Fall/Winter 2020-2021
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News for Friends of Leonard Bernstein Fall/Winter 2020/2021 BOB CATO ©SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT BOB CATO Celebrating Beethoven and Bernstein 2 L(v)B 7 New York and Vienna 14 From the Archives Inside... 4 Artful Learning 8 Bernstein Breathes Beethoven 18 In the News 6 Fidelio 10 LB & the United Nations So You Think You Know L(v)B? by Jacob Slattery the Boston Opera House as a young boy, and six decades later he conduct- n the morning of ed the Seventh in his fi nal concert s we wend our way through the November 14, 1954, a at Tanglewood with the Boston Apandemic, with its manifold depri- breezy, young, 36-year- Symphony Orchestra on August 14, vations and sorrows, we can fi nd a few Oold conductor named 1990, exactly two months before silver linings of comfort—and one of the Leonard Bernstein was preparing to his death. His musical responses silveriest is surely music. Even with pre- deliver the fi rst-ever music lecture to sorrow (memorials for mentors, cious little live performance, we’re fi nd- broadcast on live television with a full colleagues, and heads of state) and ing ways to celebrate Beethoven’s 250th symphony orchestra, the Symphony jubilation (new administrations, birthday. Recordings, streaming, and of the Air. He had only conducted concert hall inaugurations, the Fall of radio are always close at hand—and as a fi ve public concerts that year—a little the Berlin Wall) were, almost always, lifelong proponent of Beethoven’s music, over a decade past his historic debut Beethoven. Leonard Bernstein offers a rich trove of with the New York Philharmonic— Of the roughly 3,677 public, tele- contributions. This issue explores his life- choosing instead to compose three vised, and recorded performances long obsession with the composer who major works of his own: a violin Bernstein conducted over nearly 50 had the power to “wallop the galaxies,” concerto, a Broadway-bound oper- years, Beethoven’s music, in some as Bernstein himself put it. etta, and a fi lm score. Now, eleven shape or form, was programmed in Bernstein’s educational legacy is pro- years to the day after his historic at least 571 of them (~15.5%). These viding another silver lining during these conducting debut with the New York events took place in 124 cities in 20 pandemic times. The Artful Learning Philharmonic, the lights were beam- countries (32% outside the United model, inspired by Bernstein’s philos- ing down on a monstrous score paint- States) with 49 orchestras (43% with ophies about education, has sprung to ed on the fl oor of the CBS Television his beloved New York Philharmonic) the fore through its fl exibility in moving Network studio. Bernstein began: and more than 100 soloists. He creativity-based approaches online. “We are going to try a curious exper- recorded a catalog of 80 individual Teachers and parents alike have been iment here today—one that perhaps Beethoven works that were accom- deeply grateful for Artful Learning’s strat- has never been tried before.” panied by dozens of introductions, egies to engage housebound students. This groundbreaking, prime- lectures, and musical analyses. Despite our general inability to con- time musical exploration was only A fervent communicator, gregate, a few precious live performances the initial scratch on the surface of Bernstein repeatedly turned to of Bernstein’s own music have been Bernstein’s lifelong quest to solve the Beethoven to help him convey his able to take place. In Berlin, Germany, mystery of why “one grubby, shag- most passionate ideas about music, a scaled-down, socially distant perfor- gy-headed little man should have been especially on television. To cite but mance of Songfest revealed the intense chosen to wallop the galaxies with his a few examples, nine of his Young relevance of that work to today’s world; music”. This attempt to diminutize People’s Concerts with the New York its exuberant celebration of diversity feels the grizzly Germany composer was Philharmonic included Beethoven, utterly contemporary. decidedly tongue-in-cheek, because and two specifi cally celebrated him; Although Bernstein would have been the truth was that Ludwig van four of his Ford Presents programs woefully inept at social distancing, we Beethoven ruled Bernstein’s life. featured Beethoven—including think he would actually have enjoyed Bernstein’s fi rst television pro- Bernstein in Berlin, which was being stuck at home, surrounded by gram was about Beethoven; the fi rst recorded two years before the Wall books, music, and family members with chapter of his fi rst book was “Why was built; and Episode 3, “Musical whom to share knowledge and play end- Beethoven?”; his international con- Semantics,” from The Unanswered less word games—and for once, he would ducting debut featured Beethoven; Question: Six Talks at Harvard fea- have had the luxury of time to enjoy it all. his fi rst public performance as tured an analysis and performance Prelude, Fugue & Riffs Prelude, As for the results of the November music director of the New York of the Sixth, all of which was subse- election: we’re pretty sure we can hear Philharmonic ended with Beethoven. quently broadcast on PBS. his galactic sigh of relief, all the way In his fi rst television appearance, Throughout the 20th century, down here. J.B. ■ he conducted the Ninth; his fi rst Bernstein’s combined quests to televised Young People’s Concert untangle Beethoven’s dense oeuvre with the New York Philharmonic and make it comprehensible for a Fall/Winter 2020/2021 On the cover: Cover of Columbia included Beethoven; his fi rst major modern public led to his uncovering Masterworks LP MS 7414; Bernstein project after leaving the New York countless ground-breaking obser- conducts Beethoven—Symphony No. 7; Philharmonic was a production of vations. To Bernstein, Beethoven Released February 24, 1970 Fidelio. Beethoven even formed the stood for many things, but most Photography by Bob Cato frame of Bernstein’s musical career: signifi cantly for Bernstein, Beethoven Design by Ron Coro he fi rst heard Beethoven’s music (the expressed democratic idealism in its ©Sony Music Entertainment Seventh) from the second balcony in most profound sense. On his Young 2 So You Think You Know L(v)B? People’s Concert with the New York The Waterfront was nominated for Bernstein’s approach to Philharmonic “Forever Beethoven”, an Academy Award. In just that single Beethoven is so complex that it would Bernstein said: “In Beethoven, as in year, we can detect how Bernstein’s take an entire book to capture the democracy, freedom is a discipline, perception about Beethoven refl ect- whole picture, so below are a few combining the right to choose freely, ed the confl icts in his own soul: for highlights and stats that may help and the gift of choosing wisely.” In he spent his entire professional life to illuminate Bernstein’s love for 1954, the year that his exploration of trying to strike the balance between conducting the music of that “shag- Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony changed his opposing impulses to compose or gy-headed little man”. television, Bernstein’s score to On conduct. (continued on page 12) A Look at the Numbers Beethoven Symphonies Conducted by Leonard Bernstein ernstein conducted all Nine of Beethoven’s Symphonies throughout his life. Our data set includes 341 public Bconcerts, recordings, and televised concerts of the symphonies, including a few key performances of individual move- ments, like a January 20, 1957 performance of the “Marcia Funebre” from the Third Symphony in memory of Arturo Toscanini. Bernstein favored the Seventh (at least 84 in our database), while conducting the First only eight times. Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21 Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36 Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93 Symphony No. 3 in E-fl at Major, Op. 55 Symphony No. 7 Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 92 in B-fl at Major, Fugue & Riffs Prelude, Op. 60 Symphony No. 5 in C Minor Op. 67 Symphony No. 6 Fall/Winter 2020/2021 in F Major, Op. 68 3 Artful Learning Steps into the Future by Patrick Bolek using the now-ubiquitous Zoom back for any technical glitches inhibiting in 2017, to take advantage of its many a smooth presentation. We created he past eight months have been sharing features and high-defi nition new systems for supporting schools Tsimultaneously daunting and quality. Pivoting to that platform 100% remotely that, in the years invigorating for the Artful Learning during the pandemic was therefore ahead, will continue in tandem with model. Every summer for the instantaneous, without any lapse in the traditional professional develop- past twenty years, teams of Artful service to our schools. ment training method. Emergent, Learning Trainers would traverse the The challenging but exciting Advanced, Master, and Distinguished country, teaching educators how to endeavor before us this year was to Trainers all contributed their invalu- integrate the arts and the spirit of cre- reimagine how to deliver summer able expertise and thinking. Some of ativity across the curriculum. On-site training and subsequent follow-up our innovations include: training would continue throughout sessions—all of which had relied > “Modular tracks” that allow for the academic year, providing coach- entirely on a physical presence at a simultaneous, synchronous training ing and support to emergent Artful school space. Maintaining our unique for all Artful Learning educators: Learning Schools. This year, however, level of customization while build- from inductees to advanced advo- as was true for so many organizations, ing enduring relationships—these cates of the model, as well as for visu- safe and responsible travel came to a remained the essential components in al and performing arts specialists.