PRELUDE, FUGUE News for Friends of Leonard Bernstein RIFFS Spring/Summer 2002 YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERTS Return to TV by Martin Steinberg Reprinted with permission of The Associated Press. EW YORK (AP) - The images are in black and white and from another Nera, mothers in fancy hats accompanying their sons in suits and ties and daughters in dresses and patent-leather shoes as they rush into Carnegie Hall to watch a nearly all-male orchestra yet the ideas ... are as meaningful today as during Eisenhower's America in 1958. Forty-four years after Leonard Bernstein's YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERTS first aired, they are returning to television. [Ed. Note, began on March 15] ... USA Cable-affiliated Trio, which has 14.3 million subscribers, bills itself as a popular arts channel. Its programs include "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," movies, fash­ ion and concerts from Bjork to the Doors. With these performances featuring Bernstein and the [New York] Philharmonic, the station is venturing into the difficult sell of classical music. "When we went back and looked at them, we found them to be riveting, exciting, somehow fresh, new and relevant to what is happening today," Chris Slava said. [Trio's vice president of acquisitions and scheduling] To help, Trio enlisted three stars - entertainers Whoopi Goldberg and John Lithgow and violinist (continued on page 2) In this issue ... LB Discography: New on the Web ... page 6 YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERTS Return to TV, continued To Our Readers (continued from page 1) sort of put clothes on them so Joshua Bell. They introduce the that they could go out into topic of the day, such as "What is the world. After all, notes can't Orchestration?" "What is a wander around naked; they have Concerto?" and "Musical Atoms: to be dressed up, in orchestration. t was Leonard Bernstein's least A Study of Intervals." The real But good orchestration means not Iglamorous occupation, that of star, of course is Bernstein ... only clothes that you put music teacher, that may leave the Besides his conducting, composing into - the way you wear a dress strongest mark of his influence in and piano-playing skills, Bernstein or a suit to keep yourself warm. the world of music and ideas. In was a great communicator and It's got to be the right orchestra­ this issue, we hear from educators teacher. He didn't talk down to tion for that particular piece of inspired by Bernstein's teaching his young audience while explain­ music, like wearing the right suit methods, as well as by the ability ing formidable concepts that can or the right dress. That orches­ of his compositions to galvanize turn the mystique of classical tration would be like putting on a young listeners. The Leonard music into an impenetrable barrier. sweater to go swimming. It's just Bernstein Center is steadily ridiculous." expanding, creating a nationwide He didn't talk down to After having the orchestra play dissemination of Bernsteins's lively a jumbled orchestration, Bernstein approach to learning. Scholarships his young audience while asks: "You see how terrible that established by Bernstein in his is? You can't hear the tunes, the lifetime continue to boost talented explaining formidable rhythms are too loud and it all young musicians forward in concepts that can turn the sounds clumsy and thick." The their studies. lesson: "A good composer always In addition, Bernstein's mystique of classical music knows deep down in his heart YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERTS what the right choice must be, with the New York Philharmonic into an impenetrable barrier. because if he's good, his music are back on television, illuminat­ will make him choose right. The ing a darkness that had not been "I don't know anybody who can right music played by the right relit for many years. And the do that with music and ... make it instruments in the right combina­ jewel in Bernstein's educational so accessible and fun, as though tions at the right time - that is crown, his NORTON LECTURES you already knew it almost good orchestration." Bell said the at Harvard, are now available on before he said it," said Alexander series may not be right for every­ DVD. They never looked better. Bernstein, a former teacher ... body, but it may expose many to Meanwhile, academic research For example, in introducing classical music because Bernstein on Bernstein's musical and "or-ches-TRA-tion," Bernstein shows that music is something not recording legacy has reached new demonstrates how the 19th to be afraid of. "I think it will levels of precision, thanks to the century Russian composer Nikolai touch them," he said. "Just being combined forces of human dedica­ Rimsky-Korsakov arranged around somebody that just oozes tion and computer wizardry. "Capriccio Espagnol." Bernstein music - it's a kind of energy, and And anyone who wonders if adds layer upon layer of ideas through osmosis you get excited ... Leonard Bernstein's works are one at a time: "What (Rimsky­ Hopefully the bigger results will getting enough exposure need only Korsakov) did actually is to take be just wanting to go out and turn to the Calendar of Events, the bare notes in his head and hear music and go play rn usic." • which threatens to devour the front of this newsletter. J.B.T. • 0 WEST SIDE STORY: A Teaching Diary by Ann Mayle have been teaching WEST SIDE ISTORY m seventh grade music classes for most of my 17 year teaching career. For the past several years, I have been showing the film to the students of Suncrest Middle School in Morgantown, West Virginia. I don't remember the exact day that I decided to start, but I remember the circum­ stances as if it were yesterday. I had just landed my first job teaching junior high school music, all set for my first class. I had the piano out, the music was ready and I was eager to proceed. I passed out the music and pro­ ceeded to teach them to sing a pop song from the time. A hand raised in the back of the room. "Yes?" "Um ... Mrs. Mayle, if we wanted to sing, we would be in choir." (Said with the innocence On to WEST SIDE STORY. I snapping. That always happens. Ann Mayle with and sarcasm of a seventh grader.) tell them, "You will see the gangs They're hooked! This led to a discussion about dancing. Remember folks, this is Day two: A quick review of her students. how they do NOT like to sing a MUSICAL! That's what they what we saw yesterday, then I and I couldn't make them, etc. do. The music is an important turn on the VCR. The dance Not a good beginning. I needed part of the plot, so I expect you to starts. They laugh at Gladhand. Plan B. So I went home and listen carefully to each song and They watch as Tony and Maria devised a unit on Musical Theater, know its meaning and who sings first see each other. The girls are complete with notes, tests, quizzes it. Take notes as you go along. drawn to the TV. A couple of the and games. We would complete There will be work to do after the boys are looking at each other the unit by watching WEST SIDE video is over. Let's start. And and rolling their eyes. They listen STORY and discussing it. That no, you may not have popcorn." to Maria. They always complain was the beginning of what I later Day one: I talk them through that he says Maria way too many became known for. Many of my the first few minutes of the video times! (A boy one year actually former students may forget my as they see the aerial view of New counted them. I think he said name, but they remember me as York City. They like this view. that there were 37.) We stop the "The WEST SIDE STORY lady. " "Cool," I hear someone say tape at the very end of Tonight. Before I begin showing the film, (how appropriate). I name the Once again we discuss what they we discuss musicals in general. Jets as they pop onto the screen. saw. "Was that fire escape Actors "sing" in musicals (groans Someone asks if they are ever supposed to be like the balcony from the class.) They may going to talk. I assure them that in Romeo and Juliet?" someone "dance" in the streets (more after the opening scenes, the asks. "Exactly!" "Will we get ,, iil mumbling and giggling). We list action picks up. After about to see the rumble tomorrow?" c C. musicals the students have seen. forty minutes, I turn off the video "You'll have to wait and see," !"..., C: While a couple of students have at the place where Maria starts I tell them. <C C: Day three: Again, a quick n, traveled to New York to see a spinning around into to the dance I«> Broadway show, most have not. scene. Someone yells, "No, don't overview of what we've seen so far. ;Jl :ii Their lists mainly consist of the stop it now!" I have no choice. We begin with Officer Krupke. "' ,;V, Disney animated musicals. A We have only a few minutes left. They love it. They laugh at the 5 '3, few have seen shows presented I ask them questions about what lyrics. We watch from the war C 3 by our local theater group. Only they saw today.