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English Pages 91 [112] Year 1899
x)rR.
PUBLISHED IN CONJUNCTION WITH
LEONARD BERNSTEIN THE HARVARD YEARS 1935-1939 PRODUCED BY THE EOS ORCHESTRA JANUARY
28,
1999
This
book
is
made
possible in part by support from The
Nathan
Cummings
Foundation a
:
(
:
Ps
The Eos Orchestra Jonathan SHEFFER
Artistic
Director’
1999 The Eos Orches All rights The
tra’
reserved
Published: by Eos Orchestra,
NY
“ Designed by Bureau; NY Printed, by Studley Press|
_ ISBN) 0-9648083-4-x -
TABLES
OR
CONTENTS
Foreword
JONATHAN
The
SHEFFER
Bernstein at Harvard and the Escape Artist
Artist
DAVID
An
ee
WRIGHT
18
Interview
with Vivian Perlis LEONARD BERNSTEIN
Boston Carries on LEONARD BERNSTEIN Music BERNSTEIN
LEONARD
“Dear a
letter
from
Helen...”
LEONARD
B.
34
Chronology
Leonard
Bernstein
at
Boston
Latin RON
Lenny
at
Harvard
(Reminiscence)
HAROLD
Composing
(for
a)
School
SHAPERO
Philosophical
BERNADETTE
A.
Comedy MEYLER
“Not So Much New Deal as Old Howard” Leonard Bernstein and Aristophanes’ The Birds TIMOTHY
W.
BOYD
and
38
GWIAZDA
CAROLYN
HIGBIE
Contributors
Credits
Se
DOSSII
FOR. E WOR
D
Jonathan
THE
IDEA
EMERGE,
THAT
A
however, graduated
FULL-FLEDGED
MID-CENTURY,
IC ENVIRONMENT
their
training,
AN
IS SOMETHING
Harvard
conductors
FROM
MAESTRO
AMERICAN OF
are
University
in
differentiated
nationality,
times,
This,
Bernstein.
1939.
from and
COULD ACADEM-
A PARADOX.
is the story of Leonard
from
hand,
SHEFFER
On
one
who
the
one
another
their
world
by
view;
music-making at its best is the product of a unique personality—the while
more
nuanced,
universities
endless
are
aesthetics,
the
other
of music.
hand,
harboring
like many
oth-
for fostering “accepted” modes of thought
often
bolstered
posed of like-minded
Bernstein's
On
environments
possibilities, departments
ers, are notorious
and
the better.
expansive
career
by teaching
faculties
com-
scholars.
and
personality
defied
convention.
Though they differed in the details, Bernstein was Gershwin's successor
as an
iconoclastic
American
composer
of inclu-
sion. Both took the raw materials of their training and added everything
of interest
together serious
study
they encountered.
throughout
Gershwin
patched
his life and, armed
with
the sounds of immigrant song and jazz, gave concert music a virtuosic,
new, and unforgettable
sound.
Born a generation
later, Bernstein was of the same stock: but the crucial difference
between
the
two
composers
lay in
their
education.
Gershwin's was of the street (though one with a shul on it): if
Bernstein
seemed
to long for the street,
his insatiable
sion for learning made him a standout at even institutions.
He
garnered
numerous
the most
scholastic
prizes
paselite at
Boston Latin School (1929-1935); at Harvard, he composed and performed while receiving a liberal arts education of breadth and depth. From 1939-1941 he mastered piano and conducting at the Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia, where he was the star pupil of Fritz Reiner, perhaps the most demanding teacher the art of conducting has known. Still, the pathway academia; much
even
to the priesthood of music rarely traverses today, conservatories
may be lost in the more
professional importance
school.
Bernstein
the rule, though
intellectual life of the
believed
of a liberal education
throughout his to thought and ture played an a polymath is
are
narrow
profoundly
for musicians,
in the
and
tried
life to bolster music's impact by connecting it overt emotion. Indeed, philosophy and literaenormous role in his musical life. That he was well-known: his youthful grounding in lan-
guages (Hebrew, Latin, German, Italian, French, and Spanish)
granted him wide exposure to the classics of world literature in their original forms. wrote
his own
texts
His love of poetry, the fact that he
for songs
and
symphonies
alike,
and
even the texts he chose to set all reflect a passion for words and their power. Everything Bernstein read had the power to transform his thought: that he could be as engaged by prose and poetry as he was by studying orchestral scores is an indication
of his deep connection
Musical life at Harvard ognizable generation erence with study
in the late 1930s would not be unrec-
to the Harvard
composition has
students
of the mid-70s,
for the written
attention
and
always
been
of today, or even
for that matter.
word
has
its tools
given to musicology
study lagging somewhat.
to the word.
dominated taking
and
course
second
theoretical
predominant,
to my
A steadfast
with
place.
revstudy. The
composition performance
Harvard did not add instruction in
music until the third century of its existence, when it began il
teaching the
Protestant
rudiments
church
of “Devotional
music.
John
Services’—applied
Knowles
Paine,
one
of the
country's first chaired professors of music, had introduced composition Harvard Thomson,
Mannes.
studies
students Walter
For
in
the
prior Piston,
these
1860s.
to
The
generation
Bernstein
Randail
musicians,
included
Thompson,
institutions
and
of
Virgil Leopold
like
the
Glee
Club, the core of a powerful choral tradition at the college,
provided
the best
music-making. performing
opportunity
arts survive
ricular orchestras, of every Like
Yo-Yo
Ma
and
contact
life, music and
productions, amateur
with
and
all
extra-cur-
theatricals
the lifeblood of future artists.
forty
fed
plant
in this environment,
opera
kind become
Harvard,
for practical
But, like stubborn
years
later,
his consuming
Bernstein
passion
thrived
for writing
at and
performing music with thorough academic studies. He graduated in 1989 cum laude in musica, but had not failed to immerse
ies.’
himself in philosophy, art history, and literary stud-
As an
undergraduate,
composers
Harold
with
standout
three
Burlingame
were
under
its music
Koussevitzky
admired
premiered
and
professors,
Hill and Walter
works
Bernstein
Shapero
two
and
fellow
student
Berger
studied
of whom—William
Piston—were
regularly
director
and
Arthur
composers
by the Boston
new-music
whose
Symphony
enthusiast,
Serge
[see Pages 15, 36-37]. (However much Bernstein
these professors,
he was
never
crippled
by adula-
tion: In the late 1930s he gave a distinctively qualified review to a Piston/BSO
premiere
in Modern
Music, where
he fre-
quently contributed criticism! [see Dessier]) But it was with a third professor,
Arthur Tillman Merritt, with whom
he stud-
ied counterpoint, that he formed perhaps the strongest bond, as
he frequently did with teachers from Helen Coates to Renée Longy, Reiner, and Koussevitzky. Merritt's letters to Bernstein, collected in the Library of Congress, and signed iii
“Tillman” or just “Till cover forty years of friendly correspondence from the teacher, as he witnessed the dizzying career of a prized pupil and the fruits of his teaching. There is a wealth of material in the Library from this period in Bernstein's
and
life:
German.
Form,
papers,
There
received
poems,
is poetry
a thorough
fessor. He may occasionally to his classroom page
from
work,
a lecture
grammar
as well:
exams
one
os
2
Still, much
dressing down
from one proindifferent to his precocious talent: one
due
course
on
music
history
former.
of Bernstein's
undergraduate
Music’)
characteristics
of American
in great
concert
for the Harvard
Aristophanes’ Orchestra composer
ancient
The
festival
Birds that
(1939;
depth
music—in
Classical
occasioned
the
racial
other words,
music.® His inci-
Club
production
reconstructed
working to create music
Greek
fed into
writer, and per-
Absorption of Race Elements
explored
the jazz strain that ran so deeply in his own music
the
stupid dull
initiatives
of the mature composer,
His senior thesis (The
American
dental
contains
empty
2
the preoccupations
into
Italian
“Sonata
have been somewhat
phrase (echoing Hamlet's despair) “hollow uninteresting.
in
effort,
for the
this volume)
reveals
that takes its cues
theater, 20th-century jazz, Indian
of Eos a
from
ragas, and
Stravinskian austerity. This protean work contains the seeds
of several later compositions, including ideas that would be developed more fully in Facsimile and Symphony No. 2 (The Age of Anxiety). He won the right to compose the score over a recent Harvard graduate, Leroy Anderson (whose score for
Wonderful Town Bernstein would replace during the New Haven try-out ten years later). The artfully staged production of The Birds April
1939,
and
premiered
at the Sanders
is remembered
Theatre
as a success.
It was
on
21
even
reported by Life magazine, which featured a photograph of the elaborate costumes and masks [prate x1]. No doubt the iv
Poet singing Greek words in the style of Louis Armsirong raised a few eyebrows: the title of his song alone “Jazz Poet"—shows
what
Bernstein
was trying to do in this music.
This song would be recycled later in “Come Up To My Place’ from On The Town. Synthesis was to become Bernstein's hallmark,
as well as one
composers
of the major aesthetic
of this century.
Clearly, a new
was being heard in this work: Aaron the young made
Bernstein
Copland, who
in New York at a recent
dance
for
voice
had met concert,
the trip to Cambridge just to hear it. Bernstein's stag-
ing of Mare Blitzstein’s The Cradle duced York
challenges
important
in Cambridge premiere,
Bernstein:
gave
shortly the
Will Rock, which
he pro-
after the much-publicized
first
taste
of the
New
entrepreneurial
his direction, conducting, and lighting (!) received
high praise and a lot of press, for a college production.
There is much to savor here, as the early lives of great artists
are like road signs that cannot be read in their own Samuel
Bernstein
said
of his son
years
later,
time. As
“How
did
|
know he was going to become Leonard Bernstein?” His early years at Harvard were formidable—an early chapter in an unfolding American
1. The English
thriller.
courses
Bernstein
Literature,
took
Introduction
at Harvard to Art
include:
History,
Harmony
(Merritt), Aesthetics, Shakespeare, History of Music (Davison), Advanced Harmony (Piston), Counterpoint (Merritt), Instrumentation and Orchestration (Hill), Political Theory, Fugue. 2. The materials cited here are in the Leonard Bernstein Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress.
3. Reprinted in full in Leonard (New York, 1982).
Bernstein,
Findings
“ONE SPRINGBOARD
DIDN'T
KNOW
HE WOULD KNEW
FROM DIVE,
THERE
A HELL
“AT THE ANOTHER HE WAS
A STAR
REAL SPEAKING AN
INNATE SON
ABILITY
AND
SENSE
OF
AND
|! MEAN
OF THE
THAT
WAS
JUST
BUT
| KNEW
THAT
IN THE I'M NOT
SIMPLY
HAD
HERE
WAS A
PER-
WHATEVER
SCHUMAN
BE
A SPLASH.”
WORD.
EXTRAORDINARY HE WANTED
ACCOMPLISH
WILLIAM
ONE
ONE
ABSOLUTELY THAT
OF
KID
BUT
WOULD
LENNY
CHARISMA.
FEELING OF
TIME
HARVARD
WHICH
TO
HE WOULD.”
BERNSTEIN
aT THE
HARVARD ARTIST
and THE David
THE
ARTIST
WRIGHT
BOSTON
GREW
THE
ESCAPE
UP
IN
WAS
UNITED
WHICH
THE
LEONARD
“SERIOUS
BERNSTEIN
MUSIC”
CAPITAL
OF
STATES. Other cities had their orches-
tras, ballet companies, and opera houses, but it was in Boston _
that, beginning symphonic Although
in the
1870s,
composers most
School’—the
composers
the first school
arose
composers
in
“First” denotes
of a century
to
rival
this
of American
those
“Second
of Europe. New
England
the hymnodists and psalm-tune
earlier—received
their training
in
Germany, they returned to Boston to write, teach, and develop music
schools
This group
and
university
is also known
that suggests conservatism,
music
departments.
as the “Boston classicists.” a term the academy, and even a kind of
banned-in-Boston prudishness. In fact, the first generation of ‘classicists’ were a lively and diverse collection of Romantic composers who were inspired not just by Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Brahms, but by contemporary
Liszt, Wagner, and especially American
French music,
folk literature and
songs. And this diversity only increased in the second gener-
ation
of New
England
taught Leonard
The
granddaddy
(1839-1906), phonies
and
composers,
including
the ones
who
Bernstein.
of this
a native other
orchestral
/ ences to patriotic rapture.
stylistically much
group
was
of Portland,
beyond
John
Maine,
works
Although
moved
Paine
two
Boston
symaudi-
Paine did not advance
Mendelssohn 3
Knowles whose
and Schumann,
lis-
teners
were
concert
thrilled just to hear such vigorous
music
Harvard
from
an
American
composer.
University invited Paine to found
and skillful
In 1863, when
its music depart-
ment, he became the first professor of music at any American uniy ersily. He was as much “musician in residence’ as profes-
sor, giving widely-attended lectures and organ recitals and composing often for campus shows and the glee club. Almost was
as large a presence
George
at the New
Whitefield
as Paine
Chadwick
England Conservatory
who
scene taught
and served as its director
30 years,
credited
with elevating the school to the place of national
phonies,
music
and
went
that
from
parlor songs
turn
of
the
American
composers
and
One
could
part-time
mention
is
ones,
Around
among
the
models
in this
the contributions
case
of other
such as Edward
Foote, but the two Through
of future
to melodies Americana,
tunes.
was
in his
the first
to more
the
pre-
and Chabrier.
Bostonians
Arthur
dozens
banjo
for skill
Moreover,
thanks
from German
French
of Dukas
Paine form.
flavor,
Chadwick
to turn
poetic
Paine and Chadwick. passed
Chadwick
nineteenth-century
to pentatonic
easygoing
and
to surpass
national
evoke
century,
Impressionism
on
handling symphonic
has a distinctly rhythms
3each, and
until his death.
it still occupies today. Inspired by Paine’s sym-
Chadwick
orchestration and
1896
the Boston
for over
prominence
from
on
(1854-1931),
Bostonians
MacDowell.
Amy
real progenitors
are
their studios and classrooms
professors,
composers,
and
critics.
At least one of these later luminaries studied with both men:
Edward
Burlingame Hill (1872-1960), composer, professor of
music at Harvard,
the
early
Concert
In
with
and teacher of Leonard
1960s—during the New
York
a
televised
Philharmonic 4
Bernstein.
Young
People’s
titled, “What
Is
American
Music?°—Bernstein
New
England
view
of them
The
show's
School, at that
but time
Romantic
took rare notice of the Second
only
to repeat
as a coterie
the conventional
of uninspired
darkness-to-triumph
scenario
snobs.
called
for it to begin with a rather turgid, unrepresentative passage from
Chadwick's
what
third-rate
had
been.
Melpomene Brahms
Overture
wannabes
of 1887, to illustrate
the old-time
Luckily, by the end of the show,
composers
American
music
had been rescued by Gershwin, Copland, and boogie-woogie. This scenario
hadn't just occurred
to Bernstein
A quarter-century
earlier, Chadwick
been
of
the
villains
Absorption
of
lengthy essay
his
Race
senior
into
tune surrounded music.
which
native
spirit
(like
relies your
“support
i know
not
on
music,
of other
folk and
can
and hear so little American
Bernstein
grew
up,
distant
as
learning
more
about
his own
home
town. The encounter
Harvard
‘lessons,
which
old—quite
‘famous Leonard's
years.
own
among seattered
tance to encourage
who
most
young
would
people
peoples
traditions,
have to wait until
there
would
and
were
was
grow
interests
his musical ambitions.
do,
than about
with Boston
things.
5
a
and
stuff.”
other
if
on
Harris’
in America
until Leonard
late for somebody
pianist,
in the
but
| get hold of it?...You see,
meantime,
begin
American
where you can help, if you
lands and
In the
did not
Aaron
etc.” He intend-
maybe
‘through Professor Hill and others, would
his
Music’—a
material
composers
my point. and where
Leonard
American
development.
Sessions—I don't know)....This is music
had also
Harvard—*The
at the time to
“that there is something
newer
would—what
at
reveal the invalidity of an Indian
by Teutonic
ed to demonstrate
wrote
that week.
the rest
thesis
Elements
that, as Bernstein
Copland, would “ruthlessly
and
This
piano
ten years up to bea
reflected
his father’s
reluc-
Samuel
Bernstein,
student
of the Talmud, would gladly have seen
the family business was
a self-made
or become
for the downtrodden
a living any
other
teenage Leonard
businessman
devoted
his son join
a rabbi; in his mind,
klezmer who
way.
when
and
That
was
couldn't
what
Sam
saw
they were at their summer
the lake in Sharon, Massachusetts,
music
scratch out
in the
house by
where the boy organized
all the neighbor kids in parody performances of Carmen, the girls playing the male roles and vice versa, with new lyrics by L. Bernstein, who also presided at the piano, when he wasn't onstage in the title role. If made good summer Sam
thought, but a man
couldn't
support
fun,
a family on it.
As Leonard got better at piano playing, he had to find betteachers. One of them, recommended by the New England Conservatory, tried to teach him by the old “ball in the hand” method, which called for extreme finger curvature, and nearly ruined his technique. With each change, the price went up, causing renewed resistance from his father. Leonard Bernstein's legendary charm and persua-
ter
sive
powers
were
honed
in
these
confrontations.
At
age
twelve, he applied to Boston’s most illustrious -piano teacher, Heinrich Gebhard (1878-1963), who referred him to his young assistant Helen Coates. Coates, awed by Leonard's ability to read and memorize music, fed him a steady diet of the classics, from Bach through Beethoven and Chopin to Malaguefia by Ernesto Lecuona. This was Bernstein's
It wasnt
first systematic
until he was
fourteen
first concert. The Boston benefit concert
musical
sponsored
indoctrination.
that
Pops, with
Leonard
attended
in part by the Bernstein
temple, and father and son attended played
his
Arthur Fiedler, gave a family’s
it together. The Pops
Ravel's Boléro. Sam Bernstein liked its Middle fastern-sounding theme, and he found something intellee6
tual in its variation form that reminded studies.
Leonard
was,
him of his Talmudic
quite simply. in ecstasy. Soon
there-
after, the two of them attended a recital of Sergei Rachmaninoff playing late Beethoven, a more austere event that did not add much to the musical father-son bonding. But
Leonard
became
a confirmed
concertgoer,
was an adept mimic, able to entertain at the piano
with
variations
on
any
and
a roomful theme,
soon
of people
in the style of
Bach, Chopin, Stravinsky, Gershwin, you name it. One night in Symphony was
Hall, however,
‘jealous’
Symphony's course,
of
power
conductor,
Serge
in just a few
years
“Kouss” at Tanglewood Sam
Bernstein
schools
and
businessman
or
prep
were
Boston
and_
skill
of
Koussevitzky.
become
one
the
Boston
He would,
of
of the favorites
of
[see Pages 36-37].
insisted
attend
schools
he admitted to his date that he
the
that
his
the best
rabbi.
son
stay
possible
Since
off-limits
the
out
schools
exclusive
to Jews,
of
music
for a future
New
England
the clear choice
Latin School, which was open to all comers
was
by com-
petitive exam. The oldest public school in the nation, Boston Latin
was
founded
in
1635,
(Coincidentally, Leonard in
the
300th-anniversary
Later in life, Bernstein
a
cheerless
although
Symphony that
place
his
with
administrator there.
and
year
before
Harvard.
celebrations
of
both
schools.)
liked to characterize Boston
classmate
“instruments
provided”
a
Bernstein participated as a student
no
facilities
Leonard
and
for
music
whatever,
Burkat
(later
a
program
rehearsal
Nevertheless,
Latin as
annotator)
rooms...were Boston
Latin’s
Boston
recalled
generously curriculum
was rigorous, and gave Bernstein's intellect quite a workout.
Harvard was Leonard's next stop, again mandated by Sam. The young man looked around him and saw mostly grinds and
nerds,
or as
they were
and 7
are
called
there,
“wonks.”
(This writer
was
told by a Harvard
undergraduate
1960s that “wonk” was “know” spelled backward,
eood Harvard
explanation
ished
more
for
found
it bizarre
Building for two pers.” Of course,
After
than
“one
hours
its derivation.)
could
and
was all on a blackboard almost
for a word that has been cher-
its sound
that
walk
never
music
department
his
freshman
year
at
musie
in Philadelphia,
notions
about
Bernstein
in hushed
il
whis-
in the country.
Harvard, school,
Bernstein
the Curtis
made
Institute
but his father put a stop to any
transferring
between
got
and
finally
Music
because
have had a similar experience at
university
of Music
the
hear a note,
any
inquiries at a practical
Bernstein
through
or being discussed
he could
in the
which is a
his wish
schools.
attended
When
Curtis
after
graduating from Harvard, he found himself competing with fellow students who had been groomed for professional music careers since infancy. He then decided he didn't think much of these narrow-minded people who hadn't even read Joyce's Ulysses. Suffice it to say that Bernstein's
high 1.Q. and verbal ability made it possible for him to benefit from rigorous academic programs, and to expand his intellectual horizons, while al the same time seeking out the students and faculty who
would
feed his appetite
Harvard, musie
it was
fan,
to talk about
a charismatic
David
Prall,
Bernstein
supporter
Bernstein
also organized
attic of a freshman could music,
exchange Bernstein
than
who any
our
recalled.
“We
music.
professor
a
the
music
professors.
club,
v-hich
met
Edward
own
music
played
more.
At and
of
a music
and
make
became
adviser named
views
and
philosophy
stalwart
in the
Ballantine. and
hear
Stravinsky's
“We new Sacre
du printemps arranged for four hands....somebody came in with a record of Alban Berg's Lyric Suite and we all listened
to this amazing sudden,
new
new
thing like a cabalistic society.
worlds
were
open
In retrospect,
at
music
in the Harvard
any
teachers
benefit
from
ideas that were were
least.
All of a
to me.”
Bernstein
spoke
years.
the old “classicists.” fresh off the boat
glowingly
If he denied
he eagerly
from
of his deriving
embraced
France.
And
there
a lot of them.
In his freshman
year,
Bernstein
the piano class of Heinrich piano
instruction,
Like
Walter
nor
of French
other
In
their lessons
in an
bathed
in the glow
ishment
at the golden streams the
no
courses.)
German-born
a noted exponent
when
Gebhard
finally
opus. The Art of Pedaling. Bernstein
“All was
ol Beethoven,
a
into
offered
music
was
1963,
accepted
(Harvard
“applied”
Gebhard
impressionism.
about
finally
the Rhine’ and became
published his magnum wrote
any
Gieseking,
pianist who “swam
was
Gebhard.
introduction
of wonder,
fevered
of Chopin,
imaginings
to the book:
of constant
aston-
the subtle
might
of Schumann,
the
cooler images of Debussy....1 never once left that studio on my
own
two
Harvard's
too.
feet: I floated
music
out.”
professors
Even
E.B.
Hill,
Chadwick,
also
spent
some
Widor.
A
Charles-Marie
University collected 1924.
of Strasbourg in a
Bernstein
book, took
senior year. Bernstein
all
trained
time series
and
Modern
master
loved
connections
by
Paine
and
in Paris
studying
with
of
his
elsewhere
lectures
at
in France
Music,
orchestration
the
were
published course
later recalled him—not
of orchestration,
Debussy.”
French
Boston
French
Hill's
considering Hill's teachers—as a
had
in
in
in his
surprisingly,
“not a first-rate genius but
a salty
New
Englander
who
Arthur
Tillman
Merritt
(1902-1998)
studied
in Paris
with
Paul Dukas and Nadia Boulanger. The latter introduced him to the then little-known went
on
to make
the Renaissance. dents
to
that
works
his mark
He awakened
period
of Monteverdi,
as a musicologist
and
Merritt
specializing
generations of Harvard
of music,
including
Bernstein,
in
stuwho
later recalled that “we would sit and play and sing and cry with joy....My God, I will never forget the first time we sang
Orfeo and played it four-hands together!” If, as some analysts have suggested, Bernstein compositions such as the finale of the Jeremiah Symphony
and “It Must
Candide
flavor, one
have a neo-Renaissance
Be So” from
might find the
roots of that music in these sessions with Merritt. Bernstein
may or may when
not have learned something else from
he received
a C in the
course.
Years
later
Merritt, Merritt
recalled, “I never graded students on their talent. If he didn't do the work, why should | give him an A?° Another
was
Maine-born
the nearest
composer,
thing on the Harvard
professor of composition.
dent,
earned
Piston
had
a John
Knowles
he was
Piston
faculty
(1894-1978),
to an actual
In his own days as a Harvard
conducted
study in Paris with Dukas
his return,
Walter
the
Paine
student
Traveling
stu-
orchestra
and
Fellowship
for
and Boulanger [see Page 15]. On
to Koussevitzky
by E.B.
Hill, beginning a fertile association with the Symphony Orchestra that lasted over 40 years.
recommended
Boston
Piston was greatly admired for the elegance and technical polish of his compositions. In fact, he literally wrote the book on harmony, counterpoint, and orchestration: his textbooks were widely adopted at other colleges and music schools. When Bernstein, still an undergraduate, asked \aron Copland for composition lessons, Copland wrote back, “Pll be delighted to tell you all 1 know. 10
But be sure to
learn a lot about Piston
counterpoint
at that.” Writing
first. No-one
in 1977, Bernstein
[sic] can
beat
paid somewhat
muted tribute to Piston: “Everything he taught me has stuck—especially the example of his highly refined ear, and his non-pedantic
approach
fugue....1 loved his own not say
that
(as | was
| was
to such
particularly
influenced
by Copland)—except
standards
of craftsmanship
As this comment
academic
subjects
as
music (and still do) although I canby it stylistically
in the matter of the highest
and clarity of sonic intention.”
suggests, in Bernstein's mind his academ-
ic experiences paled alongside his extracurricular activities. At Harvard, Bernstein did not hesitate to put his academic obligations on hold when pursuing something more stimulating. His own account of his first meetings with his hero Aaron Copland—who American product of elsewhere
in this book
was,
incidentally, the very first “Boulangerie’-—appears
the
Paris
lsee Dosster—Perlis
Interview.
Bernstein's 20-year relationship with the conductor
Dmitri
Mitropoulos
passed
up studying
[erate ti] began for exams
in order
for the maestro,
who
with
Symphony
the
Boston
when
the young
man
to play piano at a reception
promptly and
invited then
him
to rehearsals
to lunch
afterward,
pronouncing the undergraduate “a genius-boy.” In the spring of his senior refused
permission
Blitzstein’s
year,
when
for a downtown
militantly
pro-labor
the Boston
performance
piece
of musical
The Cradle Will Rock, Bernstein defiantly vowed
police of Mare
theater,
to produce
it on campus, which he did in two weeks, with himself presiding and narrating at the piano. The critics loved it and so did Blitzstein, who exchanged several mutually admiring letters with the young Harvard man [prate wt]. Blitzstein was yet another Boulanger pupil; in The Cradle he had deft11
ly
woven
American
folk
Mussorgsky,
Offenbach,
that thrilled
Bernstein
material
Mozart,
and
with
parodies
Beethoven
and surely helped shape
of
in a way the latter's
1956 satirical operetta, Candide.
Clearly, young magnetism
Bernstein's
were
so
strong
artistic abilities that
grown
and
men,
personal
even
distin-
guished men, were falling for him right and left. He basked in their attention, Mitropoulos preferred
cement
suffered
when
they neglected
did after leaving for Minneapolis),
to
move
on
to
another
these relationships and
or artistically.
Academic
have a natural
term: when
conquest
him
(as
and
often
rather
than
build on them,
personally
relationships, on the other hand, the semester
is over,
so is the
course. In the less glamorous but more structured environment of Boston Latin and Harvard, Bernstein accomplished
much.
Among
other
things, he studied languages. Though he play the piano and put on shows, the young Bernstein nevertheless also learned French, German, and Latin in schoo!, and always regretted not learning Greek as well. Characteristically, he found the next best thing to do: he composed the incidental music for a production of an ancient Greek drama, performed in Greek. And not just any Greek drama, but a play by the comic iconoclast of the ancient world, Aristophanes—The Birds, in which an Athenian neer-do-well persuades the birds to set him up as the godlike emperor of a kingdom in the sky, “Cloud-Cuckoo-Land.” It was sheer luck that the Harvard Classical Club was producing that play in that year, 1939. The significance of the ancient play to young Leonard Bernstein—the eternal upstart, always looking for his chance to snatch power from the gods—is plain. Bernstein made his conducting debut in that performance, lived
mainly
to
12
with Helen Coates and also
created
addressing pears
music
Aaron Copland
that
a broader
in his score
he could
audience:
in the audience.
draw
some
for the Jerome
upon
of The Birds
Robbins
ballet
Free, and as “Do Do Re Do’ in the Broadway sion of the same
was.
of successful
the
musical
Copland,
Blitzstein,
Comden,
even
Koussevitzky
ver-
Gustav
was
reading
the young reviews
“Kouss
wasnt
wonder
Bernstein
sole
of
wrote
his
was
of an
idol
or
a
youth—Gershwin,
based
and Betty
in New
and
reported
in those
something
shows
Adolph Green
exception,
Bernstein's
he
with Gotham
York Philharmonic.
Mahler—were
the
concert
idols
Mitropoulos,
it’s what a Lawrence,
Broadway
long and brilliant tenure with the New all
musical
years tell us anything, guy this native of
His indelible association
is not just a matter Nearly
reapFancy
story, On the Town.
If Bernstein's Harvard New York kind of Massachusetts
He
later when
one
remarks
days
York.
wonders, and
[see Dossier].
of convenience.
so hard on Chadwick,
the if
No
and so tepid
in his praise of Piston: through no fault of their own, they symbolized grew
that
restrictive.
up in, the cocoon
he could
fly free over
New
SLO7USR
CIES
Bernstein,
Burton.
the Kids
(New York,
Bernstein,
Burton,
disciplinarian
he would
Leonard.
Humphrey.
York
Family
Sam-world
have to rip open and the world.
Matters.
Sam,
Jennie,
and
1982).
Findings
Leonard
13
(New York,
Bernstein
1982).
(New York,
he
before
1994).
The New and
Grove
viduals
named
Peyser,
Joan.
Pollack, his
Dictionary
New York,
(Metuchen,
1994).
of American
Entries
on
Music
Boston
and
(London many
indi-
in the article.
Bernstein.
Howard.
Students,
Secrest,
1986).
Harvard
from
N.J.
Meryle.
and
Elliott
A Biography
Compcsers. Carter
London,
Leonard
(New York,
Walter
to Frederic
1987).
Piston
and
Rzewski
19982).
Bernstein.
A Life (New York,
'�·
,
•.. 6
. ,:
-- .
. .
• 411 .
..
_;
_;
......
_ •'
.ii,-., ,.$.' ,..
� ·...' ,,. ._....,
.,,
'
Ono"'"a.. A1...r�- Sa1sd. · a1tll, Leo11ard Be,-nskin - /�/'67
ior
@
DOSSIER
AN INTERVIEW with VIVIAN PERLIS xe
made
THE
FOLLOWING
VIVIAN
PERLIS
WITH
TRANSCRIPT
FROM
LEONARD
PREPARATION PERLIS,
YorRK
ON
FOR
BIOGRAPHY
VIVIAN
1984.
AN
HistTORY
AT HIS
ARCHIVE,
YALE
1900
1988,
| OF
COPLAND
AND
THROUGH
1942,
NEW
IS IN THE
MUSIC,
MUSIC
IN
OF VOLUME
MATERIAL
OF
IN FAIRFIELD,
22,
AMERICAN
SCHOOL
BY
CONDUCTED
HOME
COPLAND~AARON
UNEDITED
EDITED
SHE
PUBLICATION
COPLAND
THE
BEEN
SEPTEMBER
THE OF
HAS
INTERVIEW
BERNSTEIN
CONNECTICUT
HER
BabaRoNes: GB) LIN
ORAL
AT THE
LIBRARY.
2
TWO
VERY
MUCH
GOOD
MORE
SOPHOMORE DENTS;
FRIENDS
ADVANCED YEAR
OF MINE THAN
AT HARVARD
I. I THINK
AT HARVARD.
THEY
I WAS A LITTLE SOPHOMORE.
ARTHUR
BERGER,
THE
VERY
PART OF THE GROUP THAT INCLUPED MEMORY—I
MORE
MY
BERGER
ADORED
AGE.
IT WAS WHO
VARIATIONS,
BY
MUSIC
STORE,
COULD
HEAR
HEAR
THIS,”
VARIATIONS COURSE,
HIM—AND
ARTHUR
WHERE THINGS,
ME
THAT
AND OLD
AND
I WENT
CLOSE TO WAS
WHO
BUT
THING.
ABOUT
&
PIANO OUR
WHERE
YOU
YOU
OUGHT
PLAYING
HIS
RECORD.
IT
THERE
WAS
ARTHUR
BRIGGS,
BOOTHS
“I THINK
COLUMBIA
18
MY STU-
THAT
SHAPERO,
BRIGGS
AARON
CRAZY
VERY
CLOSE.
OLDER.
LITTLE
HE SAID,
OLD
GRADUATE
ME TO THE COPLAND TO
HAD
WAS
A 78, SCRATCHY
WAS THERE?
IN
THEY
WHICH
ON
WAS
INTRODUCED
VERY BE
IRVING FINE, OF BLESSED
HAROLD
BERGER
TAKING
WERE
I BECAME
COMPOSER,
WERE
IT WOULD
WAS
THIS PIECE.
NO
TO
PIANO
WAS,
OF
LP YET,
ENTER DAVID PRALL, MY GREAT PHILOSOPHY PROFESSOR, WHO WAS A MUSIC FAN, AND WITH WHOM A BUNCH OF US HAD DEVELOPED A KIND OF PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP; HIS ROOMS WERE A PLACE FOR US TO GO, AND WE KNEW THERE’D ALWAYS BE A WARM ATMOSPHERE, AND WE COULD TALK ABOUT ANYTHING WE WANTED. THERE WERE PEOPLE FROM THE LAW SCHOOL, AND PEOPLE OF MY AGE AND OLDER. DAVID PRALL BOUGHT ME THE SHEET MUSIC OF [COPLAND’S VARIATIONS] BECAUSE I COULDN’T AFFORD IT, AND HE ALSO BOUGHT HIMSELF A LITTLE PIANO, SO THAT I COULD PLAY IT FOR HIM. I WROTE A PAPER IN THE AESTHETICS COURSE WHICH I TOOK WITH HIM, ON THE VARIATIONS. NOW, THERE’S A THIRD
IF YOU
REALLY
GRADUATE HOUSE. BEEN,
PERSON
STUDENT,
AND
WHO
THE
WAS
IN THE BEGINNING,
BEGINNING,
THE
WAS
I. BERNARD
HOW
LONG
HIM—I.
B. HAD
DEPARTMENT
FRIEND
THIS LITTLE STUDENT, ANYONE
OF MINE.
BEEN
AT
WHY,
SOPHOMORE
WHO IN
EVERYTHING
KNEW
AND MORE
THE
WORLD,
THAN
ANYBODY
DUCED
ME
TO
PICASSO
TIME,
PEOPLE
DIDN’T
THE
AND
HEAD
I DON’T KNOW, ABOUT
ISAAC
WHO
HE
HAD
HISTORY
BECAME
OF
A
VERY
BECAUSE
I WAS
HE WAS THIS FANCY AND
A
ELIOT
B.,” WE ALWAYS
OF THE
HE
WAS
OF
COHEN.
NOoW—“I.
HARVARD.
THERE
LIBRARIAN
NAME
CALLED
HIS
INVOLVED.
TO KNOW
FOR I DON’T KNOW
SCIENCE
GOOD
WANT
GRADUATE
NEWTON
THAN
MORE
ABOUT
KNEW
IN THE WORLD.
HE HAD INTRO-
TO
STEIN—AT
GERTRUDE
AUTOMATICALLY 19
KNOW
WHAT
THAT WAS
CALLED
“MODERNISM”
JOYCE
WAS
STILL
copy OF ULYSSES. COULD
IN
IMITATE PICASSO
MIDDLE
I READ
HE COULD
OF A BULL. HE COULD I. B. HAD
THE
BANNED.
AND
LATE
ULyssesS—I.
DO WONDERFUL
DRAWINGS.
[ HAVE
THINGS,
TALENTS.
ME
A
LIKE HE
ONE SOMEWHERE—
ALSO DO MIRROR WRITING.
EXTRAORDINARY
THIRTIES—
B. COT
HE
HAD
I REMEMBER
A GREAT
LOVE
FOR MUSIC AND POETRY, AND HE WAS MY KIND OF GUY—-I MEAN HE WAS A MENTOR. ONE.
EVENING
WE
FOUND
OURSELVES
IN
JORDAN
HALL
IN
BOSTON, ATTENDING THE OUT-OF-TOWN
DEBUT, A PREPARATION
FOR
OF A DANCER
THE
ANNA
NEW
YORK
SOKOLOW,
THE COMPOSER,
DEBUT
WHO
WHO
RECITAL,
WAS
THEN
WROTE
TO
MADLY
IN LOVE
BEEN
GET
HER WITH
SUPPLYING
BECAME UNKNOWN
FANS
THEN.
WE
WAS TERRIBLY
MOVED,
DEBUT
IN NEW
YORK,
1937,
AND
A
WHOLE
TIME—I
IN THOSE
BUSINESS. WAS
A
SCHMARVARD, ERED
THERE
CONCERTS,
I REMEMBER
AUTOGRAPH—WE HER—AND OF
THIS
WENT
BACK
WHO
FOR
BACK-
HAD
FALLEN
NORTH,
WHO
WE ALSO
GIRL,
IF YOU
DAYS
LOVED. WAS
AND
SO HAD WE
COMPLETELY
AUTOGRAPHS,
CAN,” WHICH
FOR
I DIDN’T
SUCH
HAVE
THINGS
YOU
THE
BOSTONIAN;
A THING
AND
SHE
14 NOVEMBER
YEARS
MONEY, | MEAN,
YORK
WAS
NOR
THE
HARVARD
SINCE I HAD DISCOV-
AS A WORLD
COULD 20
WAS
ME TO GO TO NEW
IT WASN’T SO MANY
AND
NORTH
AND SAID, “OH, YOU MUST COME TO MY
PROVINCIAL
WAS
CALLED
ALEX
WE WENT
BOTH
MET ALEX
THE MUSIC, WHICH
REAL
TO
ALL THE MUSIC FOR HER DANCING
AND WAS PLAYING IN THE WINGS. STAGE
MARRIED
GO TO, AND
OF MUSIC THAT
AND
PEOPLE
COULD
BUY
RECITAL THE
AGE
BEFORE CIAL
A TICKET
AND
GO
SYMPHONY
HALL.
OF
FOURTEEN,
AND
THAT.
ONE
HOW
WAS, BY
MY
AMAZING
THING
HOW
HAVE
CASE,
I. B. CALLED
MURIEL
RUKEYSER,
THEY
WERE
VERY
HER
TO PROCURE
THE
SOKOLOW
TOOK
THE
THE
DEBUT.
TRAIN
AND
FIRST BALCONY
IT WAS
JUST
SO WE WERE
WE
REPERTOIRE,
THE ONES WHO
BORS OR TO MURIEL, WE
EVERYBODY
WERE
THE
IN NEW
HE
GOOD
ONE
WAS
I SAVED AND
WITH
GOING
TO
UP, AND
WE
FOUND
OUR-
CALL IT. WHERE
WAS IT, I
[GUILD THEATRE].
WERE
OLD
HANDS,
SEE,
WE
WE HAD SEEN THIS IN BOSTON,
COULD
SAY, “OH,” TO OUR NEIGH-
EXPERTS
ON
ALEX NORTH
ANNA
WHISTLES,
SOKOLOW,
AND
ELSE IN THE FRONT ROW OF THAT BALCONY INTEREST
WE TOO.
ARRANGED
SHE
YORK
YORK
DAYS
“WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THIS ONE, THIS IS
NEWS, AND SO I GUESS WE WERE OF BEMUSED
IT’S AN
OR THE
THE KILLER, THIS IS THE ONE WHERE ETC.”
GHETTO
US.
OF THE MEZZANINE,
YOU
THE THEATER
WONDERFUL.
KNEW THE WHOLE
AND
TO NEW
OR WHATEVER
YEARS
IN THE
HIS
VERY
SO WE WENT.
WENT
A
PROVIN-
IN THOSE
BECAUSE
SELVES SITTING IN THE FIRST ROW CAN’T REMEMBER
OF
A
FRIENDS,
TICKETS, AND
WAS
FIVE HOW
AROUND
POETESS.
AND
PLAY AROUND
OF.
A FRIEND
POET,
CLOSE TWO
ONE
OUT
THE
ABOUT
TO THINK
ME—OR
BUSTED
NAMED
°
ONLY
I MEAN,
AROUND
IN ANY
“POETESS.”
RACHMANINOFF I DISCOVERED
RESTRICTED
FATHER TO
HEAR THAT
THAT’S
AMAZING.
AND
CREATED
SAID,
TO
IN
BY THE 21
LOOKED OTHERS,
AT WITH SOME BECAUSE
WE
FOR
IT WAS SORT
SEEMED
TO
KNOW
SO MUCH
ABOUT
ANNA’S
REPERTOIRE.
AND
I THINK
MURIEL WAS SITTING ON MY LEFT, AND I. B. TO HER LEFT, AND ON
MY
AND
RIGHT
SAT THIS
A GIGGLE
AND
DESCRIBED,
AARON
COULD
HAVE
BECAUSE,
AND
AND
THAT’S
LEARNED
THEM
OF
PIECE
I HAD
TURED
AS
THE
IN TWO
THOMSON
AND
LITERARY
PEOPLE,
KRAFT,
AND
THEN
COMES
A PARTY
IN
I COULD
THE
PAUL
BOWLES,
MUSICIANS,
WAS
AMONG
THERE
WERE
AND
WHOM I PIC-
THEM, GIRLS
ZH}
OR
IT HAPPENED WHICH
AARON. SMILING,
TO BE. AND
WERE
ALL SORT
INCLUDING
EDWIN
DENBY,
AND
OF
VIRGIL
POETS
AND
THE
PHO-
BURCKHARDT,
TOO,
COURSE
WOMEN.
WALT
THAT’S WHAT
YOUNG-LOOKING,
RUDY
ROOM,
THIS WONDERFUL
WAS NOT THAT
RUKEYSER,
A
I HAD
ON, LENNY,
EMPTY
COPLAND,
IN THAT ROW,
MURIEL
AND
FACT,
A MOSES-LIKE
BIRTHDAY
IN THE
BY PLAYING THEM
BY PLAYING
BY AARON
I
AWAY—
A LOVER
SAY, “OH, COME
PATRIARCH,
WHOSE
LIKE
TOGRAPHER,
BERGER
BE
THAT
SITTING.
BLOWN
BECOME
TO MEET THIS VERY
EVERYBODY
PEOPLE
MANY
TEETH TO
FOUND
I WAS
WAS
VARIATIONS.
BUT THIS AARON
FELLOW,
HE INVITED
NOT
FIGURE, WITH A BEARD, BECAUSE
SAYS.
I WAS SHOCKED
ARTHUR
MINUTES,
OF
BUCK
WHOM
I HAD
WOULD
AND
WITH
A CHARM
TO HIM, AND
TO
PIANO
PEOPLE
A SORT
THE MUSIC
WHY
JUST LEARNED
WHITMAN-LIKE
OF
OF
AWAY—I
AND SPOILED
WHEN
GUARANTEED,
NEXT
PRALL,
SOMETHING.”
GIGGLING
PERSON,
NOSE,
BLOWN
DAVID
LOVER
AT PARTIES
COPLAND
BEEN
FANATIC
PLAY
BIG
BUT I WAS INTRODUCED
IT WAS
STORY,
UNKNOWN
A
I DON’T
VICTOR KNOW
HOW
MANY
ING
A PARTY
IN THE THIS
OF THOSE FOR
ROW,
JUST
PARTY.
YORK,
AND
IT WAS THAT
AND
KNOWS...”
THIS
STAYED
RAN
TO
OUT
HAD
“YOU
NO
AFTER
GUEST
THAT,
NEW
OF MONEY.
ANOTHER STORY.
FEW TO
LOOK
COULDN’T
3
23
TO THIS
NOT
COME SO
FOR
PAY
FOR
OF
THE
COURSE,
BOSTON
CAME
TO NEW
HE
WHICH
I
WE SAW
YORK
WE
IN ’39 AND
DIDN’T
A MEAL.
FOR
AND
HOUSE,
SCHOOL
A JOB.
IT.”
PARTY.”
EMPTY
TO BOSTON
I CAME FROM
TO
HE
HE CAME
PLAY
MORE.”
OF ELIOT
TIMES
I GRADUATED
YORK
AND
PIANO
PARTICULARLY—
IT DID
TO
NEW
BUT...” BECAUSE
“NOT
MORE,
THE
RELATIONSHIP,
HAD
TO
AT HARVARD
YOU
PARTY,
AND
US
ATTEND
DISCOVERED
I KNEW
ALL—AARON
QUARTERS
AND THE
AARON
HE SAID,
GIVOF
COMMUNITY.
“I DARE
“MORE,
HE
WAS ALL
BARREL—TO
A JUNIOR
YOUR
IDEA.
HE
INTRODUCTION
DO?
SAID, AND
BUT
INVITED
THAT
A PERSONAL
OTHER.
HE
ARTISTIC
AND
FOR HIM. WHENEVER
OTHER, EACH
OF
IT’LL RUIN
STRONG.
SOON
IN THE
ARRANGED
WENT
SAID,
SO HE
I HAD
VERY
SOMETHING
EACH
HE
HE
LOFT,
AND
REAL
FAN,
KEPT YELLING,
AND WAS
MY
EXPERIENCE.
THEY
AARON THAT
STOCK
IT, AND THEY WERE
DROP-JAWED. ROOM.
HIS
LOFT.
IN CONVERSATION,
“YEAH.”
So I PLAYED
AT
HIS
SORT
GREAT
I SAID, “WELL,
I’D HAD
SAW
WAS
ELITE
THAT,
THIS
VARIATIONS, AND
IT
THE
THERE
I WAS
UP
AT
ALL—LOCK,
AND TO
WOUND
HIMSELF
FIND
ONE.
BUT THAT’S
I
oe DOSSIER e
“BOSTON t
CARRIES
re
Leonard
THIS
REVIEW
WAS
REVIEWS
FOR
WAS
BERN
FIRST
IN ITS May-JUNE
HARVARD,
ON”
+e
S
PUBLISHED
EDN
IN MODERN
1938
!1SSUE.
WHILE
BERNSTEIN
BEGAN
WRITING
THE
NEW
DEVOTED
YORK-BASED
TO
Music
A JUNIOR
AT
REGULAR
JOURNAL,
CONTEMPORARY
WHICH
MUSIC.
~@—
BOSTON
HAS
JUST
RECOVERED
FROM
A
SECOND
PROKOFIEFF. THAT INCREDIBLE MAN, WINDING AMERICAN
TOUR
IN
THIS
SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA
COMPARED
RATHER
DONE
BY
WITH
CONDUCTED
IN AN ALL-PROKOFIEFF
FAVORABLY
IN JANUARY
BRILLIANTLY
CITY, WITH
THE
KOUSSEVITZKY.
A SUITE
FROM
HIS
ATTACK
OF
UP HIS BRILLIANT THE
BOSTON
CONCERT WHICH
PROKOFIEFF
THE
WORKS
CONCERT
BALLET
OPENED
CHOUT,
WHICH
STRAINS THE WORD “CLEVERNESS” TO A SNAPPING-POINT.
IT IS A
VERY WELL WRITTEN
ONE IS
WORK,
WITH
GENIALITY
TO SPARE.
THANKFUL THESE DAYS FOR A CONCERTPIECE THAT HAS A FINALE ONE CAN WHISTLE CONCERTO,
WHILE LEAVING THE HALL. THE FIRST PIANO
PLAYED
BY THE COMPOSER,
LY IN THE LIGHT OF ITS PREDECESSOR. A GOOD
PIECE.
PASSAGES
WHICH
CAN SIZE
REALLY OF THE
TUNE
IS WORKED
TO DEATH
WAS
IN D-FLAT);
IT LACKS
THE
STUDENT
WORK
THAT
BE
AND
HEARD
(ESPECIALLY, CONTINUITY, IT IS.
24
WHEN
IT IS NOT
BRILLIANT BECAUSE
ORCHESTRA;
“WHY?”
UP WRETCHED-
TRUTHFULLY,
IT IS FULL OF DIFFICULT
UNPRETENTIOUS
ASKED,
SHOWED
BUT
ITS ONE
I? SEEMED, AND
PIANO OF
SINCE
IT SOUNDED
IT WAS
THE REAL
OVER,
IT
LIKE YOU
BUT
THEN
HE
REDEEMED
TALE, PETER
AND
THE
Iv PURPORTS
TO TEACH
TO LITTLE RUSSIAN
BIRD
OR
THERE
WOLF
VO, FOR
MAKES
AND
“BITS” CAN
TO PETER,
THE
THE CONCERT
LITTLE
LONG
TOO
VERY
BEST
PERHAPS
LY
TRAGIC
BEAUTY,
MUSIC
SADNESS THAN AND
IF YOU
SEEMED EVER,
FELL
VERY
WALTER UPON
SHORT
BETWEEN
ITS MUSICAL A
BEAUTIFUL JUST
CREPANCY
FORGET
SUITE FROM
WORK,
A A
CURIOUS
RESULT
IS TRYING
INDEED.
THE
SUCCESS LENGTH
OF
TO WRITE PROFOUNDTO
IT WAS
PICTURE MORE
THAN
ITS “PROGRAM”
OF
HIS BAL-
SERIOUS
WELTSCHMERZ; IT WOULD
WHOLE
WORK,
BECAUSE AND
THE
GENTLE
OF
HAVE HOW-
THE
DIS-
EXTENSION
AND
MATERIAL.
IMPORTANT PISTON,
FOR
OF MUSIC].
IS THE
GRAVE.
ITS GREAT
THE
OF IT HAS
GRIEF; MORE POIGNANCY
COULD
VERY
HE
OF
IS ASSIGNED
SOME
IS UNABLE
AT JULIET’S
FALLS
A SUITE.
WHICH WHO
THOUGH
OF ROMEO
THAT
IS A MORE
FOR
RECITATI-
PIECE
DESCRIPTION
WITH THE SECOND
THIS
THE PLOT; HE
UNREASONABLY
BOY-HERO...[EXCERPT
EFFORT BY A COMPOSER GRIEF
QUITE TUNE
OR
WANDERINGS.
OF IT. THE
LITTLE
BY
DUCK
OPERATIC
POSSIBLE
THE
JULIET.
STRANGE
THE
TOGETHER
CLOSED
AND
THAN
HANG
LITTLE
LET ROMEO
COMPLICATED
BREAST
FROM
THE
SERVES TO FORWARD
DEVICE
THE
BE HAD
ITS
FOLLOWED
A CLEAN
WHICH
BEAUTIFULLY.
WORK
IN THIS STORY) REPRESENTED
THROUGH
A BETTER
HE
OF THE ORCHESTRA EACH ANIMAL IN THE
WHICH
WHO
FAIRY
OF ITS KIND.
BY HAVING
ABOUND
IS A NARRATOR
ORCHESTRAL
INSTRUMENTS
INSTRUMENT
IS AT LEAST INTO
THE
HIS
IS A MASTERPIECE
CHILDREN
STORY (AND ANIMALS A PARTICULAR
HIMSELF.
WOLF,
THE
PREMIERE
A COMPOSER BEST
IN
WAS WHO
THE CAN
WORKMANSHIP.
25
FIRST ALWAYS
SYMPHONY BE
ADVERSE
OF
DEPENDED CRITICISMS
WERE
PROFUSE
AND
UNDULY
LONG
LACKED
EMOTIONAL
IONS
A TIME
AS
AT
AND
PERSONAL)
THE
AS
THE
SOME
APPEAL.
NO
COULD
THE
INNOVATIONS
DENY
GOOD
PORTIONING
OF THE
STRUCTURE,
WHICH
PISTON
HAS
MR.
OTHER
MODERN
CREDIT
FOR
GAVE
CHARMING MME. AND
WORKS
MOST
US RAVEL’S
NOT
SONG-TRIPTYCH
FOR
OLGA
AVERINO
SANG
BEAUTY
OF TONE.
RECENTLY
STIRRING PSALM
PERFORMANCE
FOR
WE WERE
MASTERLY
FINE
BEEN
SENSE
IN THE
PAST.
AND
THE
KOUSSEVITZKY. HEARD
SOPRANO
AND
AMAZING
AND
ORCHESTRA.
SCHMITT’S
CHORUS,
HE VERY
UNDERSTANDING
DR. KOUSSEVITZKY
ORGAN,
PRO-
LYRICAL
MANY,
OF
TONE-
GAVE
A
FORTY-NINTH
AND
SOLO
VOICE.
DELL’ESTATE,
AND
MALIPIERO’S
SECOND
SYMPHO-
ELEGIACA.
BAD MUSIC FOUND TO HEAR
ITS WAY IN ALSO. WE HAD THE MISFORTUNE
A ‘CELLO CONCERTO
ANOTHER
GALLICIZED
MEANINGLESS
BY ONE THOMAS
RUSSIAN.
RUBBISH;
BUT
WERE
SOMEWHAT ACTAEON,
DECEIVED UNWILLINGLY,
A SYMPHONIC
ABOUT
DE HARTMANN,
NOTHING
TORTELIER, VALUE
MENTION
OF
26
OF
MARVEL-
A JOB THAT THE
PIECE.
ALESSANDRESCO’S
OF NO IMPORTANCE
Mr. ENESCO WHILE GUEST CONDUCTOR
SHORT
THE
DID SO EXPERT THE
I ALSO POEM
IT WAS
PAUL
LOUS CELLIST OF THE ORCHESTRA, MANY
HANDLING
A RARELY
WITH
CONCEDED
FETED WITH PIZZETTI’S INTERESTING AND PLEASANT
CONCERTO NY, THE
BE
BETRAYED
OF FLORENT
ORCHESTRA,
OPIN-
THE
TO DR.
SCHEHEREZADE,
(FOR
INSTRUMENTAL
THE
NOT
GOES
WORK
CASE
MUST
TASTE,
OFTEN
LARGO
THE
EXPERT
IN
AND
HAVE
OF THEM
THE
THE
FOUND
THE
AS THIS
ONE
NEVER-FAILING
THOUGHT
OTHERS
WHATEVER
TRANSITIONAL
ORCHESTRA,
COLOR,
DIVERSE:
UNINTERESTING;
HERE.
3
PLAYED
BY
Am.-ber
['am-ber]
n.,
{From: Middle English ambre, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin ambra, from Arabic ‘anbar ambergris. Date:
14th century},
(1) a hard
yellowish
translucent fine polish
ing ornamental
objects
(2) a variable color orange yellow.
Bern-stein
to brownish
fossil resin that takes a and is used chiefly in mak(as beads);
averaging
a dark
[’bern-] der; o.Pl.amber
ZF fe
eo DOSSIER
:
e MUSIC e
Leonard
BERNSTEIN
THE FOLLOWING REVIEW ESSAY WAS WRITTEN BY BERNSTEIN DURING HIS TENURE AS Music EDITOR OF
LEONARD
THE HARVARD
IT APPEARED
ADVOCATE;
IN NOVEMBER
1938
(VOL. XXV,
No. 2).
2
THE
FIRST CONCERT
OVER
AND
TRADITIONAL
FOR
B.S.O.
UNBREAKABLE HORN
OF THE
ELIGIBLE
REMARKABLE
MOST
THE THINGS
WE
THAT THE SCHERZO
FATE IN IT AFTER I SUPPOSE OF
THE
OF
QUEEN OF
THE
THE
COME
THAT
TO LOVE.
ONE
MAIN
PEOPLE
BONE WERE
OF
WITH
OBOE
CADENZA
IN
THE
THE
SCHERZO,
LONGED
OF
THE
THREE
ATONED
FOR
MAJESTY
MOMENT. KNOWS
WAS
CoDA).
SORT
A WORK BY
THE
BOYS,
OUR HOW-
SOMETHING
HEART
OF LIKE
OUR
FIRST
THING. THE
IN ITS
NORMAL
28
FIRST THE
THE
LET’S
THE
OF
SUB-
OUT
THROUGH
OF THE
SLOWNESS
MOVEMENT, iMPOSSIBLE, CHORDS
THE PRO-
OF
THE
BE-BACK-IN-A-FLASH
IMPULSE
BUT
FIFTH
ALL
OPENING BY
WAS OTHER
INCREDIBLE
THE
OF
THE
HAD
EACH
WHAT
OF
OF
THEM,
BULL FIDDLE, SO
CONTENTION
WATCHING
OF SYMPHONIES,
THIS
VIVALDI)
INNOVATION,
FIFTH
PRACTICALLY
DEMN
FRENCH
OF TEMPI--ALL
HAS ADDED A TENTH
EYES
TEMPO
THE
HEARING
THEIR
(WHICH
THE
PERCUSSION
NEAR-DRAGGINESS
FINALE
PRECISION,
IN
CONCEPTION
OF BEETHOVEN’S
THE
OF
LITTLE
THE
(IN THE
NOT
IS
IT WAS
ALL.
TEMPO.
CORNERS
AND
INDIVIDUALISTIC HAVE
ORCHESTRA
LARGE
NOTES
PHENOMENON
EVER: DR. KOUSSEVITZKY
JECT
FALSE
BLOWN
INDUSTRY
DIRECTOR’S
AND
MAGNIFICENT
OF
THE
WOODWINDS
SYMPHONY
BY
OFFERING:
TRADITION
DEPARTMENT,
SEEING
BOSTON
REVIEW.
IS ALWAYS BE
SYMPHONY
TO
TAOISTS WHICH
PERFORMANCE
CONFOR
A
EVERYONE
IS ALWAYS
THE
oe
FIRST
TO SUFFER
HAD BEEN
FROM
“INDIVIDUALISTIC”
ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH
THAT THIS WAS YOUR FIRST HEARING NOT
HAVE
OBJECTED
THOUGHT
SO
CERTAINLY
THE
MUST HAVE
WAS
JUST
BERLIOZ,
LADIES WHAT
AND
THERE
IS, YOU
COULD
HAVE CAN
MIGHT
MIGHT
EVEN
HAVE
KNOW,
CATCH
THE
AROUND—HAS SALOME.
THE
OUT INTO A MODERN TO ASSURE
THE
BRAHMS,
SO
IN
AT
HOME
MUSIC.
THEIR
THEY
WON’T
OF
FROM
WHOM
FINALLY
SOUTH
GOD
GOT
WHIMSY
PUBLIC
AND IT IS SO OFTEN
THINGS ARE PUBLISHED,
HARD,
SOUND
WHILE
WINDOW
MOUNTAIN.
BLESS
FOR
DOING
MORE UNDER
THE REST IS SILENCE. ONLY FULL-SEASON
AS FAR
IN
OR FROM
IN THE COUNTRY
AS BORIS
ORCHESTRAS
THE SES-
GODUNOV
SOMETIMES
BREAK
FOR A FEW MINUTES. JUST ENOUGH
THAT
PRETTY
NEW
YOU
LISTEN
COMPOSERS’
COMPANY—THE
SYMPHONY
NOT THAT
IF YOU
A STRANGE
CONDITIONS.
OPERA
SION
IN
EXCITING.
BEETHOVEN,
EASILY.
ANY CONDUCTOR
ADVERSE
AND
IT EXCITING.
PROGRAM
CENTURIES.
LEAGUE
HIMSELF,
MUSIC THAN
METROPOLITAN
ARE
CONTEMPORARY
OR VIA RADIO
FORMIDABLY
FOUND
WANTED:
LADIES
IT OUT TOO
OUTSIDE
KOUSSEVITZKY
BOARD
IS NOT JUST HISTORY.
FOUND
YORK,
OF THE
NINETEENTH
SOMETIMES
STANDING
MODERN
YOU
FOUND THE WHOLE
THE
BELIEVE THAT MUSIC
NEW
OF THE WORK—YOU
VIOLENTLY.
THEY
VIVALDI.
EIGHTEENTH
YOU
IF YOU
PRETEND
IT EXCITING.
FACT, THEY IT
RENDITION.
THE IMPOSSIBLE—TO
MUSIC
WAS
AND
NO
LONGER
BAD STUFF; SOMEHOW
IS.
THE WORST
AND THEN SELL FOR A DOZEN
DOLLARS
A COPY.
AARON
COPLAND’S
AT THE
SECOND
OUGHLY
GOOD.
POPULAR
RECENT
CONCERT, GOOD
PIECE), GOOD
MASTERFUL),
GOOD
FOR
WORK,
IS NOT THE
FOR THE
FOR THE
EL SALON MEXICO,
SUCH PUBLIC
PLAYED
IT IS THOR-
(IT IS ESSENTIALLY
MUSICIAN
MEXICANS 29
A PIECE.
(IT IS SUBTLE
(WHO AGREE
A
AND
THAT THE
= SPIRIT OF THEIR
COUNTRY
WAS
FOR THE SPLEEN
(IT IS CLEVER
REALLY
CAPTURED),
OUT, AND AS EXCITING AS A ROLLERCOASTER MUCH
GOOD
DID IT DO? KOUSSEVITZKY’S
PLAYED A NEW WORK. AS THINGS STAND THE
REST
MOST
OF THE
SECOND THE
CONCERT
MOZART
FOR ME A GREAT THRILL. IN ITS ADAGIO LESSER
MOZART,
CALLY
NOT.
IS DONE;
HE HAS
WAS
TRULY
BOSTON
AND
AGAIN
DIVERTIMENTO
YEARS.
HISTORY,
BADLY
I THOUGHT
MELODY,
FIRST-RATE
AMERICAN
THE
WHICH
PERFORMANCE
IN CON-
AND CONTAINS
COMPOSING
INSISTED
PLAYED,
BUT
IN B FLAT WAS
IT HITS THE TOP: IT IS GRAND
MOVEMENT
IN THE
RIDE). WELL, HOW
DUTY
NOT FOR SEVERAL
CEPTION, RICH IN THE BEST OF MOZART MARSTERS
GOOD
THROUGH-
CAN WE HEAR IT AGAIN, AS WE WANT TO?
NOW, POSSIBLY
ENJOYABLE.
AND
AND GOOD-HUMORED
(RUTH
THAT
IT WAS
IT WAS EMPHATI-
IN BETTER
TASTE
AND MORE CHARMINGLY
CONDUCTED THAN ALMOST ANY MOZART
PERFORMANCE
HEARD
I HAVE
COULD QUOTE MISS MARSTERS TORE
THE
NEW
WORLD SYMPHONY,
PEOPLE
PAPER
WERE
TO
I WISH
I
FOR YOU, BUT UNFORTUNATELY
FROM
[|
BITS). THE
AWARE
KOUSSEVITZKY.
THIRD
NUMBER,
WAS A GREAT SURPRISE THAT
THEY.
HAD
NEVER
THE
DVORAK
TO EVERYONE. IN
ALL
THEIR
HUNDREDS OF HEARINGS OF IT HEARD IT SO WELL PLAYED. THE
RIGID
OPPOSITION
KOUSSEVITZKY WHAT
A
PLAYED
WAS
MOVED;
BUT
IT AS A GESTURE
PERHAPS
EVEN
BECAUSE
OF SYMPATHY
TOWARD
WAS ONCE CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
SHORT
DISSERTATION
APPEARED,
“MUSIC
BY
ELIE
AND SOCIETY”
SIEGMEISTER (CRITICS GROUP
HAS
JUST
PRESS). IT
IS A GREAT, HEARTRENDING, TOO-TRUE COMPLAINT AGAINST THE CONTEMPORARY
MUSICAL SETUP, REVEALING
SPOTS, AND CONNECTING
THEM
MOST OF THE SORE
WITH THE SOCIAL AND ECONOM-
IC SETUP. IT BEGINS BY PLUNGING LOUDLY INTO THE PROBLEM GETTING
MODERN
ANTECEDENT
MUSIC
PROBLEMS
PLAYED SUCH
AND
HEARD.
AS “ANGELS,” 30
THIS
OF
INVOLVES
SOMETHING
TO EAT
e
FOR
THE
COMPOSER
SUNDAY
EVENING
(HOW
INARTISTIC!),
Hour.
HE
THEN
AND
ALL THIS TROUBLE
IS NOT TO BE RELEGATED
ART,
FIELD
BUT
IVORY
TO
THE
TOWER
WHO
SYSTEM
“CONTROL”
BACKING
UP
SURVEY BRINGING
BOARD.
FOR
THE
ESCAPE
OR
CHANGING
IN
BEEN AGENTS,
CONCERN
OR LESS CONCLUDED
ING IS THAT WHICH NEERING,
NO
THE
NOT PRODUCE
HAS
FROM
HISTORICAL ON
ABLE
STILL
TO ADJUST
IS A GOOD
HAVE PLAY-
OF THE
LADY
OF
DY
THE
MUCH
BOARD
PRESCRIBED,
WRIGGLING. AND
IT
INVOLVES
PAST...NEW
WORLD—BUT
A
AND
IDENTIFY
HOLD
THEM.
AGREE
READ
SECOND FIRST
THE
ESSAY,
BECAUSE
TIME.
IT
IT COSTS
REMOVED
WITH
THE
CONCERT
NO PIOMUSIC
WILL
BECAUSE
BE
IS
PRESENT
OF
HAS
BECOME
A
THE
SOMEWHAT OF
COMPOSER
THAT
IT OR
NOT,
IT
IN
A QUARTER.
31
AN
ANYONE
AS
YOU
BUT
THE
ROOM OF
PEOPLE AND
IT TO
A GREAT
ORGANIZED
WAY
OF THE
REME-
LEFT
FOR
COMPOSER
CAN
A NEW
OWE
IT SAYS
*
FOR
PARTS
THE
WITH,
BECAUSE
CONCATENATION
MORE
EQUAL
THEMSELVES
SAYS
REPER-
AUDIENCE
LIVING
ALMOST
CONVINCED.
CONSIST
FIRST
THE
HALL
IMPRESSIVE.
WITH
IS
TIMES CAN-
P. 56)
OF THIS
THERE MUST
STAND
TO
CONTACT
DOWNRIGHT
TO
CONDUC-
BOX-OFFICE,
BOURGEOIS
QUOTED IS SO
ITSELF
AND
THAT THE ONLY MUSIC WORTH MUSIC
(SIEGMEISTER,
FACTS
SEEKING
EXALTATION,
DIRECTORS,
COMPLETELY
ANY EFFECTIVE
I HAVE
MUSIC,
GREAT ART”)... REPETITION OF THE SAME
ALMOST
MUSIC....THE
MUSEUM.”
PEOPLE
KEENNESS,
FACED WITH A HOSTILE BUILD-UP (“OUR UNSETTLED TOIRE
THE
ERA OF THE LADIES ON
IS SURE FIRE, AND WHICH
RISKS:
THE
SOCIETY
AUDIENCE,
MUSIC....THE
OF
THAT
GREAT
MUSIC—EMOTIONAL
DIVERSION—HAS FIRST
TO
THAT
FIELD
AND
A COMPREHENSIVE
OF
MIDDLE-CLASS
VALUES
WHOSE
MORE
SERVICE
WITH
EFFECTS
“THE
OLD
NEWER
TORS,
GREAT
IT RIGHT UP TO THE PRESENT
THE
THE
SCIENCE,
THIS HE DOES WITH
THESIS
THE
FORD’S
TO SHOW
TO THE
SOCIAL
IS OF
MUSIC.
HIS
OF
OF
HENRY
PROCEEDS
UNDER-
WORLD
TO
YOURSELF DEAL
AND
FOR
THE
DOSSIER oe.
* DE
AOR
HELE ONGC ee @
THIS
UNDATED
INFIRMARY
LETTER,
STATIONERY,
PIANO
TEACHER
ASSISTANT TO THE
HELEN
AND,
SPRING
OF
ON
LATER,
COATES.
PRODUCTION
DOCUMENT
WRITTEN
1S ADDRESSED
1939,
IT IS
OF BERNSTEIN WORLD
THE
JUST
BIRDS,
PRIOR
IN THE
A CHARMING
THE
AND
BERNSTEIN’S
PERSONAL
WRITTEN
OF
STILLMAN
TO
COLLEGE
SENIOR'S
CONCERNS. eo
DEAR
AS
HELEN,
PER
THE
PATIENT
LETTERHEAD,
IN STILLMAN
ALL HAPPENED MATE
SO SUDDENLY
A CHEERY
SUDDENLY HERE
IT IS TUESDAY,
OUTSIDE
OF
RELATIVE THE WITH
LA
NIGHT I BADE
AND
I WAS PAINS.
FINE AGAIN.
HAS SO SPEEDY
THAT
ONLY
A SHORT
WAY
SO FAR) DUE NEXT WEEK, LISTENING
MERITS
OF
TO
MOMENT
ENCLOSURES, J WAS
SILLY
DULY
HAS
BEEN
ME RIGHT
WITH
32
BIRDS
THESIS
(ONLY
ETC.
AND
THE
DELIVERED
STRICKEN
THE
CONTROVERSIES
KOUSSEVITZKY
TOO
CAN’T AFFORD
IT STRUCK
OFF;
I AM
A RECOVERY
IF I LEAVE
BUT I REALLY
A IT
MY ROOM-
MORNING
ALL THE ACHES
AFRAID
I AM
GRIPPE.
OF THE BUSIEST PART OF THE YEAR—THE
CHEERIEST
ROOMMATE.
HALF
THAT
DE
MONDAY
IN THIS LAIR OF LASSITUDE.
PERFORMANCE DONE
AND
B. NEVER
I’M ONLY
IN THE MIDDLE PARTLY
AND
WILL BE A RELAPSE,
TO LANGUISH
KNOWN
VICTIME
AND I FEEL PERFECTLY
OF WARD
KNOWN.
SOON THERE
IT BE
SUNDAY
GOODNIGHT,
PROSTRATE—FEVER
THE WONDER
BEEN
LET
INFIRMARY,
RECEIPT HERE
REMORSE
OVER
BENNY
OF YOUR
BY AT
THE
GOODMAN
MY
NOTE
FAITHFUL
HAVING
NOT
SEEN
YOU
FOR
I MANAGED
THANK
SO
TO
BUT
ON
YOUR
THE
PLACE,
ONE YOU
OR
THE
CLIPPINGS.
DIVERSE
MAKE
ENJOYABLE
READING
IT IS TRUE
THAT
THE
RARY;
AND
IT WAS
STACKS
OF WORK
BEEN
GIVEN
A LOVELY
TERM
BY
AND
WHAT
OLD, JANGLING SO
SAME THAT
HAD
RACKET.
IF NOT
BEFORE,
PERFORMANCE
ALL
THE
21
THERE.
SUNDRY
ME; I HAVE
FOR THE
WITH
THE
I HAVE
JUST
REST OF THE
[SEE DOSSIER—PERLIS
TO BE AN INCENTIVE,
DAMPERS AND
LOVE
AS
SICKBED.
WHAT
YEAR.
TO PRACTICE
RESOUND
I SHOULD
(APR.
THIS
ON
ALL OUT OF TUNE,
AND
AND IN THE
FROM
INEVITABLE,
MINIPIANO
OUGHT
OCCASIONS
NOT
BUT IT IS ONLY TEMPO-
BENEFACTOR
THAT
AFFAIR,
THEY
AWFUL
GET YOU
NEW
I HAVE
TIMBRE,
RECEDED
TO BE DONE
A WONDERFUL
INTERVIEW]; CONSIDER
HAS
IDENTITY.
CERTAINLY
NEW
THE
PIANO
LOST MY PIANISTIC
TWO
WERE
THEY
ALMOST
FOR
TO
ARE,
THEY
YOU
LONG,
GET
NO TWO
OFF THE
TO SEE
YOU
NOTES
BASS
RESOUND,
+ 22, EVENINGS).
WHEN
I
HITHERTO—AN
MAKING
AT THE
OF
NOTES, AN
“BIRDS”
I SHALL
TRY
TO
TICKETS. EVER, LEONARD
[IN THE MARGIN:
My FONDEST
B
GREETINGS 33
TO YOUR
MOTHER]
®
DOSSIER
CHRONOLOGY 1918:
AuGust
25 LEONARD
JENNIE
1929:
MATRICULATES
1932:
TAKES
PIANO
LESSONS HELEN
WITH
ORCHESTRA,
GRADUATES
COMPOSES
1937.
TRIO
THE
BOSTON
LATIN
148,
WORKS
PIANO
AARON
FOR
MARC “SCENES
PIANO, SONATA
AND
CELLO
EBB
PIANO
IN 3 MOVEMENTS AND
ALLEGRO
AS CONCERT
CONCERTO
WITH
AT CAMP
ONOTA,
PIANIST; STATE
SYMPHONY
OF
THE
BY DANCER
No.
ANNA
2
ADVOCATE
TO MODERN
PERFORMANCE
LARGO-MODERATO-
1, INSPIRED
Music
AS A CONDUCTOR,
BLITZSTEIN,
IN BOSTON;
GEBHARD
THE DANCE
HARVARD
THE BIRDS,
FROM
AND
HEINRICH
No.
FOR
OUTSIDE
MITROPOLOUS
IN NY
FOR
REVIEWS
FOR
DimiTRI
CADENZA-PRESTO
FIRST APPEARANCE PRODUCES
WITH LAWRENCE
LARGO-ANDANTE
COPLAND
Music
EDITOR
MUSIC
AND
MEETS
THE DANCE
CONTRIBUTES
1939
VOICE
PIANO
WRITTEN
SOKOLOW; Music
PIANO
UNIVERSITY
COUNSELOR MA;
SONATA:
Music
GRIEG
SYMPHONY
OF CAMBRIDGE
AS CAMP
CADENZA,
HIS
SCHOOL
APPEARANCE
RAVEL’S
PITTSFIELD,
MEETS
AND
SCHOOL
FOR
VIOLIN,
FIRST PROFESSIONAL
SCHOOL
IN COLLABORATION
PIANOS:
ORCHESTRA
AND
PERFORMED
PUBLIC
HIGH
TWO
PERFORMS
GEBHARD
AS PIANIST;
BOSTON
PIANO,
FOR
OF SAMUEL
MA
SCHOOL
HEINRICH
AT HARVARD
PSALM
FOR
Music
1938|
FROM
CLASS SONG
COmPOSES
CHILD
G. COATES
ROXBURY
MATRICULATES
FIRST
IN LAWRENCE, LATIN
FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE CONCERTO
1935.
BORN
AT BOSTON
ASSISTANT,
1934.
BERNSTEIN,
BERNSTEIN,
SANDERS OF
THE
AT HARVARD
LEADING THEATRE,
CRADLE
WILL
DRAMATIC
CITY OF SIN,” EIGHT
INCIDENTAL HARVARD Rock,
BY
CLUB
MINIATURES
FOR
4 HANDS FOR
VIOLIN AND
PIANO:
34
MODERATO
ASSAI,
VARIATIONS
GRADUATES ENTERS
STUDY
1940-
HARVARD
CURTIS
WITH
CUM
LAUDE
INSTITUTE
Fritz
IN MUSICA
OF Music,
PHILADELPHIA,
FOUR
STUDIES FOR 2 CLARINETS, 2 BASSOONS PRAELUDIUM, FUGHETTA, CHORAL, FINALE
ATTENDS
BERKSHIRE
OF SERGE
TEACH
Music
CENTER
KOUSSEVITZKY;
COMPOSITION
(TANGLEWOOD)
COPLAND
AND
AND
AND
PAUL
GRADUATES
Curtis
ConbDucTSs
PRODUCTION RECEIVES
PAYMENT
ORCHESTRA
SymMPHONY
No.
TRA, TEXT
FOR
BOOSEY
HARVARD
ORCHESTRA;
1 (JEREMIAH),
STUDENT
& HAWKES EL SALON
IN OPEN-AIR
(IN HEBREW)
OF RIMSKY-
FOR
PIANO
MExico
CONDUCTS
CONCERT
BOSTON
AT TANGLEWOOD
FOR MEZZO-SOPRANO
AND ORCHES-
OF JEREMIAH SERVES AS KOUSSEVITZKY’S ASSISTANT IN CONDUCTING CLASSES AT TANGLEWOOD WORKS WITH THE REVUERS IN GREENWICH VILLAGE IS HIRED BY HARMS-WITMARK PUBLISHERS TO MAKE WEEKLY PIANO ARRANGEMENTS OF ‘NOVELTY’ ORCHESTRA PIECES; NOTATES JAZZ IMPROVISATIONS FROM NEW RECORDINGS; PUBLISHES
1943-
SONATA
UNDER
FOR
THE LAMENTATIONS
PSEUDONYM
CLARINET
AND
AND ANDANTE-VIVACE SEVEN
FROM
UNION
PLAY
OF COPLAND’S
WITH A PROFESSIONAL
POPS
1942
FROM
AS A STUDENT HINDEMITH
OF Music
SCORE
OF ARISTOPHANES’
TRANSCRIPTION
DEBUT
INSTITUTE
THE PEACE,
PIANO:
CONDUCTING
FIRST APPEARANCE AS SYMPHONIC CONDUCTOR, KORSAKOFF’S SCHEHERAZADE, LENOX, MA 1941:
PA, To
REINER
‘LENNY AMBER’
PIANO:
GRAZIOSO,
UN POCO
MOSSO
E LEGGIERO
ANNIVERSARIES,
PIANO
SOLO
| HaTeE Music: A Cycle OF FIVE KiD SONGS FOR SOPRANO AND PIANO STEPS
IN AT LATE
PIANO
NOTICE
CONDUCTING
DEBUT;
IS OFFERED
POSITION
RODZINSKI SURPRISE
TO PLAY
SONATA AT TOWN
AT THE
DEBUT;
CONDUCTOR
PAUL
BOWLES,
AS ASSISTANT NEW
STANDS
OF THE
PREMIERE
OF COPLAND’S
HALL
YORK IN FOR
NEW
35
YORK
THE
WIND
REMAINS,
CONDUCTOR
TO ARTUR
PHILHARMONIC BRUNO
WALTER,
PHILHARMONIC
GUEST
MOMA
i"
(ici
on
‘Na
" Wit "
' ‘a i
a i la nh
LEONARD
BERNSTEIN
at BOSTON Ron
LATIN
GWIAZDA
BEFORE
LEONARD
COLLEGE
IN
BOSTON
BERNSTEIN
THE
PALL
PUBLIC
years,
Boston
from
the
He
\s the original brother
town
for
us. That
records
completed
eleven
to
sixth
seventeen,
at
Bernstein
through
\ row
AV
Record”
essentially
rigorous
of old metal
school
contain
cards
classical
“Publie
is Bernstein's
brittle,
and
a
patched
38
yeas older
is currently school
Publie
public
a ol
School
in the early examination
students
for college
curriculum,
filing cabinets the
One
the school
same:
become
Bay Pilgrims
in the Boston
the
to
Latin School, the
School
of preparing
April of
of children
examination
attended
for all students
One of the cards discolored,
students
the mission
ely
Latin
twelfth-grade
2.300
with
intreated
nourtering
in the country.
Boston
System.
it was
be
and
in
upon that our
by the Massachusetts
approximately 1930s,
shall
institution
through
school
show,
the inception of Boston
College,
When
of Boston
teaching
decision
educational
Harvard
seventh-
the
was
Pormort
the
and its date mark than
ATTENDED
in 1929 and then spent
meeting...it was...agreed
Philemon
scholmaster
oldest
he
HARVARD
HE
Latin School.
1635, “att a General
with
1935,
SCHOOLS.
time
ENTERED
OF
grade at the W. L. Garrison School six
SCHOOL
now
in the mail room
Latin from
1924
summary with
School to the
record
cellophane
of
Summary present.
card. It is tape.
but
the neat
script
is clearly
legible.
It contains
the following
basic information:
Date of Birth: August 25, 1918; Age at entrance: Il years; Entered: Sept. 12, 1929; Diploma awarded:
June
Samuel
J.
13,
1935:
Bernstein;
Parent
Washington Street, Boston: beauty parlor supply. The
first
Roxbury,
home
address
is crossed
out
or
Business
Occupation:
given,
and
Guardian:
Address:
55
followed
480
Job in
Brookledge
Street,
by another
address that is difficult to read. because
Roxbury
it has written over
ita third address, 86 Park Ave. Newton.
Encapsulated Bernstein
New
in these
family
York when
brief lines
history.
is an
Samuel
important
Bernstein
he was sixteen, learned
piece of
emigrated
to
English. and moved
through a succession of jobs until he acquired a position in a firm that supplied open
an
office
beauty
parlors. He
of the firm, and
came
his ultimate
to Boston business
financial success are reflected in the family’s move
large
and
Roxbury
vibrant
who
School
community
that
Until the 1970s, it was
lived outside
by
paying
Newton.
business, upward An
tuition,
In ways
Bernstein mobility
important
involves
in the
possible for a stu-
of the city to attend
and
that
was
that
parallel
involved
element
opportunity
of
the school’s 250th anniversary 39
his
own
at Boston
Boston
and upward
Latin
Leonard
to the school
his father’s success in
and sell-definition
Boston
is what
Bernstein did in his senior year. He commuted
from
from the
existed
section of Boston at that time to the more affluent
suburb of Newton.
dent
Jewish
to and
Latin
mobility.
process
in of
Latin School.
School's
ethos
In an oration
at
in 1865, Phillips Brooks gave
a history of the school and traced the democratic
its mission. “Side by side on its humble
of the governor
nature of
benches sat the son
and the son of the fisherman,
each free to
take the best he could grasp. The highest learning.” Brooks told his audience,
“was declared
of an aristocratic
class, but
town
who
at once
to be no privilege
the portion
of any
boy in the
had the soul to desire it and the brain to appro-
priate it.” The thread that reaches back through the school's that is classical and rigorous
history is a vision of education yet public and
democratic in nature. It transcends wealth, privilege, and social class. Boston Latin School, an alumnus
once
commented,
is a poor boys
What
Bernstein
brain
to appropriate’
“Public
Latin
had
to have
School
Andover
“the soul
or Exeter.
to acquire
and
the
fills the rest of the front side of his Summary
Record”
card. Listed
there
are the courses he took during each of his six years at the school, his grades, and the initials of the teachers who taught
him.
His studies
included
Latin, five of Mathematics,
of German and
six years
of English
and
four of French and History, two
and Natural Science, and one year of Geography
Physics.
Also
listed
are
grades
for
six
years
of
Declamation, or public speaking, as well as the designation of a Company and a Regiment for each year under the heading of Military Drill. (At the time, Boston high schools competed in Military
Drill, which amounted
today's
physical
education.
School
took
cer, a second
includes
at
Boston
part. During one year, Bernstein lieutenant,
Next to Bernstein's that
to the equivalent of
All students
his
was
Latin
an offi-
in his Company.)
picture in the 1935 yearbook nickname—Lenny—his
graduation—Harvard—and
the quotation
is an entry
destination
after
he had selected—
“Tis the tone that makes the music.” His prizes are also listed. In 1929-1930,
he won
the Modern 40
Prize. awarded
to the
student
with the highest combined average in the seventh grade in English. Mathematics, Natural Science, and Modern History and Geography. In the same year, he won the Special Reading Prize. which was determined by a panel of judges at a competition in public reading for seventhand eighth-graders. Apparently Bernstein already had presence and an impressive voice in the seventh grade. Also listed is the Classical Prize for 1932-1933, which means that Bernstein had the highest combined average in the tenth grade in Latin, Ancient History, and Geography. The prizes are a clear indication of his capacity to achieve at the highest and
most
competitive
The yearbook
entry
his senior year, the Club
Physics and
Club.
His involvement
level.
also lists Bernstein's
he was He
a soloist
academic
a member was
with
in music
the seventh grade, when
also
the
the School
activities.
of the French President
of the Glee
Symphony
at the school
During
Club and Orchestra.
stretched
back
to
he first joined the Glee Club. The
final line of the yearbook
entry credits Bernstein
as the co-
author of the Class Song. Elsewhere
in the yearbook,
Lawrence
F. Ebb
is credited
with writing the words of the song and Bernstein alone with composing
member
the
music.
In a recent
interview,
of the Class of “35, remembered
Ebb,
Bernstein
also
a
as an
“enthusiast,” a young man with great energy. He recalled Bernstein's approaching him to help with the Class Song but is not sure whether the words or the music came first. Ebb was the president of the French Club when Bernstein was a member, and both of them organized the staging of a play with the French Club from Brookline High School. The hidden agenda was to meet girls, since Boston Latin School was
all male.
41
Ebb also recalled that their first two years as Boston Latin School students, in the seventh and eighth grades, were not spent in the school building itself. As a result of construction that was underway at the school, they were housed across the street in the High School of Commerce for their seventh grade. While in the eighth grade, they were moved to the crest of Beacon Hill. Going to school involved taking the trolley to Park Street Station and then walking through the State House to the Sharp School on Beacon Hill. At the time, the Sharp School was the oldest school building in America. The students played sports in Boston Common during what Ebb remembered was the height of the Depression. Later,
when
assembly the
they
was
were
seniors,
Ebb
held in the school
recounted,
auditorium;
a weekly
it began with
headmaster reading from the Old Testament,
which was
followed by a musical selection. Bernstein, another and
a
violinist
Throughout
took
turns
at
providing
performances
in the auditorium—a
by Bernstein
likely antidote
stone of the reading that preceded Latin;
continued
both
music.
their senior year, the Class of 35 experienced
a series of musical
Bernstein
pianist,
the
of them
after
they
matriculated
at the piano
to the fire and
it.
brim-
Ebb’s connection
graduated
from
at
the
Harvard
to
Boston following
year. Ebb recalled that on Class Day at their Harvard
grad-
uation,
Latin
Bernstein
did
a
take-off
on
their
Boston
School Class Song, playing it at the piano in Eliot House in the
styles
apologized how
different
For many
composers.
to Ebb, in the event
Bernstein
apology
logue
of
had
transformed
was necessary,
their joint
Ebb assured
years the Boston
to convey
Afterwards
that he had been
on
by No
published a eata-
its history,
riculum, students, and prizes. The December 42
upset
creation.
him.
Latin School
information
Bernstein
mission,
cur-
1935 catalogue
names
Leonard
recipients
Bernstein
of the
prize
and
for
Edward
Merrill
Excellence
in
Goldman
Music
that
as
was
given shortly before graduation each June. The records of the size of Bernstein's class contained
in the
school catalogues are also an interesting source of information about the school at the time he was a student. Bernstein
was
one of 297 seventh
graders when
he entered
the school in 1929. By tenth grade that original number had dwindled to 113. From eighth to twelfth grade, between 400 and 450 students were
was
approximately
added
to Bernstein's class: the total According to the December, 1934
730.
catalogue, however,
Bernstein's graduating class contained
only 270 seniors, and only 258 seniors are listed in the 1935 yearbook.
Taking
the yearbook
than the earlier December students
in Bernstein's
These numbers
figure
as
more
accurate
catalogue, only one-third
class
graduated
point to an exceptionally
from
the
of the school.
high attrition rate
of students—not an exception but the norm. Until recently. it was a tradition of headmasters to tell the seventh graders in a September assembly to “Look to the left. Look to the right. Only one of you is going to be here in six years.” For
many
classes.
the six-year
level of two-thirds. school
and
enter
Students the work
into neighborhood and academically
high schools
not
to graduation
a supportive,
Latin
amounted
Typically,
forty
was
rate
reached
this
left did not drop out
force.
demanding.
difficult, and the workload viving
attrition
who
They
transferred
that were
Boston
of
back
less emotionally
Latin
School
was
so
so unrelenting, that simply sura major
nurturing
accomplishment.
environment:
to
undergoing
lines
of Latin
a
attending
kind
translation
of trial were
It was
Boston
by fire. assigned
each night, and on any given day a student could find himself the focus of his Latin class for the entire period, as he 43
stood
by his desk and
Students
were
referred
is likely that Bernstein Lenny or Leonard have answered in Social the
was
questioned
his translation. exclusively.
It
never heard an adult refer to him as
in his six years at the school—he
to just “Bernstein.”
Darwinism;
school’s
on
to by their surnames
those
perspective,
who the
It was
a world
survived others
would steeped
belonged.
were
From
chaff
to
be
quickly forgotten. However, and
for
many
first-generation
families
students,
particularly
children—all
those
the
immigrant
who
came
where no one had ever attended college
from
surviving
Boston Latin School held the promise of single-handedly transforming the future of ones family, of catapulting it into an entirely different social and economie stratum. The 1935 school
and
1911,
Harvard. seven;
catalogue
302
proudly
Boston
School
that
between
“boys”
went
1901
on
to
For the Class of ‘28 alone, the count was seventy-
for the Class
school,
reported
Latin
it was
of ‘29,
eighty-two.
Bernstein's
first
year
at the
1935 yearbook, ninety-nine listed Harvard as their college destination, and one
Of the 258 seniors
of those was
Leonard
in the
Bernstein.
Though Boston Latin School had a special relationship with Harvard, its younger sibling, an array of excellent other colleges was represented in the 1935 seniors’ choices as well. Eighteen students went on to MIT, and yet others to Yale, Columbia, Williams, Dartmouth, Amherst. In addition lo Harvard, many other excellent colleges opened their doors to the Boston Latin School graduating seniors. Jernsteins
unique,
but
Boston
Latin
make
musical
in
his mark
talent
being
School
the and
and
son
subsequent
Harvard,
and
then
at the top of his protession, 44
career
of immigrants,
were
attending
gvoing on
to
he is represen-
tative of many
the
course
of the school’s alumni. Those who could stay
found
themselves
exceptionally
well-prepared
for college and for the competitive world beyond. When
Bernstein
played
School assembly
the
piano
in
the
Boston
beneath a frieze that circles the room just beneath ing.
On
that
inscribed John
frieze
the
names
of
in gold letters—Cotton
Hancock,
Thomas
Benjamin
Bulfinch,
Ralph
prominent
Mather,
Franklin,
Waldo
Samuel
both
Emerson,
the ceil-
alumni
for
alumni,
Bernstein's name est
honor
Bernstein
that
the
school
are
Adams.
Charles
and
Santayana,
the list goes on. In May of 1996 during the Annual Celebration
Latin
hall for his senior classmates, they all sat
added
and
Spring Leonard
to the frieze, bestowing on him the highit could.
At
that
celebration,
said that his father had spoken
Alexander
“of Boston
Latin
always with a sort of awed reverence. On his father’s being the first in over esteemed
fifty years
to be added
to that list of most
alumni, he said that it “may very well be that there
is no honor on earth—you you—ol which
my
name
father would
it. Nobel
Prize. what-have-
have been more
proud.”
Sitting beneath the frieze with the returning alumni and faculty and witnessing the celebration were the class of “96, rich in its diversity, speaking eighteen different native languages in their homes, and representing between forty and fifty different countries of origin. They were the modern version of “the son of the governor and the son of the fisherman. Before the evening ended, the headmaster pointed out
to
them
that
Bernstein's name
high
up
beneath
there was still room
the
ceiling
on the frieze.
next
to
LENNY at
HARVARD (REMINISCENCE)
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