The Levin Interviews : Leonard Bernstein

Bernard Levin talks to Leonard Bernstein.
Like Lord Byron, Leonard Bernstein awoke one morning to find himself famous. At 25, he substituted for Bruno Walter and conducted the New York Philharmonic entirely without rehearsal.
Bernstein sees himself as a composer who conducts, and wants 'to keep on trying to be, in the full sense of that wonderful word, a musician... '. He has written everything from song cycles to symphonies but is probably still best known as the creator of West Side Story.

[@822003]

Lenny's command of the English Language was extraordinary. He also spoke Spanish, French, German and Yiddish.

[@sarahjones-jf4pr]

It was not extraordinary he was simply very well educated,and took full advantage of it.

[@joelweisberg]

I think he spoke Italian a bit also

[@edmundgreen8041]

Levin's command of the English language was even more extraordinary.

[@monsterjazzlicks]

Great upload and interview thanks!

[@MildnerA]

Thank you for posting. I did not know this interview, and I deeply admire the completly unpretentious frankness of Bernstein's answers. This is definitely part of his unparalleled human approach to music and people and life in general. Someone so intensely immersed in all this and burning for it arguably had no choice than to "balance" himself in some way with cigarettes and alcohol and amphetamines. Thank you, L.B. for bringing music to so many people in an unforgettable way. R.I.P.

[@terryhammond1253]

Bravo. Is excellent upload. Lenny was truly in a class by himself.

[@davidgoulden5956]

Thanks for the upload. Surprised there aren't more views.

[@r.i.p.volodya]

Great to see Lenny again in an interview previously unseen by me (no new details sadly, merely very well known biography).

[@sutherland9]

I enjoyed this interview though, I must confess, I spent the first minute thinking "put down that blasted cigarette".

[@Twentythousandlps]

Spring 1982.

[@smithpm81]

thanks was going to ask

[@nattyco]

Thank you. I remember this from years ago when it was first broadcast. I always liked the Levin interviews. I'm not sure I agree that every modern atonal composer yearns for tonality. Not at least listening to the compulsory modern work we are regularly forced to sit through during our local concerts.

[@TobiasTimKlingbiel]

Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@irabraus9478]

Please give the date of the interview, not just the date of posting.

[@dion1949]

I suppose minimalism proves Lenny's point about music becoming approachable again. And we mustn't forget about film music, which is filling concert halls everywhere.

[@MorganHayes_Composer.Pianist]

Ligeti , Xenakis, Stockhausen and Cage have all written music which is fairly approachable . Try the Sonatas and Interludes by Cage, or Ligeti's Violin Concerto. Beehoven's 'Diabelli Variations' is a much more demanding listen, to my ears atleast,. Needleless to say, there's nothing wring with a challenge either. Depends what mood i'm in.

[@denisehay8895]

@@MorganHayes_Composer.Pianist A present day composer I can recommend is Anna Clyne.

[@denisehay8895]

Thank God Lennie isn't alive now to see the ravages of post modernism.