Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story, studio-takes. (6)
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2007
- Clash of temperaments.
When tensions grow too high, the producer (I presume it is) interferes to calm things down. Notice the angry look from the maestro: Here is the one person HE, the MAESTRO, not just can brush aside! A female member of the orchestra later comforts the master.
To be continued . . . .
Carl Vendler 
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Because Bernstein begged him to come and save the production less than a week before the 1st recording session, Carreras had only 2 or 3 days to learn his entire role - the most musically and vocally challenging in the show. The other singers had 6 months or more to learn their parts. This information might put things into a different light for you.
Thank you so much for putting that into perspective maestralala.
Where did you find this information, please ?
Carreras looks stressed. :)
@@felixayala05 carreras looks like billy crystal here
6 months to learn a score is a long time...try doing the show in summer stock here maybe you have a week to learn a show lol.
Watching this stresses me out ;)
I have frequently posted about Carreras's performance in this recording in the comments on other clips, but I see I must set the record straight here, too. Carreras was the FOURTH tenor to be hired for this project - Shicoff/Hadley/Domigo all cancelled out - and LENNY picked Carreras, not the record label. Carreras agreed on a couple of days' notice to learn this difficult score from scratch, fly to NYC and record it. Carreras saved the recording project by saying "yes" when Lenny begged.
Through it all Carreras never lost his temper, even though he was clearly annoyed that his one request to sing the last three bars alone was turned down. He's got true character.
Continuing: What is shown in the TV "documentary" is, in fact, the BBC producer's VERSION of what really happened in the studio, manipulated through editing to tell whatever story the filmmaker thought would make a sensational film. I was there. Lenny did not lose his temper @ Carreras. (Again, manipulation of perception via film editing.) Carreras - a notorious perfectionist - got frustrated with himself at his mistakes, but Lenny was overjoyed with Jose for saving the recording
How lucky you are to have met Leonard. Where you in the recording?
@@joaquin8670 Yes, I sang on this recording. I make a few brief appearances in the video but I had a front row view of the goings-on, both what made it into the final edit and what ended up on the cutting room floor. It's the footage that didn't make it into the final edit that would have told the far more interesting story, in my opinion. I'd also just finished a 7-month stint rehearsing and singing with LB in NYC, Milan (Italy), and Wash DC (Kennedy Ctr) in his final opera, "A Quiet Place." Five of us from that cast then rejoined LB at RCA Studios in Rockefeller Center, NYC a month later for this recording.
@@maestralala7993 I envy you. You worked with one of the musicians i love the most. I'm sure it must have been an amazing experience. It is very pleasing to hear stories of these extraordinary characters from those people who were lucky enough to meet and work with them at some point.
As I've posted elsewhere, many of the final singers were not originally cast. Julia Migenes-Johnson was the original "Maria", with Neil Shicoff as Tony. Both had conflicts and had to be replaced. "Tony" was then offered to Jerry Hadley, then Domingo, both of whom accepted, then later cancelled due to conflicts. Carreras agreed to sing at the 59th minute of the 11th hour, learned the role overnight, and saved the recording. Kiri showed up with laryngitis. None of this appears in the BBC film.
I agree that Lenny and Jose aren't mad at each other here. Lenny's mad at the guys who were supposed to communicate the changes in the music but didn't, and they're both mad at the producers for cutting off the rehearsal.
Power of editing
carreras is one of the greatest singers to ever sing this song maria, yes he has an accent, but quite the contrary his voice is very powerful. remember this was a rehearsal, but the final product is genius.
I’ve been a violist my entire life and have played this score many times. I never get sick of it. I truly great piece of work❤️
Bernstein was a music genius, but he was a diva. Carreras has been one of the finest voices in the world of opera and a great person.
He just couldn't count!!!
Genius deserves some accommodation....
“Four o’clock in the fucking morning, I was up doing this, why didn’t you deliver these messages. “ 😅😅
Continuing: Carreras had not grown up knowing this music since childhood, as had other cast members. He learned the lead male role of what amounts to a contemporary opera (rhythmically and melodically challenging) in a matter of a few days, whereas the other cast members had at least 5 or 6 months to prepare this music. Carreras's arrangement with Lenny stipulated that each evening, Lenny would work with Carreras, coaching him on each next day's recording assignment. (cont.)
Poor carreras. He sings beautiful.
Happy 100th Birthday, Maestro. I wish you were still around, on planet earth.
Can't ever get enough of these studio-takes. I am fascinated and enchanted by them, more and more💞
I’ve become obsessed with Bernstein. Perfectionist. So difficult to work with. Brilliant. I worked in a male dominated field of law enforcement from 1990 to 2017. I was a civilian victim advocate and I would never let anybody talk to me the way he does but times have changed they have really changed. His brilliance has gone down in history.❤
Clash of temperaments but encounter of talents. It sounds beautiful!!!
Thank you for posting this film! Bernstein is my favorit composer and dirigent! So wonderful music, and so wonderful to see maestro at work! Thank you and thank you again!
Oh, of course! Editing is a powerful thing, for good or ill. Again, thank you for giving us a larger glimpse of this fascinating recording. Major kudos.
Ah, the creative process...it really is like giving birth...
So painful at times in the process...the stress, the conflict...it's all about striving for the perfection that each artist sees and wishes to bring into the equation...An "easy" conflict free rehearsal does not always mean that perfection has been/is being achieved...A little blood, sweat and tears along the way can bring out the best in everyone involved...The audience does not often get to see this side.
In the end pure joy! Beauty!
he is a very cute person with a heavenly voice...
Every perfect thing is hard to make. No matter if its Bernsteins musical or Jobs iphone. Thanks for this hard working people brings theirs ideas into real life.
Leonard Bernstein war einfach ein Perfektionist. (: Und so genial.
Thanks so much for this information! It surely gives it a different tone. Most appreciated.
grandissimo lenny!!!!
"Carreras. I'll never stop saying Carreras." LMAO
Goosebumps!!!
I agree. I know we all get frustrated, especially when recording and having to do like a million takes, but Bernstein could at least have apologized to Carreras.
Yes, and in front of those who saw his behaviour toward Pepe.
Who's to say he didn't? Remember - what you are seeing is the videographer's edited version of the events.
Indeed. It's a musical about street kids - a modern day Romeo and Juliet . As a musical it will never be bettered, of that I am sure. Bernstein at his best - Tonight - the 5 part harmony - wonderful!
Blessings your way.....
Carreras el mejor cantante de todos los tiempos !!!!! BRAVO MAESTRO !!!!!!!
4:08 Carreras was like, "Fuck this! I'm going home."
He literally cursed in italian
Ahahahahah porcoddio
Carreras uno di noi “porcoiddio”
Bernstein the best maestro... Perfect ears and wonderful arrangements. Be missing his legacy
The most beautiful love song ever written in history. 😮
''...I was up at 4 o'clock in the FUCKING MORNING!'' o__O
You were not the one singing for that Divo Bernstein
Now a days everyone is up at 4 for work...It's everyday bro!
Bernstein's like a coach demanding the best from his players. It all paid off. Beautiful.
4:05 'Ma porco Iddio!' AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Leonard Bernstein is a true Genius!!!
Veramente un idolo! José ti adoro...ahahahahahahah
There's no doubt that Jose Carreras is a spectacular opera singer (one of the best) but casting him for this style of music, and for the role of Polish-American boy Tony, is as ridiculous as if they had casted Natalie Wood to play a Puerto-Rican... oh wait...
HAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH screaming XD
But Miss Wood DID play a Puerto Rican...And very well,too!
Totally true, he is just not right at all for this.
It's not a casting situation. It's an interpretation of the music. Ethnicity or accents don't matter in singing when the record is the standalone product. It's about the music, not the play/movie.
I agree with you. The cultural shock must have been multiplied so much.
Man that was hard work! I totally understand Carerras. However, its the Maestro, the legend, what an honor to hear him expect nothing but perfection. I would be flabberghasted if he showed me how to deliver a piece.
Bernstein was GENIOUS and Jose looks so
young and adorable here.
it's so unfair to cut the next scene After this Mr. Carreras give the best performace i've ever heard of this beatiful song
Thank you!Genius :)
PORCO IDDIO.....nice Carreras!!! Very professional!!!
Cross with himself
I fell in love with Carreras all over again here.😊
great cinema!
MA POCO IDDIO!! What a bad word to God in a perfect italian!! Carreras went insane ahahahah
Porco*
To me, Carreras's voice has a more suitable timbre for the song "Maria" than Placido's. Placido just couldn't go any lighter on some of these higher notes, but Carreras did them perfectly. The fullness of Placido's voice has to be there for the higher notes, it's just the way his voice is. Both voices are great, but in this song, you can hear how beautiful Carreras' voice is.
When I was at university Phil Nimmons ran the jazz band. He is the only person I've ever met who I can say was a genius. He was a WONDERFUL man. But I remember him struggling with us at times, and often think now how hard it would be to deal with those of us who are simply not on their level. Bernstein was a genius.
Little did he know, but Leonard Bernstein was making a far better drama in the studio.
No, recorded/shot at RCA Studios in NYC in September 1984. I was there.
No one seems happy here and it shows in the music. Recording sessions are always stressful but to deal with a miscast? I do my own recording, I know my voice, temperament, ability and limit. I never sing songs that don't suit my voice or temperament or style, no matter how much I love the song. I would have someone else sing it. But this video is a good reminder to all of us. It's not about how great a singer you are, but it is about choosing the right singer for the right song.
Two Greats....Enough said......
"4 o clock in the Fucking morning!!!" hahahaha classic!
Ahahahah did Carrera just say Porco Iddio at the end??!! Ahahahh
He is treated like a school boy.
There's no melodrama here about who else should be singing Maria or who's not open minded about singing styles. Carreras was simply upset with himself because he got confused about the rhythm of the song and felt he was letting everyone down. He wanted to work on the problem alone and come back. Bernstein genuinely tried to encourage him when he said Youre singing beautifully and he thought it could be worked out in another take or two.
and he whined "Oh come on."
"I'll never stop saying Carreras." Heh, heh.
The Bernstein/ Carreras interaction was about simple execution. Carreras was about to sing several "Marias" but got confused & stopped. Bernstein was mouthing the rhythmic pattern to Carreras but he was looking at his music. Earlier Bernstein noted that Carreras had not taken a breath between "I'll never stop saying" and "Maria, Maria" One cannot sing both of those long phrases without a breath (I know because I sing Maria). Carreras, upset with himself, asked to rehearse alone & come back.
Oh Dear, Hissy fits a go go !
Honestly, I think both are rather kind to each other given the musical problems. This probably has more to do with the fact that they both knew they were being filmed. I can only imagine the outburst that would have ensued when to filming crew would have been present.
all the sweet ladies run up to him at the end
A genius with a vision is a force to be reckoned with. Unless its Bernstein, then you have no hope of reckoning with it.
And to all this I'll add that I can't hear the name Maria and not think of Bernstein. He gave that name one of the most beautiful melodies in the world.....
Legendarische opnames
I bought the LP (at the time) and have the whole video of that recording and I think Carreras was the wromg tenor for that song.
How odd that the poster has failed to include the perfect take of Maria that follows this in the program. The next video in this series is One Hand one heart. Why no showing the completed Maria. - is it to make Carreras look bad
Bernstein was definitely a musical genius. I've often wondered what it was like to work for him.
Amazing to find such a perfectionist. Rare for sure.
It didn't seem to me that Lenny lost his patience with Carreras....at opposite he said Carreras that he did it wonderfully and it wasn't necessary to record those bars alone.
Amen!
This is rather hilarious. It would be very intimidating and stressful to be singing or playing in front of Leonard especially when he wrote the pieces. He is sure one maestro with a temper..But it's great to watch.
Its a beatiful voice, come on! Not like the typical american voices without blood and passion!
WOW! This is dramatic! I would be so stressed out to sing in front of him! ay ay ay poor Carrerras!
No, I am just a fan. I am Italian, as you can read. By the way, I just conducted the Italian prémiere of Love Alone (for male choir and piano 4 hands) here in Italy. Good luck with the trio!
04:08
Dual. I'm sure that Leni is big enough to appreciate the many different ways of appreciating the music. He always seems to like Kiri Te Kanawa's singing though. It do agree with most of what you say.
Where is the second part of this video? Is it posted?
Being a "West S.S" fan since my teens I have always been fascinated by this historic footage. Thank you so much for shedding some important light on the obvious tension between Maestro Bernstein and Jose Carreas. I am currently enjoying the recording of Bernstein's wonderful "Peter Pan" score mounted by Alexander Frye. Were you in the fantastic orchestra? I' hope I hear back from you and thanks.
There was no tension betw. LB & JC. These 9- and 10-hour recording sessions were stressful in general. The only person I saw LB lose his temper at was the engineer, and JC, a notorious perfectionist, only expressed frustration with himself.
i think they were both pissed off at the producers, not at each other. Bernstein frustrated at the producers not communicating changes to the orchestra, and Carreras, for cutting the rehearsal at that point.
porco iddio? wow ahah
I actually take the side of Carreras. I don't blame him for his tantrum at the end. I'd be frustrated too.
Bernstein comes off as a temperamental bully in this video.
You've obviously never worked with brilliant internationally-renowned conductors before!
@@maestralala7993 Does Michael Tilson Thomas count? He is always very respectful to orchestra members and to those who assist in supporting positions. I have never seen him carry on like a prima donna (Bernstein)
I've worked in association with MTT, too, who revered LB. No, I'm talking about conductors at the level of Karajan and Kleiber, as was LB. My point is that genius sometimes colors outside the lines.
I don't believe even Carreras himself knew he was suffering from leukemia when this recording was made - his diagnosis came much later, and certainly Bernstein would not have known.
Dare I say it : I doubt any of these wonderful songs from WSS were intended for such trained voices - as great as Carreras and Co. are WSS is not an opera. It's simply the greatest musical of all time and I love it to death. Like Streisand's "Classical Barbra", or Nureyev tap dancing,it doesn't quite work, as great as it is. Thoughts anyone??
Yes, to me Carreras or any opera singer, wonderful as he may be, is wrong for WSS. Does a production allow a listener to fall into the music, absorbing him? Or distract him from so doing? The way an opera singer sings distracts me for the part of Tony. Carreras really sings powerfully in places, which can be enjoyed in opera, but seems overplayed for this role.
@@richardknott4626 Yes, I agree. It tends to be overusing but not even that with Carreras in this instance. It's an awkward fit, as awkward was Barbra Streisand singing classical arias etc. It doesn't quite work. And this is not to be the purist. Not at all. Nureyev tap dancing in the film "Valentino" is no Fred Astaire. Blessings!
one istant...there ...only one istant
🤣🤣🤣ma porco iddiooo
LOVEEEE BERNSTEIN....even when he is mad :)
I wholeheartedly agree. West Side Story is not, has never been, and will never be considered an opera.
What makes him angry???
4:06 what did he say?
Who is that lovely lady? 4:38 to end.
The never ending problem of trying to perform something exactly as the conductor hears it in his head.
Not just conductor, but the genius composer.
I think Kiri de Kanawa was right later in the documentary when she says you do not have to be so 'exact' about this music. But Carreras is probably used to Opera buffs who generally care more about if a singer misses a C or whatever than the general feel. I am an opera fan btw! He seems to be trying to hit the right notes in a perfectionist way rather than concerntrating on the pronunciation.
"Ma porco Iddio!" XD
non me lo aspettavo così tutto ad un tratto 😂 queste perle che non ti aspetti
m.ruclips.net/video/CJ5aVDuyca0/видео.html
Ma porco Dio?
4:06 Carreras feeling good! 😀
ahahah most beautiful sounding bestemmia in the world :-)
@@mongio66 Leonard Besteimm ahahahah
@@andreamarchetti4744 Carreras IDOLO
4:07 AH AH AH AH SENTITE CHE COSA DICE!
1:03
Bernstein is 'fucking'
hahaha
@31operafan to you:
Listen again: Bernstein says, "That Carreras .... that's problems."
Ma bestemmia???Oh my god....O_°
Why is the singer angry at the end??
Leonard Bemstein :me parece demasiado exigente ,para un musical ,cuando el maestro CARRERA es un gran tenor muy destacado cantando ópera !!
Yo creo tambien.
Leonard Bernstein es el verdadero maestro
El mejor musical escrito jamas! Carreras y Bernstein que lujazo!
When and where did this version play?
BBC documentary. Aired on PBS approx. 6 months later.
In 1984, Bernstein conducted a studio recording of the musical; he had not conducted it before. The recording stars Kiri Te Kanawa as Maria, José Carreras as Tony, Tatiana Troyanos as Anita, Kurt Ollmann as Riff, and Marilyn Horne as the offstage voice who sings "Somewhere".[89] It won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 1986. The recording process was filmed as a documentary, The Making of West Side Story, by the BBC for Unitel, produced by Humphrey Burton and directed by Christopher Swann.[90] The documentary and its director won the 1986 Robert Flaherty Documentary Award (Television) and a Prix Italia.[91] It was also nominated for an Emmy in the category "Outstanding Classical Program in the Performing Arts". ---- from:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Story#Score
Rock music has nothing to do with this. You'll find this same environment in a modern recording studio. Professionalism has never been the strongest asset of rock music anyway.
i wonder if Carreras could raise his music stand, so that he can see the conductor over his sheets?? isn't this an obvious compromise?