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Beethoven: Symphony No 5 / Bernstein, Et Al

Sony Masterworks

$11.98 Aug 01, 2006

This recording also includes a lecture by Leonard Bernstein on the first movement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony, entitled "How a Great Symphony Was Written". Leonard Bernstein recorded the lecture in four different languages including English. To listen to a desired language, the stereo balance has to be turned to favor one of the audio speakers. On some players a mono button can be pressed to make the selected channel signal balance in both speakers.

As with the Stravinsky CD I reviewed recently, this issue contains music conducted by Leonard Bernstein followed by a talk discussing aspects of that music. This time it’s Beethoven, and the most celebrated of the symphonies, the fifth. In fact, the illustrated talk was recorded some five years before the symphony, at a time when Bernstein was giving full rein to his educational pursuits.

The talk is quite brief, and, a little frustratingly, discusses only the first movement of the symphony. It’s well worth hearing, though, for Bernstein gives a fascinating insight into the composer’s working processes. As a creative artist himself, he understood these processes well, and he drives home how the apparent inevitability of the way one idea follows another in the symphonic argument was in fact the outcome of a detailed and lengthy sifting and rejection of material and treatment. This applies even to details of the orchestration, and it is revealing to hear, for example, the famous opening with the addition, as Beethoven originally intended, of flutes to the strings. It sounds most peculiar, and one has to agree with Bernstein that the final version that we know today has far greater power of utterance.

I suppose that Beethoven is not a composer one immediately associates with Bernstein, as one does Mahler, Stravinsky or Copland for example. But his music meant an enormous amount to the American maestro, and one of his very last public musical acts was, famously, to conduct Beethoven’s 9th in Berlin soon after the destruction of the Wall. This 5th, though it will not be to everyone’s taste, is a performance of enormous character and commitment. For me, the first movement is the least convincing; it has a breadth and a seeming lack of urgency which is almost perverse. It is, as a performance, the diametric opposite to the Harnoncourt/Norrington school; nonetheless, on its own terms, it works, for the surge of energy which occurs in the coda has the sense of a dam bursting, of pent-up energy surging forth. There are some telling details, too, with, for example, the oboe emerging from the texture before its solo cadenza (track 1, around 5:10).

The Andante is beautifully done, at a serenely flowing tempo, and with flexible, expressive playing from wind and strings, despite a surprising split note from 2nd trumpet (track 2 around 3:12). The scherzo, interestingly, is on the quick side, and Bernstein emphasises the light and shade, giving the music a suitably furtive feel. And as you might expect from this most theatrical (in the best sense!) of conductors, the tense transition to the fourth movement is magnificently done, with the great crescendo held back to the very last moment carrying us into the triumphant blaze of the finale’s opening theme. And once more, Bernstein’s sheer commitment and energy keeps the momentum of this movement up to the very end, particularly impressive when – as the disc’s liner notes proudly announce – this is a performance with all the repeats in place. Well, that’s not rare these days, though it is surprising how many conductors still do omit the exposition repeat in the finale. All told, a highly successful performance, typical of the conductor in its expressive power and dynamism, but completely free of his less admirable mannerisms.

- Gwyn Parry-Jones, MusicWeb International

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Beethoven: Symphony No 5 / Bernstein, Et Al
Sony Masterworks Aug 2006
CD
$11.98

Bernstein: Trouble In Tahiti, Symphonic Dances From West Side Story / Schirmer, Munich Radio Orchestra

BR Klassik

$19.99 Sep 29, 2009

BERNSTEIN West Side Story: Symphonic Dances. Trouble in Tahiti 1 & • Ulf Schirmer, cond; Kim Criswell ( Dinah ); 1 Rodney Gilfry ( Sam ); 1 Marlene Grimson ( Trio sop ); 1 Adrian Dwyer ( Trio ten ); 1 Ronan Collett ( Trio bar ); 1 Munich RO • BR 719003 (77:43 Text and Translation) Live: Munich 10/12/2008

& German interview with Ulf Schirmer

I have not generally been impressed with German orchestral performances of distinctly American scores such as these by Leonard Bernstein—heavily dependent on Latin dance rhythms and jazz inflections, having found too many of them stiff and uncomfortable with the idiom. I rather imagine that Viennese listeners have a similar reaction when an American orchestra and conductor perform Johann Strauss. Like the subtle inflections of language, there are some things one just absorbs from the culture that are hard to master otherwise.

So it proves here, especially in the “Symphonic Dances.” The percussion get the rhythms, and the brass have the feel as well, though the trumpets seem reluctant to wail with sufficient abandon, but generally, the woodwinds just can’t quite bring themselves to let lose in the long stretches of exuberance, and the strings are too polite by half. Add to that Ulf Schirmer’s tendency to relax momentum in the more lyrical sections—something Bernstein never did—and you have a performance that is a little too pokerfaced to take flight. It is not bad by any means—Schirmer often generates a good deal of energy and excitement—but it is simply not competitive with more idiomatic performances by the composer and others.

Some of that same orchestral stiffness infects the performance of Bernstein’s heavily ironic, autobiographical one-act opera, Trouble in Tahiti —the characters almost certainly represent Bernstein’s mismatched parents, Jennie and Sam—but this performance is harder to pass over. First of all, there are not a lot of recordings around, and more important, these singers have the style to make it work. The issue raised by this interpretation is one of genre: is it opera or is it musical theater? While most performances are cast with classically trained singers who can act, this recording straddles the fence by using an operatic baritone and a Broadway mezzo. (They also appeared in Simon Rattle’s 1999 EMI Wonderful Town .) Both are very fine: Gilfry, with his virile, flexible instrument, is a perfect self-absorbed and egotistical Sam, and Criswell, a singer with a vibrant and colorful voice, though rather limited on top for “I was standing in a garden,” is an emotionally fragile and angry Dinah. Their voices never blend, but one has to wonder if the stylistic contrast is an interpretive choice. Certainly, even if the combination gives less aural pleasure than two matched operatic voices might, it makes some sense for the antagonistic characters. And the choice of Criswell, a brilliant actress, is vindicated by an absolutely stunning performance of the show-stopping, musical theater-style “What a movie!” The Greek-chorus jazz vocal trio is classy with a reasonable sense of swing, and though the balance between the voices is not always ideal, they create just the right balance of satire and empathy.

In the end though, effective as this performance is, it must still take second place to the 1973 Bernstein-led performance on Sony 60969: very stylish and expressive, with excellent soloists and a perfect trio. There are other performances on CD: the student-cast performance by the Manhattan School of Music Opera Theater on Newport Classic 85641 is quite good, and the 2006 Calliope recording (9391) in accented English with French performers, is an interesting novelty: urbane and very coolly jazzy. But once you have the Bernstein CD, Gilfry and Criswell make this new release an ideal supplement.

FANFARE: Ronald E. Grames

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Bernstein: Trouble In Tahiti, Symphonic Dances From West Side Story / Schirmer, Munich Radio Orchestra
BR Klassik Sep 2009
CD
$19.99

Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic, Vol. 1 / Bernstein [Blu-ray]

UNITEL Edition

Blu-Ray

$85.99 Apr 19, 2019

This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.

Also available on standard DVD

“There had never been a communicator about music with anywhere near Bernstein’s brilliance, humor, energy, reach and importance.” (The New York Times) “Leonard Bernstein did this better than anyone. He was brilliant - as a musician and as an ambassador for music.” (Whoopie Goldberg) Young People’s Concerts Vol. 1 comprises 17 episodes of the legendary series, which remains unmatched until today. Awarded three Emmys and hailed by Variety as “a rare moment in the symbiosis of the arts and broadcasting”, Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts left their mark on television history. Aired at prime-time on CBS from 1958 to 1972, 52 one-hour programs were written and hosted by Leonard Bernstein, “certainly the most influential American maestro of the 20th century” (The New York Times). With the New York Philharmonic and guest artists providing the live music, these programs brought musical concepts and music history to life for generations of viewers. Volume 1 includes 17 Episodes - The Concerts Nos. 1-14 plus Young Performers Nos. 1-3 (featuring Seiji Ozawa and Lynn Harrell)

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Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic, Vol. 1 / Bernstein [Blu-ray]
UNITEL Edition Apr 2019
Blu-Ray
$85.99

Something in Between

Fuga Libera

$20.99 Mar 22, 2019

This fruitful "encounter" between Leonard Bernstein and Maurice Ravel juxtaposes Bernstein's intensity and rhythmic vitality with the melancholy refinement of Ravel's colors, while also highlighting the composers' commonalities, such as a shared tonal language and masterful incorporation of jazz idioms. Our purpose, however, is not only to appreciate an artistic cross-exchange but also to build upon it. This is what Trio Zadig and Benjamin Attahir seek in Asfar, a new work that springs from the creative nexus of these 20th-century giants and continues the conversation. The Zadig Trio came together when two childhood friends from France, Boris Borgolotto and Marc Girard Garcia, met American pianist, Ian Barber. Already, they have been awarded 11 international prizes at international competitions in France, Italy, Austria and USA. With depth and passion they play a repertoire that goes from Haydn to contemporary composers.

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Something in Between
Fuga Libera Mar 2019
CD
$20.99

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Bernstein: Transcriptions for Wind Band
Naxos Feb 2013
CD
~~$19.99~~ $9.99

Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring - Sibelius: Symphony No. 5

ICA Classics

DVD

$26.99 Sep 25, 2012

The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historical performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on DVD for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored. 'Luckily for all of us, it wasn't enough for Leonard Bernstein to compose music and conduct orchestras. He felt equally compelled to talk about music - to try and explain what made it tick, what made it good, and what made it affect US in all the ways that music does. The other piece of good luck was that Leonard Bernstein and television came along at the same time. They were born for each other.' (Jamie Bernstein), the films on this DVD are taken from the 'Symphonic Twilight' series of TV programs made in the mid-Sixties that were the brainchild of Humphrey Burton, then the newly appointed Head of Music and Arts Programs for the BBC. In his booklet notes for this DVD, Burton reveals himself to have been instrumental in bringing Bernstein the conductor to the wider British public, who knew him foremost as the composer of West Side Story. In 1965 Burton persuaded Bernstein to conduct the LSO at the Royal Albert Hall and the resulting Mahler 8 was a spectacular occasion, broadcast to the nation. The following year, they put together these programs, filmed specifically for the new television audience. The works Bernstein chose to record are twentieth-century orchestral masterpieces, for which he is known to be a champion. His recordings of Sibelius's Fifth Symphony for CBS Records and Deutsche Grammophon were acclaimed by critics worldwide, and his interpretation of the Rite of Spring in 1959 elicited an enthusiastic 'Wow!' from Stravinsky himself! They are accompanied on this DVD by an in-depth interview, given here as a bonus and subtitled in French and German.

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Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring - Sibelius: Symphony No. 5
ICA Classics Sep 2012
DVD
$26.99

Leonard Bernstein, Vol. 2 [Blu-ray]

C Major Entertainment

Blu-Ray

$102.99 Sep 23, 2022

This Blu-ray box contains legendary concerts from 1977 – 1990 of Leonard Bernstein conducting the Wiener Philharmoniker, Orchestre National de France and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks. The set also includes the Centennial Celebration Concert at Tanglewood, featuring John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma, Andris Nelsons, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Tony Yazbeck and many more, performing works by Bernstein, Williams, Mahler and Copland. Notable compositions include Jean Sibelius’s Symphonies 1, 2, 5, and 7, Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 16, Haydn’s Missa in tempore beli, Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, and many more.

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Leonard Bernstein, Vol. 2 [Blu-ray]
C Major Entertainment Sep 2022
Blu-Ray
$102.99

BEETHOVEN, L. van: Symphony No. 7 / GERSHWIN, G.: An America
IDIS Nov 2008
CD
$16.99

MOVIE THEMES, MOOD MUSIC & MORE 1952-62

ACROBAT

$20.04 Feb 13, 2026

Elmer Bernstein - Movie Themes, Mood Music & More 1952-62 - Elmer Bernstein was a composer and conductor who became renowned for his work in films and TV, writing, scoring and recording some of the most renowned and recognisable themes in in Hollywood history. He is not related to the renowned composer of stage musicals Leonard Bernstein. Born in 1922, he served in the USAF in WWII, working in Armed Forces Radio, and came to the fore in the early 1950s when he started writing for movies. This 44-track 2-CD collection primarily features soundtrack and commercial recordings of themes and other music written for films and albums during the first decade of his career. In addition, it includes selected titles from his albums "Blues And Brass" for Decca and "Movie & TV Themes" on the Choreo label. It includes "The Man With the Golden Arm", "Staccato's Theme", "The Magnificent Seven", and "Walk On The Wild Side", plus themes from "The Ten Commandments", "The Comancheros", "To Kill A Mockingbird" and more. Although he composed for many different genres of film, his style was very distinctive, characterised by dramatic and atmospheric melodies and arrangements that invariably conjured up the mood and imagery of the subject. Comprising a selection of works from his early career, this collection offers an entertaining and evocative showcase for that style.

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MOVIE THEMES, MOOD MUSIC & MORE 1952-62
ACROBAT Feb 2026
CD
$20.04

Mix & Match

Beethoven: Symphonies 1 & 3 / Munch, BSO
RCA May 2009
CD
$17.99

IN FOCUS

CRISS CROSS

$20.21 Aug 29, 2000

On his leader debut after a decade of paying his dues, tenor saxophonist Karn shows he's more than ready for prime time, framing his huge sound, clever lines & forceful swing with an A-list ensemble, inc. Peter Bernstein, David Hazeltine, Reuben Rogers & Gregory Hutchinson.

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IN FOCUS
CRISS CROSS Aug 2000
CD
$20.21

LOVE SYMPOSIUM

DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON

$14.62 Mar 20, 2026

Recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Long Yu, the repertoire is centered on Bernstein's Serenade (after Plato's Symposium). The album also features a chamber arrangement of the Adagietto from Mahler's Fifth Symphony, "Never Enough" from the film The Greatest Showman, and Vaughan Williams's The Lark Ascending.

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LOVE SYMPOSIUM
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON Mar 2026
CD
$14.62

Mix & Match

Haydn: Early London Symphonies / Szell, Cleveland Orchestra

Sony Masterworks

$16.98 May 19, 2009

Back from the wilderness of Sony's Essential Classics series, and remastered in nice, clear stereo along with Bernstein's set of Paris Symphonies for this same label, Szell's recordings of the first six London Symphonies represent the ultimate in big-band Haydn. And late Haydn should always be played with a big band: his own ensemble in London numbered some 60 players in a room that held 800. In other words, for one of today's typical concert halls he would have expected a full-sized, modern symphony orchestra, and that's just what he gets here.

Of course this is Szell, so the size of the ensemble doesn't entail any sacrifice of clarity. Indeed, these performances are miracles of balance and precision, but never at the expense of Haydn's energy and humor. Consider the slow movement of Symphony No. 93, which features the most obscene bassoon belch in recorded history, or Szell's uplifting handling of the minuets. The famous "Surprise" movement sounds like it was composed yesterday, and the symphony's finale blazes with excitement. There are delights everywhere, from the amazingly detailed counterpoint in the finale of No. 95 to the Mozartean grace of No. 98's slow movement. Just buy this while you can--it's a true classic.

--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

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Haydn: Early London Symphonies / Szell, Cleveland Orchestra
Sony Masterworks May 2009
CD
$16.98

American Concertos / Skride, Rouvali, Gothenburg Symphony, Tampere Philharmonic

Orfeo

$10.49 ~~$20.99~~ Save 50% Sep 21, 2018

Taking a phone call, Miklós Rózsa could scarcely believe that the legendary violin virtuoso Jascha Heifetz really was seriously interested in his Violin Concerto and ready to give the work its premiere – but so he did in 1956, and the first recording of the work, with its extreme technical challenges, was also made by Heifetz. And it had been just the same with the Violin Concerto by Korngold: the 1947 premiere and the brilliant first recording of this 20th-century classic again showcased Heifetz as soloist.

In the new generation of genuinely American musicians, one outstanding figure was Leonard Bernstein, an all-rounder whose early success led on to even greater heights. Bernstein rated his Violin Concerto of 1954, “Serenade,” inspired by Plato’s Symposium, as his best work ever, and this work too in its imaginatively slimmed-down scoring is now acknowledged to be an important 20th-century concerto for violin.

As an “encore,” this compilation includes the masterly Symphonic Dances from the immortal “West Side Story.”

REVIEWS:

This set of American concertos sees her widen her recorded repertoire still further and her performances of all three are highly successful. She’s very well supported by the young Finnish conductor, Santtu-Matias Rouvali who here appears with the two orchestras of which he’s currently Music Director. The Gothenburg Symphony does the honors on the first disc while disc two features the Tampere Philharmonic. Both orchestras make first rate contributions.

— MusicWeb International

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American Concertos / Skride, Rouvali, Gothenburg Symphony, Tampere Philharmonic
Orfeo Sep 2018
CD
~~$20.99~~ $10.49

I Will Breathe A Mountain / Horne, Katz, Tokyo Quartet

RCA

$14.99 Mar 10, 1998

'I Will Breathe a Mountain' is a new cycle of songs from William Bolcom, written for Marilyn Horne as part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Carnegie Hall. Bolcom sets eleven poems by eleven women, including Emily Dickinson and Elizabeth Bishop, in a variety of styles ranging from ragtime and cabaret oriented numbers to straightforward art songs. The result is impressive and is minutely tailored to Horne's particular vocal and interpretive strengths.
Horne has always been a distinguished interpreter of Bernstein. Here she sings excerpts from his theater and concert works to great effect, including the number from 'Songfest' intended for her as well as a song from the elusive '1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,' his final musical. Although recorded a bit late in the singer's career, it is good to have Horne's thoughts on the music of Samuel Barber. The songs are among the most beautiful of American art songs. This is an important addition to the legacy of recorded American song.

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I Will Breathe A Mountain / Horne, Katz, Tokyo Quartet
RCA Mar 1998
CD
$14.99

BERLIOZ: SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE
WEA JAPAN Jul 2018
SACD
$38.99

Symphonic Psalms & Prayers

Signum Classics

$19.99 Feb 02, 2018

Tenebrae return to recording on Signum in performances exploring the Psalms in Music. With trumpets and well-tuned cymbals, the musical and prayerful richness of The Book of Psalms inspires vastly differing offerings from composers with a myriad of approaches to combining the two worlds of the symphonic and the choral. The results are works which defy categorisation and stand the test of time with audiences and performers alike. Joined by the BBC Symphony Orchestra under the choirs director Nigel Short, they perform iconic works by Stravinsky (Symphony of Psalms), Bernstein (Chichester Psalms), Zemlinsky (Psalm 23), as well as Schoenberg’s final significant tonal work Freide auf Erden. Described as “phenomenal” (The Times) and “devastatingly beautiful” (Gramophone Magazine), award-winning choir Tenebrae, under the direction of Nigel Short, is one of the world’s leading vocal ensembles renowned for its passion and precision.

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Symphonic Psalms & Prayers
Signum Classics Feb 2018
CD
$19.99

AMERICA: BARBER

Sony Masterworks

$19.98 Jun 08, 2010

Barber's sophistication and elegance suggest a European composer, but his melodies and restless experimentation made him uniquely American. Vladimir Horowitz, Leonard Bernstein, Isaac Stern, Leontyne Price and Leonard Slatkin are heard as you behold landmark performances of Barber's Violin Concerto; Symphony No. 1; Piano Sonata; String Quartet; Concerto for Violin and Orchestra ; three versions of his famous Adagio for Strings ; the first authorized CD release of a 1935 recording of Dover Beach for baritone and string quartet (with Barber himself as baritone soloist), and more!

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AMERICA: BARBER
Sony Masterworks Jun 2010
CD
$19.98

MEL'S SPELL
CRISS CROSS Sep 1996
CD
$20.21

American Classics

Genuin

$20.99 Jul 31, 2012

Genuin presents the second release of the Saxon Wind Philharmonic, this time featuring for the first time, festive wind music. Director and conductor Thomas Clamor leads the group through Bernstein and Gershwin classics such as Candide, Summertime, and Strike up the Band.

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American Classics
Genuin Jul 2012
CD
$20.99

Amber Waves- American Clarinet Music / Stoltzman, Vallecillo

RCA

$17.99 Dec 16, 2009

Stoltzman plays in a uniquely personal style - bent notes and microtonal slides in near vocal effects. Magical!

Richard Stoltzman could be claimed as the James Galway of the clarinet. He has developed the personality of the instrument in new ways, often drawing on jazz effects, in what he regards as an American tradition. And he has a considerable following. He has recorded major pieces like the Corigliano Concerto (RCA, 4/89), but in this collection he's simply relaxing.

He starts with an ingenious arrangement of Gershwin's piano pieces, the Three Preludes, where the few extra effects in both clarinet and piano are completely idiomatic. Then there's Bernstein's early Sonata, another American classic, which Stoltzman has now recorded in Sid Ramin's orchestration (RCA, 12193).

W. T. McKinley makes his debut in the British catalogue with a recent, rather overblown, fourmovement Sonata and so does Clare Fisher with Sonatine. There's nothing very individual in either work, but Stoltzman obviously enjoys playing them. The real gems come when he goes deeper into jazz, especially Jimmy Rowles's The Peacocks, which was used in the soundtrack of Round Midnight. This brings out everything in Stoltzman's unique style - bent notes and microtonal slides in near vocal effects. Magical!

Dick Hyman is another jazz pianist and composer. He has recorded a complete Joplin and has written rags himself. His Clarinata is a red-hot encore with a soupy middle section. Finally Stoltzman plays his own arrangement of Amazing Grace, starting unaccompanied, and very touching it is too. Altogether an attractive collection, well recorded, with some uniquely personal playing.

-- Gramophone [9/1996]

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Amber Waves- American Clarinet Music / Stoltzman, Vallecillo
RCA Dec 2009
CD
$17.99

TRIO
CRISS CROSS Feb 1999
CD
$20.21

KOJO

CRISS CROSS

$20.21 May 11, 1999

Master pilot of the Hammond B-3 transports the listener on a joyous flight - sometimes funky, lyrical & always swinging; his able crewmen Peter Bernstein & Kenny Washington maintain a deep, straight-ahead, finger-poppin' course from beginning to end.

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KOJO
CRISS CROSS May 1999
CD
$20.21

CLASSMATES

CRISS CROSS

$20.21 Apr 18, 2000

Hammond B3 organist presents his 6th Criss Cross album, once again in the company of Peter Bernstein, Kenny Washington & Eric Alexander - together they serve up savory grooves, freely moving between the blues & bebop, with a few originals thrown in.

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CLASSMATES
CRISS CROSS Apr 2000
CD
$20.21

Rhapsody In Blue

Coviello

SACD

$21.99 Aug 28, 2015

The Blue Chamber Quartet recording George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue could just have easily come at the beginning of their career, as the ensemble, founded 2005, and Gershwin’s compositions from 1923/24 share a similar approach: the connection between classical music in the broadest sense with elements of jazz. + This can also be seen in the other works on this recording, particularly those of Leonard Bernstein, Mark Glentworth and Allen Shawn, that the Blue Chamber Quartet play in their very own way. “… an ear-opening classical crossover quartet.” (Audiophile Audition – USA)

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Rhapsody In Blue
Coviello Aug 2015
SACD
$21.99