This evening, with the smell of baking bread in my nose, I’m listening to one of my favorite conductors: Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), Wiener Philharmoniker, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F major. I’ve experienced Maestro Bernstein’s leadership five other times previous to the Sixth, on… Day 3. Rating: “Huzzah!” Day 21. Rating: “Huzzah!” Day 39. … [Read more…]
My office this morning overlooks the lake. The temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit. There is a slight breeze out of the East. I’m sipping a Breakfast Blend coffee from Bagel Beanery, munching on Dry Roasted & Salted Almonds from Trader Joe’s, and pondering why in the hell I like Leonard Bernstein’s performances so much. I … [Read more…]
I won’t lie. I think Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) is my favorite conductor of Beethoven’s symphonies. Whenever I listen to one of Bernstein’s performances, I’m filled with joy, awe, and reverence. I am caught up in his unbridled enthusiasm because I think the orchestra is, too. Even this, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E flat Major, … [Read more…]
I find it hard to believe that I’ve lived some 58 years and I don’t recall ever hearing anything conducted by Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990). Which is a shame because his interpretation of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 in C Major is energetic, vivid, and dynamic. In the liner notes to this Deutsche Grammophon set, Bernstein wrote, … [Read more…]