Learn about the life and career of composer Leonard Bernstein by reading this article. You will discover His influence and how He shaped music for the orchestra. Then, you’ll have a deeper appreciation for the music of this remarkable man. You’ll discover how much he influenced others and why his works still resonate today. In addition to his life and work, Bernstein left a legacy that is sure to make you smile. Let’s begin!
Leonard Bernstein’s life
Leonard Bernstein’s life is an inspiring one, especially if you’re a music lover. This composer and conductor was a force in the classical music world, with outsize musical talent and a rare gift in front of the camera. He achieved artistic authority at the height of the classical music industry, and his work continues to captivate audiences around the world. There’s more to Leonard Bernstein’s life than just a passion for music.
The composer, conductor, and educator received numerous honors and awards throughout his career. He was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1981 and received the Gold Medal. He also received the National Fellowship Award, an award for lifetime support of humanitarian causes, and a medal from the Mahler Gesellschaft and Beethoven Society. In 1989, he conducted the first-ever concerts at the Tokyo International Festival, and from 1940 to his death, he taught at the Tanglewood Festival. He won eleven Emmy Awards during his lifetime, and was honored by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in 1985.
The restless creative vision of Leonard Bernstein’s life is reflected in his music. He was a master of mixing styles and genres and often shaped his works to be accessible to a broad range of audiences. For those who don’t love music, his music may be a challenge, but it’s never boring! Leonard Bernstein’s life is an inspiration to musicians of all levels. In addition to his music, he was a passionate advocate for social justice and civil rights in the United States. He also fought for peace in the world, as he did in his life.
Among his many accomplishments, Bernstein was a conductor who helped bring classical music to a broad audience. He earned honorary membership in several orchestras, and was an outstanding guest conductor for many orchestras. Leonard Bernstein’s life was not only filled with high-profile performances, but he was also a devoted social activist and philanthropist. As an educator, he founded the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute, and taught there.
His career
Born in New York City, Leonard Bernstein started his musical career with the New York City Center Orchestra. He later conducted several orchestras throughout the United States, Europe, and Israel. In 1953, he became the first American to conduct at the prestigious La Scala in Milan, Italy. In 1958, he was appointed the conductor of the New York Philharmonic. He became a household name after substituting for Bruno Walter in a concert in New York. His first symphony, “Trouble in Tahiti”, was premiered in this same year, and he was recognized as one of the world’s foremost living composers.
In addition to his training as a pianist, Leonard Bernstein also studied music theory and composition. During the summers of 1940, he studied with the great conductor Sergei Koussevitzky, who later appointed him as his assistant. Bernstein was also a renowned teacher. The young Bernstein enjoyed working with young people, and his enthusiasm for the arts led him to dedicate countless hours of study to music and conducting.
Despite his busy schedule, Leonard Bernstein continued to pursue his career, composing scores for ballets, operas, and films. In 1972, he founded the Creative Arts Festival at Brandeis University, and in the following year, he performed the world premiere of Candide. In the same year, he collaborated with Jerome Robbins and Stephen Sondheim to write West Side Story, a musical that won the Pulitzer Prize and was later made into a movie.
Aside from his orchestral works, Bernstein also wrote many songs. Several of these are now classics in the United States. The most famous of these are “The Sheep Song” and “Arias and Barcarolles”.
His influences
In a German-language biography, “Leonard Bernstein und seine Zeit”, an international group of scholars examines various aspects of the composer’s career and works, focusing on his connection to 20th-century aesthetic and political trends. Other essays examine the composer’s influences, including works by George Gershwin, Robert Schumann, and Count Basie. The book also includes work portraits, including those of his mass and Divertimento for Orchestra.
Other sources reveal Bernstein’s interest in marginalized groups, including women, homosexuals, racial and ethnic minorities. Baber (2013) examines the relationship between these marginal perspectives and Bernstein’s references to jazz. Wells (2011) focuses on the female characters in West Side Story, as well as the construction of the female role in American musical theater during the Second World War. The influence of jazz is also traced in Smith’s study of Bernstein’s influence on musical theater.
During his time as a college student, Bernstein cultivated his musical skills. He studied piano with noted instructor Heinrich Gebhard. For his senior thesis, he examined the state of American music. His thesis, “The Absorption of Race Elements in American Music,” described how composers like Aaron Copland and George Gershwin had incorporated indigenous elements into their compositions to create a fresh American sound. Bernstein graduated with a cum laude in 1939.
Another example of Bernstein’s influence on Jewish culture is the relationship between the composer and Brandeis University. In addition to being a professor from 1951 to 1956, Bernstein was a trustee emeritus at the university. His commitment to Brandeis stemmed from his general interest in Jewish identity and from a sense of personal obligation to his father. Similarly, Ann Glazer Kaskowitz wrote her PhD dissertation on Bernstein.
His music
One of the greatest achievements of the 20th century is the creation of classical music, and Leonard Bernstein has made his mark with a number of influential works. As a composer, his work has shaped the development of music in the United States. He is known for his work on operas and ballets, as well as his writings, which are invaluable for furthering the study of compositional styles. As an educator, advocate, and cultural ambassador, Bernstein’s writings and recordings provide an extensive primary research resource. Many of his works, such as his Young People’s Concerts and the Charles Eliot Norton Lectures, have been collected for study.
A great work from Bernstein’s oeuvre is ‘Serenade.’ It is considered a portrait of Bernstein, revealing as much about him as Plato’s Symposium. The work demonstrates the range of Bernstein’s emotions. It begins grandly with an opulent and flamboyant first movement. It develops into a boisterous, playful second movement and then a serene and tender third movement. It ends with a jazzy iconoclast finale.
The piece is so popular that the BSO’s violinist, Stanley Benson, bought the score and gave it to Clara Benson. Clara Benson performed the piece with her own quartet ensemble, and kept the original parts in her music cabinet. Her daughter, Lisa Benson Pickett, heard about it, and mentioned it to her friend Perkel. In turn, she told Perkel about it. Now, the two women are working on a new version of “Stride” and “Adagio for String Quartet.”
The greatest work composed by Leonard Bernstein is ‘West Side Story’. It is his most famous work and is regarded as the most influential in musical theater. It was inspired by classical works and Romeo and Juliet, and presented a variety of dramatic and musical issues. Despite the eclectic nature of the piece, the composer was a master of motivic unity. His work also demonstrates occasional allusions to classical works.
His activism
A prolific conductor of the New York Philharmonic, Bernstein is also one of the most influential cultural ambassadors of the 20th century. A social activist who marched in Selma alongside Harry Belafonte, he helped bring black conductors to Tanglewood and integrated the Philharmonic in the 1960s. He was also an advocate for the rights of black musicians, hosting jazz concerts in his backyard, and calling for Andre Watts to play Beethoven at the John F. Kennedy memorial.
The conductor’s activism began during his childhood and continued throughout his life. As a young man, Leonard Bernstein was involved in politics and supported liberal causes, including the war effort in Vietnam. His political activism led to him being reported to the FBI, and during the McCarthy era, his FBI file grew. He was investigated for supporting black Panthers, signing a protest petition against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, and donating his fees to political campaigns.
While Leonard Bernstein’s enduring image of social activism is not entirely rosy, his work on human rights is significant. He helped many people to make their voices heard by giving concerts in places where human rights activists were often harassed by the FBI. One concert he gave in Chile was at the Santiago Sports Stadium, which had once been the site of unspeakable torture. Later, it became a celebration of freedom. His work in this area helped create the largest Amnesty International branch in Latin America.
Earlier biographies of the legendary American composer and conductor tended to minimize his political involvement. Seldes reveals how Bernstein’s social outlook underpinned many of his most important works. In addition, he uncovers every attempt by the FBI to identify Bernstein’s Communist affiliations. For example, one FBI informant claimed that Bernstein was a member of the John Reed Society and a radical composer, Hanns Eisler. The composer also supported the Progressive Party and the Henry Wallace campaign in 1948.
