- rt News for friends of Leonard Bernstein Spring/Summer 1999 To Our Bernstein's First Love Readers By Jeanne Golan y now most people have Bheard the story: scrawny, very family has its inher­ sickly 10-year-old Leonard ent stories. When I was Bernstein touched Aunt Clara's twelve years old and first upright piano, and that was it learning Beethoven's - he knew what he wanted to Pathetique Sonata, my father do with the rest of his life. And began telling me one of his did he ever do it! His life is an favorite stories from his school eloquent definition of the term days at the esteemed Boston Latin self-actualization. School. Dad took great pride in Leonard Bernstein's words relating how a fellow classmate and deeds continue to resonate performed a different Beethoven throughout the world. Indiana sonata by memory every Friday University devoted several afternoon for the entire student weeks to a festival of his music. body at the school assembly. The The Pacific Music Festival, strong impression this made on which Mr. Bernstein helped my father was a combination of found shortly before he died, inspiration at seeing such an is now entering its second accomplishment by another scrap­ decade. One of its early con­ py first-generation Jew from ducting students, Yutaka Sado, Dorchester, and his first exposure now has a thriving international to this noble opus performed so conducting career and has just vividly. (The strength of this early released a CD of Mr. Bernstein's impression may have led him to KADDISH symphony. In marry a pianist, insuring a life­ London, audiences continue to time of music in my parents' cheer WEST SIDE STORY and home.) The pianist was Leonard cheer yet again for the enthusi­ Bernstein, and today, having astically received National spent the last several weeks Theatre production of immersed in listening to and view­ Bernstein conducts the New York Philharmonic from the piano. CANDIDE. ing Bernstein at the keyboard, I New recordings of am grateful for the perspective Bernstein's works, re-releases of that Dad's recollection provides. natural in both of these realms, Vengerova at the Curtis Institute. every aspect of his training Bernstein performances, con­ The one word that seems to With Bernstein's capacity to espoused classicism as an ideal. meld form and function, the result certs of Bernstein works around encompass Bernstein's perfor­ the globe - his presence in the mances is "classical." A classical Boston Latin School and Harvard is pure expression. In the University in the 1930s were Shostakovich Concerto #2, the world is as palpable as ever. aesthetic epitomizes proportion And to think it all started with and clarity. For Bernstein as inter­ models of classical academia. His strings of flying octaves are stun­ three main piano teachers all sub­ Aunt Clara's piano! J.B. T. • preter, this ideal would guide him ningly executed, yet when placed scribed to classical principles of in his understanding of musical into Bernstein's conception of this playing that convert the body into scores and of the composer's work as one that will not give in a graceful mechanism through intent. For Bernstein as to sentimentality, the overall which the music could be impart­ pianist/athlete, this ideal would effect is breathtaking. In his per­ ed to the keyboard. They were lead him to develop a facility formance of the Ravel Concerto Helen Coates, the assistant of whereby a relaxed, balanced torso in G, every physical gesture serves Boston's reknowned pianist, and supple arms support the pas­ musical intent, ranging from the Heinrich Gebhart; Gebhart him­ sagework of strong but dexterous dazzling passagework of the outer self, and finally Isabella fingers. While Bernstein was a (continued on page 5) Indiana University A Thoroughly Bernstein Celebration he Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington, IN completed their two-week cele­ bration of Leonard Bernstein on April 24. Bernstein had a special relationship with the IU School of Music. He was the first Indiana University Fellow, and spent time there working on his opera A QUIET PLACE. He also estab­ lished the Leonard Bernstein Music Scholarship. When the School of Music performed MASS at Tanglewood's 70th birthday celebration, Bernstein said, "This is one of the best performances of anything I have seen." To honor Bernstein in what would have been his 80th birthday year, the IU School of Music and Musical Theater Department performed as Celebrant Michael Deleget and the Acolytes perform the Sancrus in Indiana University's School of Music's 1999 production of Bernstein's MASS. much music by Bernstein as their resources could allow, and held presented selections from CAN­ many of which were written for impact of those ground-breaking panel discussions about the vari­ DIDE, the ORCHESTRAL SUITE various shows but never used. We television shows, and the cha l­ ous facets of his life and career. FROM CANDIDE, music from A learned how they were recycled lenge they still present to music Only a school of music with QUIET PLACE, DIVERTIMEN­ into other compositions. Jamie educators today. Conductors 1,700 students, a spectacu lar TO, OPENING PRAYER and Bernstein Thomas, with Michael Michael Morgan and Michael opera house and many concert CHICHESTER PSALMS. This is Barrett conducting the chamber Barrett joined Craig Urquhart in a halls could have met this chal­ a program that would challenge orchestra and the University panel hosted by Dean David lenge. Performances of Bernstein's any professional organization, yet Singers, presented a lecture con­ Woods to discuss Bernstein as SYMPHONY NO. l: JEREMI­ the student orchestra pulled it off cert called "Leonard Bernstein: teacher. Each shared how AH, CANDIDE OVERTURE and with flying colors. Politically Incorrect?" This con­ Bernstein affected their lives. SYMPHONY NO. 2: THE AGE Dean Emeritus Charles Webb cert featured the world premiere Harry Kra ut, Bernstein's manager OF ANXIETY opened the festiva l and Michael Barrett provided of five songs from a never-com­ for many years, spoke with Dean with the Philharmonic Orchestra four-hand piano accompaniment pleted musical based on a play of Charles Webb about managing conducted by David Effron . Also to student singers in ARIAS AND Bertholt Brecht. Other concerts Bernstein. Kraut emphasized four on this program was the world BARCOROLLES and included chamber music (the ''F''s in Bernstein's life: Focus, premiere of Drip by David SONGFEST. The Chamber PIANO TRIO and the SONATA Family/Friends, Fun and Games, Mallamud, winner of the Leonard Orchestra, conducted by Michael FOR CLARINET AND PIANO) and Finances. There followed a Bernstein Young Composers Morgan, then presented a pro­ and recitals of all of the piano lecture-concert by Carol Competition. Dean David Woods gram of TROUBLE INTAHITI works. Lawrence, "A Love Letter To invited the audience to join him at and SERENADE, with faculty And you think that was a lot? Lenny," in which she shared her intermission in a toast to the life member Yuval Yaron as the solo The school also hosted many perspective of rehearsing with 2 of Leonard Bernstein after reading violinist. In the next concert interesting and provocative pan­ Bernstein. Bernstein's biographer, a proclamation by the Mayor of event, faculty member Jeffrey els. Roger Englander, Carlos Humprey Burton, presented a lec­ Bloomington declaring Leonard Magee narrated "Bernstein on Moseley and Jack Gottlieb, who ture, "In Search of Leonard Bernstein Week. Broadway." Once again Charles all worked on the YOUNG Bernstein," which served as a The next day the University Webb was at the keyboard PEOPLE'S CONCERTS with prelude to the fo ll owing day's Orchestra (the school has five) accompanying students and facul­ Bernstein, were joined by Polly panel, "Producing a Bernstein and the Oratorio Chorus, under ty members, while Magee provid­ Kahn from the New York Biography," with Burton, the direction of Michael Barrett, ed information on the songs, Philharmonic to discuss the (continued on page 4) Pacific Music Festival Celebrating the Pacific Music Festival --- By Kazuyuki Tsuchihashi highest standards. Over the years the faculty, whose chairman is he Pacific Music Festival Peter Schmid!, a member of the (PMF) was founded in 1990 Vienna Philharmonic, has includ­ by Leonard Bernstein to enhance ed members of the Accademia di international cultural exchange Santa Cecilia Orchestra, the and to promote the musical edu­ Bavarian Radio Symphony cation of young people and the Orchestra, the Berlin public, particularly in the Pacific Philharmonic, the Empire Brass region. After the original plans by Quintet, the Houston Symphony, Bernstein, Tilson Thomas, and the London Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra to and the Vienna Philharmonic. give concerts and orchestral class­ The PMF Orchestra has es in Beijing were canceled toured throughout Japan under because of the events in the direction of not only Tilson Tiananmen Square, the late Thomas and Eschenbach but also Mayor ltagaki of Sapporo com­ conductors Eiji Oue, Yutaka mitted his city to establish the Sado, and Wen-Pin Chien. At the Pacific Music Festival. With the PMF Orchestra home base - Art Concertgoers arrive at the Pacific Music Festival. generous ongoing support of Park in Sapporo - they have Nomura Securities and hundreds been led by conductors Myung­ Many of the students volun­ memories of all victims in World of other Japanese companies and Whun Chung, Neeme Jarvi, John teer their time to present chamber War II. citizens, it would please Leonard Fiore, Ca rl St. Clair, Marin Alsop, recitals in the local schools. This The president of the PMF Bernstein to know that his dream Lief Bjaland, Michael Barrett and program was begun by Eiji Oue Foundation, Harry Kraut sa id, of "another Tanglewood" is thriv­ Tetsuro Ban.