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Discussion » Questions » Celebrities » Yesterday (8/25/18) was Leonard Bernstein's 100th birthday.
Stu Spelling Bee

Yesterday (8/25/18) was Leonard Bernstein's 100th birthday.

Although he died at 72 in 1990, he was an artistic/cultural giant of the 20th century. His prolific career and work included conducting great orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, teaching those who became great conductors such as Seiji Ozawa, Michael Tilson Thomas, and John Williams, and composition ranging from classical symphonies to religious (Chichester Psalms) to Broadway (West Side Story) to jazz.

Did you have the pleasure of watching/hearing Bernstein speak and/or perform, live or on TV? Do you have a favorite from among all of his great work?

Posted - August 26, 2018
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Responses


  • 6098
    Just on TV and recordings and DVD.  Yes I like Chichester Psalms and Symposium for violin and orchestra, Second Symphony and Songfest and West Side Story most of which I only listened to in the last 25 years.  Trouble in Tahiti we went to and it is a very effective and moving opera piece. Kaddish Symphony we went to but some parts are really noisy and the kids chorus sounded like it got apart from the orchestra. 

    But a very personal memory which I hope you will not find disrespectful. I grew up watching his kids concerts on TV in the 60s.  When he conducted he moved a lot and maybe even was showy. Which as I approached adolescence I guess I found very manly and arousing.  Because I started masturbating watching him conduct on TV alone in my room and I did it a couple of times more when he was on after that. This was c. 1970. 
      August 26, 2018 8:13 AM MDT
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  • 17614
    How can one choose.  

      August 26, 2018 8:00 PM MDT
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  • 13277
    I attended a concert at Tanglewood Saturday night that featured a variety of his work, including parts of the Kaddish Symphony and West Side Story as well as several of his favorite works by other composers. It had three different conductors, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, members of the Boston Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, and the Israel Philharmonic, and a number of illustrious vocal and instrumental soloists. Fantastic show!
      August 27, 2018 5:30 PM MDT
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  • 17614
    I bet it was a fantastic show!  It sounds wonderful.  I would have enjoyed being there myself.  I'm glad you had that experience.  Those kinds of shows one never forgets.  
      August 28, 2018 11:58 AM MDT
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  • 22891
    never heard of hinn
      September 8, 2018 5:28 PM MDT
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  • 34433
    I never heard him either. 
      November 16, 2018 6:54 PM MST
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  • 53524

    (At least Pearl has an excuse . . . )
    ~
      November 18, 2018 4:52 PM MST
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  • 1326
    I love his rendition of Gershwins "Rhapsody in Blue." What a privilege to live in the era this man's performances were part of the culture of the day!
      November 16, 2018 5:48 PM MST
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  • 46117
    I never had the pleasure of seeing him live, (he was everywhere on TV) but I did get to see Sir George Solti.

    That was amazing.  
      November 16, 2018 6:33 PM MST
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  • 16829
    I always preferred Victor Borge. Just as much a virtuoso, and hilariously funny with it.
      November 17, 2018 1:15 AM MST
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  • I haven't heard his choral works, but I do enjoy his West Side story as well his performance of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. I have recorded some of his b/w lectures. The piece that takes the cake, at least for me, is his overture to Candide. 
      November 17, 2018 5:38 PM MST
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