Thursday, August 19, 2010

Where can I find the work of Leonard Bernstein that was influenced by Gustav Mahler?

The Wikipedia Article on Gustav Mahler mentions that Bernstein was influenced by the work of Gustav in some of his compositions. I would love to know which ones in particular, and where I could find recordings of them.

Where can I find the work of Leonard Bernstein that was influenced by Gustav Mahler?
i dont know
Reply:November 14, 1943, as Bruno Walter was about to complete a two-week guest stint. Walter had been the protege of none other than Gustav Mahler, the greatest conductor of his time, who had spent the last two years of his life as music director of the New York Philharmonic. As the inheritor of that mantle, Walter had come to represent the very embodiment of Viennese musical tradition. His popularity and reputation were such that Bernstein had brought his parents to New York to witness what promised to be a great event and the highlight of the season.





And then luck intervened. Walter fell ill and, as usually occurred, the permanent conductor was called to fill in. In what would be the most famous gesture of his career, Rodzinski generously ordered: "Call Bernstein – that's why we hired him." And call him they did – at 9 am for that afternoon's concert.





Bernstein had been up all night partying, and had time only to briefly visit the ailing Walter to review the scores and to show up for the concert without rehearsal. The audience greeted the announcement of the substitution with disappointment at missing the chance to hear a great legend. Little could they have suspected that instead they would launch an even greater one: the most spectacular debut of their generation, shared by an audience of millions through the scheduled CBS national radio broadcast.





The program was difficult: Schumann's Manfred Overture, Rosza's new Theme, Variations and Finale, Strauss's Don Quixote and Wagner's Meistersinger Overture.


No comments:

Post a Comment