and guest artists August 6 and Urakami Cathedral Holstein Musik Festival and soprano Barbara Hendricks in Nagasaki on August 9. These Tanglewood Music Center. and then-13-year-old Midori in are the very days of the bomb Members of the Hiroshima a "Hiroshima Peace Concert" ings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Symphony Orchestra will also commemorating the fortieth respectively. The concerts will be participate, with guest soloists ""iil c anniversary of the calamitous broadcast live in Japan by NHK, including the renowned cellist 0.. circumstances that brought Japan National Broadcasting. Mischa Maisky. !D..,, C: Also included in the programs u:, World War II to a close. For Worldwide transmission is sched C: 11) the occasion, Bernstein chose uled via satellite and Internet. will be "Make Our Garden l!O Grow" from Candide. :,:, to present his Symphony Japanese conductor Yutaka • ~ No. 3: Kaddish. The composer Sado will lead an orchestra -g_V, conducted the work. specially assembled for these :, '§, This summer, in commemora occasions from five prominent C 3 tion of the sixtieth anniversary of youth orchestras and summer 3 ~ N 0 0 \Jl West Side Story SPEC I AL EDITION --,,-.,,i~- Stamp Campaign •1 CIIIII UIHl!l!..'.!'"
2007 will mark the 50th Anniversary of the premiere of West Side Story. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp celebrating the show? With your help, we can make it happen. Please find in this issue a letter that you can 111111 If 10 UIIUT Al send urging the USPS to honor West Side Story IUUIIU with a commemorative stamp. We hope you IIIT PICTUIE 1881 will sign and mail the enclosed letter. These ~,,.'" ..... campaigns really do work! • OVI Clll!CTOl ' I [ WEST SIDE STORY L
Tulane Peter Pan Salutes his June, Koch International Classics will release a new Bernstein recording of Leonard Bernstein's incidental music to Peter Pan, the play by James Barrie. This he Tulane University Music recording features Linda Eder Department in association as Wendy and Daniel Narducci with the Summer Lyric Theatre as Captain Hook. The Amber will hold the First National Chamber Ensemble is conducted Conference on American by Alexander Frey who has Composers June 15 & 16, 2005, restored and edited the score. in New Orleans. This year's The recording of Bernstein's conference will be devoted to music and lyrics retains original the life and work of Leonard orchestrations by Trude Rittman Bernstein. In conjunction with the and Hershey Kay, with additional conference, Summer Lyric Theatre orchestrations by Sid Ramin, will present a series of three Garth Edwin Sunderland and productions of Bernstein's work Alexander Frey. The recording for the musical stage: Candide also includes informative program (June 16-19), West Side Story notes by Daniel Felsenfeld. opined: "Leonard Bernstein has (July 7-10), and Wonderful Town Peter Pan opened on "'0 written an excellent musical iil (July 28-31). Broadway April 24, 1950. c accompaniment for the action. c.. The conference will feature "Leonard Bernstein has taken f.O..., It heightens the fantastical mood C IQ such Bernstein scholars as musi time off from serious work," C of the drama at every point and 11) cologist and author Joan Peyser, wrote New York Times critic contributes such enchanting songs RC> composer/writer Eric Salzman, Brooks Atkinson, "to write a ;;o as Who Am I, My House, and ~ composer/pianist Craig Urquhart melodic, colorful and dramatic l/l Plank Round." • -g_ and musicologist and conductor score that is not afraid to be ::, \0vs Charles Zachary Bornstein. • simple in spirit." Writing for the C 3 Herald Tribune, Howard Barnes 3 ~ N 0 0 u, BBC Salutes Bernstein
his spring London has seen Bernstein's death in October of Ta flurry of activity around 1990. Conceived by Executive the music of Leonard Bernstein. Producer John Evans, Radio In addition to performances of 3's head of music progamming, Candide on London's South Bank the season will be presented by and On The Town at English Network host Tommy Pearson National Opera, BBC Radio 3 and Bernstein's biographer, has been honoring the legacy of Humphrey Burton, with the par Leonard Bernstein since February, ticipation of Alexander Bernstein with broadcasts featuring all of and Jamie Bernstein. its in-house resources: its five Humphrey Burton will host a orchestras, symphony choruses, series of Composer of the Week professional radio choir and programs, featuring interviews broadcast services. The celebra gathered over the years with col tion began when the BBC Concert laborators, colleagues and friends Orchestra, Trinity College of of Bernstein. Burton also contrib Proms under Sir Simon Rattle) Music Singers and the Maida Vale utes a major article on Bernstein and Songfest conducted by Singers presented Candide in two for the BBC Music Magazine in Bernstein himself, with the BBC sold-out concerts at the Royal May, in which Bernstein is fea Symphony Orchestra. The week Festival Hall, led by Sir Thomas tured as the magazine's Composer will conclude with a live broad Allen as Narrator/Pangloss. of the Month. Tommy Pearson cast of a performance of Mass Beginning on May 28, the will be joined by music critic featuring the London Symphony station will be devoting an Edward Seckerson to discuss the Orchestra and Chorus. • entire week of broadcasting to theatre works of Bernstein on Bernstein, examining him as a the program Stage and Screen. To better understand the scope pianist, conductor, composer, The week will also include many of this celebration please visit teacher and broadcaster. The classic recordings from the BBC www.bbc.eo.uk/radio3 celebration, encompassing Archives, including concert over 100 hours, will honor performances of On the Town, the fifteenth anniversary of Wonderful Town (from the BBC
Peabody Award
'Leonard Bernstein: An American Life,' who wondered when it would the ambitious 11-hour radio documen ever be done. The Peabody is tary produced Steve Rowland and Larry such an extraordinary honor Abrams for CultureWorks, Ltd., was - and it is so pleasing that those awarded the 2005 Peabody Award. supporters can now be assured First awarded in 1941, the George that the wait was worthwhile." • Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished achievement and meri torious service by radio and television networks, stations, producing organiza .., ;; tions, cable television organizations c C. and individuals. They perpetuate the !I>.., memory of the banker-philanthropist C 10 C whose name they bear. ID l20 :;J;J Steve Rowland remarked, "In 20 years of making documentaries a: about great musicians, I have never had challenges like the ones Vl making Leonard Bernstein: An American Life. On one hand were ~s· '§, the constant funding problems. On the other was the incredible C: 3 volume of material to go through. We tried our best to follow the 3 ~ extraordinary journey of Bernstein's life - truly several lifetimes in 0 one - and in doing that tried the patience of many of our supporters "'0 Vl Santa Fe Desert Chorale Bernstein in Sings Leonard Bernstein I Bulgaria
n Sunday, August 7, West Side Story. Joining the he Bulgarian National Radio at Santa Fe's Lensic Chorale will be special guest art Symphony Orchestra under Performing Arts Center, the Santa ist, soprano Roberta Alexander. the direction of Rossen Milanov Fe Desert Chorale and Music Highlighting the concert will be will present a program titled Director Linda Mack will salute the premiere performance of a The Unknown Bernstein. The Leonard Bernstein in a program first-ever choral arrangement reason for this title is that the that ranges from such choral of the Overture to Candide, program will be made up of works as the Missa Brevis and arranged for the Chorale by Jack Bernstein compositions never choruses from Mass and The Manno. Please call 505-988-2282 performed before in Bulgaria. Lark, to music that he wrote for further information, or visit The program is: Divertimento, for Broadway: On the Town, www.desertchorale.org. • Three Meditations from Mass, Candide, Wonderful Town, and Hristo Tanec, cello; Chichester Psalms featuring the Choir of the Bulgarian National Radio, and Symphony No.1: Jeremiah with Rosalina Kassabova, mezzo soprano. The concert will take place on June 17, 2005 in Sofia's Bulgaria Hall. •
Bernstein Bound
he Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Company and T Leonard.- • lg A Boosey & Hawkes invite orches We are pleased to ln&ugurate Bernstein Bound with a look at Leontll'd Ber11ste111 's tral personnel, festival organiz Aroer/08. While other composers oorore him had lnoorporated AmerlOIUl t.hcmes Bernstein into their musk:, few ln any generat..lon have captured the vtbrant d1vere1t.,y or A.m.erlcan culture wtt.h Leonard Bernsteln 's sltlll and pe.n&Che. Por mlllions of ers and educators to sign up for listeners worldwide, he has come to personily Amertce.n music. From his many works that. touch on aspect.a of American llfe, we've choeon nve or pe.rtlcular Bound Bernstein Bound, a thrice-yearly lnterest.. I.n addtUon to some background on eu.ch piece, you'll t\nd lnformatlon on anruversarles, suggested program pairings, recommended recordings, and pubUcatlons. And on page 4, we've suggested some ways to turn an ordln&ry Newsletter e-mail bulletin presenting ideas weekend of programs lnto a Bernstein's .America festlvall for programming the music of Leonard Bernstein. Each issue 60"' Anrwer..ory: 20(U fP: 18 .., pri 19•• Mekl»Of!onOpe,oHOu!.e, NY Je,ome l!Ol:ll:llr4.cnoreogroi:>t-: eo.e1Theo! 13," Nashville, TN: SLAVA!, FANCY FREE, DYBBUK; Nashville Symphony Orchestra; Aoril Andrew Mogreli a, conductor; Jackson Hall . 16 St. Petersburg, FL: SER EN AD E; The Fl orida 14 Kiel, Germany: ON THE TOWN, Orchestra; Robert McDuffie, violin; Jahj a Theater Kiel; George Kohl, director; Ling, conductor; Mahaffey Theater. Georg Fritzsch Operahouse. 20 Berlin, Germany: SYMPHONIC DANCES 14, 5 Athens, Greece: TROUBLE IN TAHITI; FROM WEST SIDE STORY; Utah Symphony; 18,· O Greek National Opera; Theodoros Keith Lockhart, conductor; Philharmonie. Antoniou, conductor; Olympia 22 Vancouver, BC: BERNSTEIN BEAT; Theatre Stud io. Vancouver Symphony Orch estra; Jamie 20 Bonn, Germany: CHICHESTER PSALMS, Bernstein, narrator; Orpheum Theatre. SYMPHON IC DANCES FROM WEST SID E STORY; Beethoven Orchester Bonn, Phi lharmonischer Chor der Stadt May Bonn; Roman Kofman, conducto r; Beethoven hal le. 5 Oakland, CA: MASS; Oak land East Bay 22 St. Petersburg, Russia: SYMPHONY NO. 2: Symphony; Oakland East Bay Chorus; THE AGE OF ANXIETY; St. Petersburg Piedmont Chorus. Philharmonic; Emanuele Arciuli, piano; Marc Andreae, conductor; Sa la Bolscioi. 6 London, UK: DYBBUK SU ITE NO. 2; MIXED DOUBLES (Second movement from 22 London, UK: SUITE FROM ON THE CONCERTO FOR ORCHESTRA), THREE WATER FRONT; London Symphony MED ITATIONS FROM MASS, SU ITE FROM Orchestra; Antonio Pappano, conductor; A QUIET PLACE; BBC Symphony; Christian Barbican Centre. Poltera, cello; David Charles Abell, condu 26 Edinburgh, Scotland: SYMPHONIC tor; BBC Maida Va le Studios. DANCES FROM WEST SIDE STORY, 6 Seattle, WA: OVERTURE TO CAND IDE, SERENADE; BBC Scottish Symphony; llan SUITE NO. 2 FROM DYBBUK; THREE Volkov, conductor; Usher Hall. DANCE EPI SODES FROM ON THE TOWN, 29 Berlin, Germany: PRELUDE, FUGUE AND SYMPHONIC SUITE FROM ON THE RIFFS; German Philharmonic Big Band; John WATERFRONT; SYM PHONI C DANCES FROM Axelrod, conductor; Konzerthaus. WEST SIDE STORY; Seattle Symphony; Christian Knapp, conductor; Mark Taper Foundation Auditoriu m. 11, 1c London, UK: ON THE TOWN; June 21,24 English National Opera; Jude Kelly, 1 Essen, Germany: THREE DANCE EPISODES director; Stephen Mear, choreographer; FROM ON THE TOWN; Staatsphi lh armonie London Coliseum . Rheinland-Pfa lz; Bernard Ruf, conductor; 12-14 Atlanta, GA: CHICHESTER PSALMS; Alfreid Krupp Saal. ""ti iil Atlanta Orchestra and Chorus; Robert i: 3 Ulster, Northern Ireland: THREE C. Spano, conductor; Symphony Hall. f.D.., DANCE EPISODES FROM ON THE TOWN; C: IQ 12- San Francisco; CA: SYMPHONY NO. 2: C: CH ICHESTER PSLAMS; WEST SIDE STORY: IU THE AG E OF ANXIETY; San Francisco l n the summer of 1953, 35-year Iold Leonard Bernstein made his first recordings of five classics leonard bernsteln of the symphonic repertoire with the 1953 11merlc11n decce recordings the New York Stadium Orchestra. The five works - Beethoven's Eroica, Schumann's Symphony No. 2, Brahms' Symphony No. 4, Dvorak's New World and Tchaikovsky's Pathetique - were originally recorded for the Decca Record Company in America. These recordings have at last been re-released by Deutsche Grammophon in a five-CD boxed set. The box also includes the fascinating Listening Guides that Bernstein recorded for the Book of-the-Month Club in 1957. The guides feature Bernstein's voice and piano-playing as he explains the structure of each of in unadulterated form. The pack international critics, and origi the five symphonies. age also includes full documen nal photos and documentation The six CDs in this limited tation of original sources and including rehearsal sequences, edition collection are direct recordings, new liner notes original covers and labels. • tape-to-disc transfers, presented in three languages by leading PRELUDE, & PRESORTED FUGUE STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID RIFFS NEWARK, NJ PERMIT NO. 45 121 West 27th Street Suite 1104 New York, NY 10001 Printed 0 11 recycled paper