Remembering Lenny #1834
…a centenary tribute to one of America’s most original composers, and profoundly influential musicians, Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990).
Hour 1
LEONARD BERNSTEIN: Candide Overture –Peter Conte (Aeolian-Skinner/National Cathedral, Washington, DC) JAV 147
BERNSTEIN: Chichester Psalms –Choir of King’s College, Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury; George Hill, treble; Helen Sharp, harp; Joby Burgess, percussion; Richard Gowers (1934-1968-2014 Harrison/King’s College Chapel) KGS 0021
BERNSTEIN: A Simple Song, fr Mass –Phil Snedecor, trumpet; Paul Skevington (1998 Steiner-Reck/St. Luke Catholic Church, McLean, VA) Summit 494
BERNSTEIN: Hashkiveinu –Hans-Peter Blochwitz, tenor; BBC Singers/Avner Itai; Christopher Bowers-Broadbent (1923 Rushworth & Dreaper/St. Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge, London) Naxos 8.559407
BERNSTEIN: Yevarechecha –Michael Sokol, baritone; Joan Barr, piano; Aaron David Miller (1951 Aeolian-Skinner/Kilbourn Hall, Rochester, NY) Naxos 8.559407
BERNSTEIN (arr. Marshall): West Side StoryMedley –Wayne Marshall (1992 Fisk/Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas, TX) Delos 3228
Filler: A Simple Song (see above)
Hour 2
WILLIAM SCHUMAN (arr. Adler): When Jesus Wept, fr New England Triptych –Barbara Harbach (1983 Fisk/Downtown Presbyterian Church, Rochester, NY) Gasparo 258
(as background) NED ROREM: Rain over the Quaker graveyard, fr View from the Oldest House —Andrew Peters (1965-2015 Schantz/2nd Presbyterian Church, Saint Louis, MO) Regent 508
HERMAN BERLINSKI: The Burning Bush –Barbara Harbach (1990 Möller/Calvary Church, Charlotte, NC) Naxos 8.559446
BERNSTEIN: Missa Brevis –Derek Lee Ragin, alto; Atlanta Symphony Chorus/Robert Shaw. Telarc 80181
BERNSTEIN (arr. Eddington): West Side Story (suite) –Jelani Eddington (1928 Wurlitzer/Alabama Theatre, Birmingham, AL) ALA 1783
Filler: Candide Overture (see above)
In a 1933 letter to his friend Sid Ramin, Bernstein expressed his excitement that the new suburban home into which he and his family were moving might allow them to purchase an organ for him:
"You should see the place! It's bigger, I think, than the two-family home I lived in last year... It is beautiful in Newton! Our house couldn’t be gorgeouser than it is. And guess what!! I’m getting an organ for Newton!!!!"
See a copy of that letter (courtesy of the Leonard Bernstein Estate) by clicking here. Bernstein had been an organ enthusiast from his early years through experience of it at Mishkan Tefila, the synagogue that his family attended.
Author and journalist Judith Kogan also provided us with a special feature for our second hour, devoted to Bernstein as teacher.
