Review: DG's Complete Bernstein Recordings (1) 

Dear David, the self-proclaimed biggest Lenny-fan says a big Thank you. Yes, his DG-recordings are a bit (very) slow. Lenny is my hero of all heroes, I have all the recordings (some 80 CDs unpublished broadcasts), all videos and all books. I love this man, for me and many experts he is the greatest musician of the 20th century. I know that you love him too. You are so fortunate to have seen and heard him so often. I just saw him one time at the Schleswig-Holstein-Featival, this concert I will never forget!

Thanks for pulling these out and discussing them. I have always had a special bond with Bernstein (not that all his recordings are my #1 picks) but his music making, education, music, and passion/enthusiasm has always touched me...he was special.

I was with him at the recording of the Faust Symphony in Boston . In the 1st movt he made the big cut of the repeat of the exposition which is written out and delved into the development section. This improved the structure of the movt immensely. He also made a few changes in the trombones in the 1st movt. These changes were a great improvement in the work. He was also using Koussevitsky‘s score.I learned a great deal from him. I don‘t know his first recording, but Alfred Kaine from DG told me, this was the first recording of the Faust Symphony that didn‘t loose money. It broke even.

A Bernstein box, a tam tam, a bed and a television. What else does one need in life?

Thank you, David, as usual. I would love to see a video about your CD storage; another about CD vs vinyl in Classical music.

Dave, I am much heartened to know you’re still with Tam Tam whilst in your Brooklyn digs! And- Thankx for the hot tip about Bernstein’s go at those late Beethoven string quartets!!

So much fun…Thanks again Dave 😊

Great review, as always. I have both of the DGG boxes that you are reviewing and, while I quite enjoy them, for whatever reason prefer the Sony boxes. I grew up listening to Bernstein with the NYPO on Columbia/CBS, so maybe I am just biased by my earlier listenings. But the DGG boxes are terrific as well, and I appreciate the historical perspective you provide.

This project has been a lot of work. Thanks, Dave. Soon the question will need to be addressed: On balance, which "Bernstein" is the best? The younger, CBS/Sony Bernstein ("hothead" you called him), or the later, more self-consciously "profound" and occasionally ponderous DG Bernstein? At first blush the answer seems clear--it's Sony all the way. But many of those later DG remakes hold me in their thrall (and evidently, you too, at least in the case of the Bernstein "Enigma"). Are his DG recordings more "mature" or more "self-conscious"? Are his earlier Sony recordings more "hotheaded" (viz. exciting), or are many of them just a wee bit "green" and in need of ripening?

Dear Dave! Thank you very much for making this talk about the Bernstein collection on DG. Best wishes Fred 🇸🇪🙏👏

I have the Complete Works box which is a treasure. Separately, I have the Bizet, Copland, Haydn, and Ives, so I won't bother with this set but I am interested to hear your views on these performances and I completely agree. Bernstein was a true American hero if there can be such a thing in classical music.

Agreed on the Harris & Schuman DG performances. Amazing! But, I think the earlier ones on Sony were sonically better.

I agree that Bernstein did some great work with Boston. Dave, do you have any idea why he never performed (that I know of anyway) or recorded Messiaen’s Turangalila? As you know, he conducted the premiere in Boston. Also, do you know if Bernstein worked at all with Slonimsky in Boston? NS helped SK on some of the more challenging modern scores the BSO performed at the time.

I am wondering why Bernstein did so many live recordings for Deutsche Grammophon. Did he prefer that to doing studio recordings?

I've long had a problem with any Israel Phil recording. The brass sound puts me off and the acoustics in the hall make for poor recordings.