~ Jamie Bernstein on her Father, Leonard Bernstein
On a Sunday afternoon, November 14 1943, at Carnegie Hall, Leonard Bernstein, at just the age of 25, entered the world's spotlight. He was brought in to conduct the New York Philharmonic at the last moment and with that his magnificent ride began. He was a conductor, composer, teacher, mentor, humanitarian, political activist, and ambassador for the arts to the world. He LIVED with every pore of his being. Larger than life to be sure.
"I'll do it as Bernstein,or not at all."
His own singular complicated, exuberant, passionate, political, Peter Pan-esque existence is legendary. He could be a "handful" as his daughter describes, but no one lived bigger or left such gifts to the world. Legend indeed.
"A liberal is a man or a woman or a child who looks forward to a better day, a more tranquil night, and a bright, infinite future."
It was as if he had so much to share and had to get it out or he might burst-be it for the ballet, the Broadway stage, the conductor's podium with every major symphony orchestra or the timeless and marvelous Young People's concerts.
"This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before."
Most lights that shine so intensely burn out and cease. No one remembers too much about them, but Leonard Bernstein's light was so immense that it could never go out-never die. It will always shine, like a beacon of sheer joy,of promise and hope.
"It is the artists of the world, the feelers and the thinkers who will ultimately save us; who can articulate, educate, defy, insist, sing and shout the big dreams."
Last weekend while sitting at Tanglewood, the place he adored, and where he conducted his last concert, listening to Andris Nelsons conduct the BSO perform, along with Yo-Yo Ma, a new John Williams' piece, "Highland's Ghost", composed in part to celebrate Bernstein's centennial and the "spirit" of Tanglewood, everyone in that huge crowd felt a presence. The music Williams wrote is "...a little haunted by Lenny." No doubt. Through his music, and his work,the light that is Bernstein haunts us all, pushing us, moving us, beckoning us to go forward...to create, to heal, to help, to sing, to love, to live! and oh what a light he left us. Happy Birthday Lenny!
"We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good We'll do the best we know. We'll build our house and chop our wood And make our garden grow. And make our garden grow!"
~ Leonard Bernstein's Candide
Bernstein conducting the Boston Symphony in a performance of Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony at Tanglewood, in 1970.
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Bernstein Playlist via NPR
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