Bernstein Centennial appreciation

[JStuart]

OK boys and girls, time for some well-needed music appreciation. I admit I'm more impressed with Lenny the older I get. Here's a good example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf1kVMfUlpg


Now, back to the usual discussion of minutes, rosterbation, and Recent Ales Consumed...
JStuart

[jimsumner]

OK boys and girls, time for some well-needed music appreciation. I admit I'm more impressed with Lenny the older I get. Here's a good example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf1kVMfUlpg


Now, back to the usual discussion of minutes, rosterbation, and Recent Ales Consumed...
JStuart

Bernstein might be the most gifted American musician ever.

World-class conductor
Could have been a world-class pianist
Wrote the music for arguably the great musical of all time; Sondheim deserves some credit here.
Classical composer of some substance.
Musical educator of some substance.

Yes, he could get full of himself on occasion, which happens at that level of accomplishment. But the sheer depth of accomplishment is staggering.

Duke Ellington might be his only competition.

[PackMan97]

Does someone have an english version of that video? I might enjoy watching it if I understood it.

Much like a Pitcher's duel in baseball, a good ballet, the finer points of musical appreciation are beyond me. I just like the music. It makes me happy.

[DU82]

On Jim's point regarding a music educator, TCM showed a few of the New York Philharmonic's Young People's Concerts from the late '50s and early '60s. I enjoyed watched the bit that I was able to, regarding humor in music. Bernstein had a easy way of talking to children, but not talking down to them, in these concerts. Reading a bit on the TCM website, the Philharmonic held these concerts starting in 1924, but Bernstein arranged for them to be televised.

(Many of them are on You Tube.)