I was 24 and an earnest studio guitarist, I was walking down a lower floor hallway at Columbia Records in 1972 with the two producers of the session I had just played on, when out from one of the rooms ahead of us came Leonard Bernstein. It was as if the Statue of Liberty or Mount Rushmore came down that hallway. Of course, we respectfully stopped him to bask in his eminent glory for a moment, and he was most gracious to shine on us for a very small while. The two producers, only a few years older than me asked him for his autograph. I did not. I was just struck with awe and did not even think to ask. Noticing, I suppose that of the three of us, I was so silent, he addressed me. “What instrument do you play, son?” “Guitar, sir.” “What key do you like to play in most?’ (he was ever the Music Professor, even there) I thought about this for a moment, remembering how I had recently strived mightily but prevailed in creating a solo in a song that was in Db. Of course, I had favourite keys, Db not being one of them, as any guitarist is likely to have, “E”, “A”. “D”, you know, the basic “guitar keys”, but I knew what he was getting at, or at least I suspected as much. I answered, “It doesn’t matter. They’re all fine. I like to play in them all”. This was not a lie as I was, as I mentioned, often and from time to time charged with playing in virtually every key, although Eb and Bb - the horn keys, G, C, A, and such were most common. Then the sun came out. He smiled at me and put his hand on my shoulder. “That’s right. That’s good, son. They all have their equal use in music, so play in them all with equal verve.” As we smiled at each other, I nodded and said that I would. Then he excused himself, bid us a good evening, and walked on. The producers may have gotten his autograph, but I got so much more. Infinitely more. We two, Leonard Bernstein and I had had a conversation about music and he approved of my answer to his question. I had gotten an “A” from the greatest musician and music educator in the world. It was like receiving a Doctorate in Music from Julliard or Berklee College of Music, Maestro Bernstein's alma mater. He was nothing less than a luminous, incandescent genius who did not forgo a moment when he could teach and speak about music, even upon a chance meeting with three musical nobodies in a hallway as he was going home after a long day in the studio.
To talk with elegance and substance NONSTOP for 3 hours in itself is a testament to the human spirit. Bernstein will forever be a source of inspiration and motivation.
What a treasure these lectures are. These hours spent in the company of the great man have been such a rare pleasure, and have opened a whole new and wonderful world for me.
I believe that at some point, your knowledge is so great that it starts fusing like the core of stars, and you start illuminating all those around. It is the kind of thing you see happening with the likes of Bernstein, Feynman and the very few others that reached this critical mass of understanding.
1:15:04 - T. S Elliot's poem "So here I am, in the middle way, trying to learn to use words, and every attempt is a wholy new start, and a different kind of failure because one has only learned to get the better of words for the thing one no longer has to say, or the way in which one is no longer disposed to say it. And so each venture is a new beggining, a raid on the inarticulate. And what there is to conquer by strength and submission, has already been discovered once or twice, or several times, by men whom one cannot hope to emulate - but there is no competition - For us there is only the trying, the rest is not our business." (This is a partial quote of East Coker, Nº 2 of "Four Quartest", part V)
I count as one of the greatest experiences of my life when I got to sit in on a rehearsal with Bernstein at Tanglewood in July of 1990, just a few months before he died. He was rehearsing Copland's Symphony No. 3, and also worked with a couple of student conductors. He was very clearly gravely ill at the time. His skin was gray, and he had an oxygen tank next to the podium. Each time he stopped the orchestra, he would first have to take several huffs from the oxygen tank before he would have sufficient breath to speak to the orchestra. But although he was seriously physically compromised, his passion for the music, and his unbounded love for the musicians he was working with were undimmed. As sick as he was, he just gave and gave of himself.
Bernstein was incredibly gifted. He seems to have had a deep understanding of how all kinds of systems are connected, combined with the talent to communicate as simply as possible, without losing information. A true maestro and teacher.
While in music school I would listen to the LP's of these lectures over and over. Eventually paid $75 for the VHS tape version. So happy to find them here already digitized. A most amazing synthesis of all that we call the Humanities. Should be required viewing for all music and arts majors everywhere. Enjoy!
4:49 "Vacuous and meretricious." Ah, yes, that joyful feeling when we recognize that we have once again entered the high realm of thought, the high plane of existence that is Leonard Bernstein. Never have I minded less being lectured to with vocabulary words whose definitions I had to look up. With Bernstein, the listener cannot help but get smarter through merely staying with his beautiful train of thought.
Made it through all 6 lectures during the summer. In it, I found Igor S. and a new faith and hope for the future. Leonard's final disposition was yes, whatever the questions may be. As we are in the age of the machine, the human voice will break us apart and bring us together. The expressive distinction among these idioms depend on the dignity and passion of the individual creative voice
This may be over 38 years old and you may be long gone, but thank you Mr Bernstein. I can safely say without watching this lectures, I would've never been able to get into University studying Musical Composition
Gadzooks, these 6 lectures are eye-opening!! I would've given anything, literally, to be in that room for all six. If anyone reading this was there, give a shout out! I was nowhere near born then but I remember when Lennie was still living. It was the spring of 1990. I had some friends - older than I, but we all played in one of the greatest youth orchestras in the country, and world, and some were going to Tanglewood, where Lennie would be (I don't know if he was there, that would've been his last one because he died shortly after that.) We played the overture to "Candide", one of the greatest overtures, that year. That was my intro to the guy, and then I learned what a legend he was on the podium and bought all the recordings of his that I could. No "RU-vid for free" in those days!
Leonard Bernstein was so far ahead of, so far above, us that we can't even express. He was a genius of, and beyond, the level of any musical artist, even of any intellect, who ever lived. If we should presume to be able to somehow select a handful of individuals who best represented the 20th century, who most comprehensively contributed to the 20th century, he would certainly have to be among them. He achieved, with seeming effortless joy, what few of us even would ever dare to aspire to.
My unconditional love towards this genius will never fade. I always, ALWAYS return back to the 1st lecture whenever I finish part 6, because it is such a sad moment for me personally to realize that his lectures had come to an end. This is as if I am watching my favorite TV show which ends in a heart breaking conclusion (Friends for example), and the only way to make myself feel better is to return back to season 1. Leonard Bernstein's this set of lectures, as well as ANY OTHER collections of lectures, MUST become a complete musicians' "TV Show" with multi-seasons so that we can enjoy it while sipping a hot delicious cup of tea or coffee...
I'll be allways in love with this soul, no matter how he lived - no matter how filmakers actually try to get a very prosaic site of ihm to be know. God blessed this man and us through ihm. we need more of this humanity.
I love these lectures. I've been listening & watching them all for about a year now. I believe lenny is a teacher i can trust. He's one of my heros for sure.
What a deep insight on modernity!! I really felt connected to this last lecture the most, the five previous went quite high above my head as I am not musically trained, but this oh boy, tore right through my heart with his commentary on Elliot or Cummings.
I remember purchasing these on vinyl around 1977 or so and listening to all six installments several times. Over theyears I somehow lost all of them, so I am thrilled to see them posted here. Thaks so much - terrifically interesting!
Sounds to me that Stravinsky can be considered the first ‘sampler’. I have the complete works conducted by Stravinsky and except for the early ‘Russian’ work I found most of his later work just an off key annoyance. I was ready to sell my box set this week. Not now. Bernstein is an amazing teacher. You tube continues to unearth seemingly forgotten diamonds of culture. Many thanks for uploading.
This is fabulous. The very logical dissembling and complete refutation of Adorno's advocating the subjective expression of the German romantic era quite prime.
Your welcome and thank you for your comment. I am happy that these lectures gave you those many things and I suppose many others, including me, gained much from 'him'. Although time to time he is questionable, he is always enlightening. Enjoy, best !
Interesting to note that his biographers report two lectures. One was given in the actual school setting and a second one given after the first in this television studio, made to look like the Harvard room in which he originally spoke, for the video taping. He had a great gift of seeming to speak of some things "coming to his mind" during these lecture when in fact they were all pre-written, right down to his off-the-cuff remarks. (see Burton's bio)
These videos are a treasure, thanks for posting them. I certainly do not agree with every statement that mr bernstein makes, however, these videos are worth watching and studying even if only to consider these points and open our minds to more universal ideas of music and of being human in general. Thanks again
many thanks again cagin. To paraphrase Mr. Bernstein, watching these lectures has become a way of life for me, and I am mad that they are at an end as well.
I think it's brilliant that even back then, way before the internet and other expedition methods that really well acclaimed artist took in such a wide variety of influences to create their music (Y)
At around 2:46:40 I spotted the rapid scales followed by a held note in the strings that sounded very evocative of Ride of the Valkyries. I see what Lenny meant about every page containing an allusion.
Finally we find this! A friend from college has this series on video tape - and my husband and I have been wanting to watch this again. Thanks for posting all 6! We're gonna be taking our time watching this series. ^_^
After the five prior lectures I'm struggling to focus... I have an appetite for syntax and semantics. I'm like a child who wants easy sugar but has to eat his poetic greens.
In discussing the devilish tritones, Lenny didn't mention that most of West Side Story is based on tritones. I Feel Pretty, Cool, Maria. LOVED this series.
If I had to pick just one lecture, it would be this one. To portray Stravinsky as the savour of tonal music is not the only way of looking at the mid-20th Century, but his analysis of why the Rite of Spring, the Soldier's Tale, the Octet etc rejuvenated music is very enjoyable. Bernstein had been replaced at the New York Philharmonic by Pierre Boulez, so he is remarkably objective about the relations between tonal and atonal music. One of his predictions is that we will enter 'a new era of eclecticism', and that is what happened. Jeremy Polmear
A wonderful series indeed, many thanks for posting all of the lectures. It's true that I find it impossible to agree on the idea that tonality is the natural (and only) way for music, but Bernstein brings so much despite these slips that we can only love him for it.
Bernstein, who was of course larger than life, has become an entire universe for many I suspect..certainly has for me. In one aspect alone, I'm swooning whilst hearing proper English spoken....
I also believe along with Keats that the 'Poetry of Earth' is never dead, as long as spring succeeds winter & Man is there to perceive it. I believe, that from that earth emerges a Musical Poetry which is by the nature of its sources tonal. I believe that these sources caused to exist a phonology of music which evolves from the Universal known as the Harmonic Series-[ *spellbound*] Thanks!
Yes, before the internet we went to the library for information and studied. There is too much information available on the internet. It is difficult to focus.
You are right. That song is originally by Kurt Weill to the lyrics of Bertolt Brecht and is featured in his opera Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera). Introduced to American audience by other singers and lyrics in English, this origins of the song is forgotten.
If people truly understood his point-- that art, at the deepest level, is OBJECTIVE-- humanity might experience a revolution in thinking, feeling, and happiness. But very few actually allow themselves to apprehend how radical a threat this idea would be to our consumer culture.
but it is *exactly* what he is saying throughout the lectures: there is a "natural" system, and that is the tonal system. He makes it emerge from the harmonic series, and states that any deviation from it is only interesting if a link back to it is still present. He even goes so far as to use that to explain the associations major=happy, minor=sad. *Despite* all this, these are still phenomenal lectures.
The way modern music went after Bernstein's generation was not what he thought. Stravinsky might have kept tonality of life support until the 50s but it was, oddly enough, film scoring that revived it. That's basically where orchestral tonal music is now. Modern composers who are not in film are generally experimenting with synthesizer music, world music, microtonality, and a lot of other non-diatonic sounds. Definitely not as formally as tone-rows, but not exactly Stravinskian either. It has a focus more on minimalism, non-orchestral and experimental instruments, and influences from non-Western musical traditions. Another thing worth thinking about, which would have been apparent even by 1973, is the near disappearance of "classical" music from popular culture except as "background" music. The most exposure the average person gets to classical music on a day-to-day basis anymore is the Nutcracker during Christmas season, John Williams' Star Wars score, and the odd TV commercial for babies diapers with Mozart played for laughs. In any case, the classical composer has no power over the musical zeitgeist. Now it is industry songwriters and producers who have this power.
Cinematic music HAS to be programmatic in order to make sense; it inherently MUST be representative of whatever's happening in the movie. Quite romantic, that.
what a great person to do this! these type of musical analysis is tought in every university, even teh same examples are used. But Bernstein had his own 'thesis' if you will, and theory connecting language with music( a theory not everyone agrees with, by the way, but interesting nontheless). This type of masterclass was just as much for his own sake and glory as for a general public's education that didn't have access to masterclasses like those we have today, literally some on youtube as we speak. I always appreciated Bernstein for his skills as a conductor, a composer( which is a different job) and for seeming to genuinely care to educate the people about other composers' work. I like him despite his showmanship and charisma, not because of it. I have never met anyone else today who can be a representative of classical music the way he was, because those with charisma lack his knowledge or sensitivity or understanding on it or just the skill to know how to translate that knowledge to a wider audience or even the sheer will for it; they just want the audience to know what they( the conductors tehmselves) want, meaning they are megalomaniacs purely. I detest cults and hypes and people who treat musicians( especially conductors) like movie-stars, but Bernstein was special because he was not a charlatan, and with the quality of his work and lectures, his own narcissism is forgiven. The rest is history.
Apart from my defense of Adorno I would like to say how much I enjoyed the lectures, also polemically. I especilly like the parts where Mr.B. treats musial examples directly. I can't agree that Strawinsky saved tonality; if anything he destroyed it as Mr. B. demonstartes so well.
NOBODY knew music better than Leonard Bernstein. There was a school in my neighborhood that eventually got a subtitle of "A Leonard Bernstein School of Artful Learning" (I think that's what it's called?)
It's "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer" by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht from their musical Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera). It premiered in 1928. "Mack the Knife" is that same song with Brecht's lyrics roughly translated into English.
Interesting. In his prophecy that there will be a return to tonality, Bernstein paves the way for the minimalism of Glass and Reich, though without the concept of repetition as the main framing device for this new generation of music.
I don't understand why Bernstein equates direct emotion to subjectivity. Isn't subjectivity indirect, and or objectivity direct? Also it makes sense to me now when Stravinsky is called "Bach on the wrong notes". And who is the man narrating the opera?
What he means is that the "ego" or the "self" is presenting music as a personal feeling, or a subjective view of the world. When Schoenberg writes pierrot lunaire, he is deeply subjective because he's presenting exactly what he feels, and doesn't care what anyone else feels. That's art to him. But to Stravinsky, art is something that can be objective, in the sense that he doesn't let his own personal emotions or feelings enter the music, but tries to convey an emotion that can be felt by all, and is meant for all. Schoenberg is about the art of the self. Stravinsky is about the art of humanity. That's also why the serialists called Stravinsky "artificial" because they thought he was just copy/paste with emotions in music.
So six lectures in, Lenny has left the Question, as yet, Unanswered. Yes, Classical (serious) music composition ran up on the ground of two highly intellectual opponents: Schoenberg vs Stravinsky... Pure Atonality vs Tonality with... compromise? But let’s step back... this is like a debate in Physics where the mass of people with no expertise could really care... less. Life moved on, people still enjoy music and composers still create “music” in-spite of all the Esoterica... none the least Lenny himself! It’s kinda like the theological wars - Real Wars - fought between Catholics and Protestants... and people still embrace Christianity regardless of what those with far greater... knowledge (?) disregard the - sincerity - of that Faith.. or How it is “compromised” - it remains as deeply personal and Life Affirming as a beautiful song... Great Intellectual fodder for Thought, though, worth every time I re-listen to these lectures just about every ten years.
The film of Oedipus Rex is somewhat odd. Clearly, the audio was done separately. Then chorus and solo singers were filmed miming their performance, without the benefit of the orchestra (never seen) or the conductor, whose miming was separately filmed - which is why we see him only in isolation. There was another conductor keeping the singers on track - we see his hands for an accidental second. The other music films in this series were done with both orchestra and conductor and thus look less unreal.
The orchestra is there, you can actually see a couple of violin bows at 2:49:00. The singers and chorus also do not seem to be miming as far as I can see. Look for instance at 2:48:50, he is clearly singing vibrato with full force.
Aren't the four notes at 1:54 - the great unifier - the first four notes of "God Save the Queen"? Isn't that's Stravinsky's "joke". The Oedipal cry of the romantic child?...
Well given the second half of the twentieth century hasn't given rise to great composers of the likes of Stravinsky, with audience for new compositions limited to very few self-proclaimed specialists, I think Bernstein's final answer of yes was more optimism than reality.
Well, that was the last one. What the hell am I supposed to do now?!? Go back to facing 2017 without feeling utter contempt for what culture and society have become? How we treat each other? What we consider cultural output? Pop-culture should be a sub-set of art, but it's overtaking and raping all art now. I don't want to live on this planet anymore.
I know what you mean, but is has always been a struggle to bring meaning and beauty to the chaos and darkness that lies within human societies (and in case of a lot of pop-culture: blandness). Be the best you can be and remember the great quote from the ending scene of Se7en: "Hemingway once wrote, 'The world's a fine place and worth fighting for.' I agree with the second part."
