Hugely enjoyed the first concert in the Bernstein 'Total Immersion series and quickly revisited my Bernstein CD collection so
that I could engage with the poetry in Songfest; Frank O'Hara, To the Poem, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, The Pennycandystore
Beyond the El. A Julia de Burgos, Julia de Burgos, To What You Said, Walt Whitman, Three Ensembles, Langston Hughes,
June Jordan, Anne Bradstreet, Gertrude Stein, Sextet, e.ecummings, Three Solos, Music I Heard With You, Conrad Aiken,
Zizi's Lament, Gregory Corso, Sonnet, Edna St Vincent Millay,Closing Hymn, Israfel, Edgar Allan Poe. First rate artists;
Clamma Dale, Rosalind Elias, Nancy Williams, Neil Rosenhein, John Reardon, Donald Gramm, NSO Orchestra of Washington/
Bernstein. Meaning and clarity heightened with access to the poetry.
In the Kosh CD, Bernstein, Arias & Barcarolles, I always delight in reading the background notes: "...After playing Mozart &
Gershwin at the White House in 1960, Leonard Bernstein experienced a somewhat awkward moment. President Eisenhower
greeted him and said, 'You know, I liked that last piece you played; it's got a theme. I like music with a theme, not all
them arias and barcarolles...' According to Eisenhower's definition, "Arias & Barcarolles" at first seem to be music without
a theme, the musical elements are disparate and eclectic. There is twelve-tone music, rhythmic improvisation, late
romanticism, scat-singing and pure Coplandesque americana. The texts, however, do have a theme which is revealed
in the opening lines of the turgid "Prelude"; "I love you, it's easy to say it, and so easy to mean it too." We have entered
the private and sometimes dark thoughts of a couple, and are off on a musical exploration of different aspects of love..."
A most engaging learning curve.
that I could engage with the poetry in Songfest; Frank O'Hara, To the Poem, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, The Pennycandystore
Beyond the El. A Julia de Burgos, Julia de Burgos, To What You Said, Walt Whitman, Three Ensembles, Langston Hughes,
June Jordan, Anne Bradstreet, Gertrude Stein, Sextet, e.ecummings, Three Solos, Music I Heard With You, Conrad Aiken,
Zizi's Lament, Gregory Corso, Sonnet, Edna St Vincent Millay,Closing Hymn, Israfel, Edgar Allan Poe. First rate artists;
Clamma Dale, Rosalind Elias, Nancy Williams, Neil Rosenhein, John Reardon, Donald Gramm, NSO Orchestra of Washington/
Bernstein. Meaning and clarity heightened with access to the poetry.
In the Kosh CD, Bernstein, Arias & Barcarolles, I always delight in reading the background notes: "...After playing Mozart &
Gershwin at the White House in 1960, Leonard Bernstein experienced a somewhat awkward moment. President Eisenhower
greeted him and said, 'You know, I liked that last piece you played; it's got a theme. I like music with a theme, not all
them arias and barcarolles...' According to Eisenhower's definition, "Arias & Barcarolles" at first seem to be music without
a theme, the musical elements are disparate and eclectic. There is twelve-tone music, rhythmic improvisation, late
romanticism, scat-singing and pure Coplandesque americana. The texts, however, do have a theme which is revealed
in the opening lines of the turgid "Prelude"; "I love you, it's easy to say it, and so easy to mean it too." We have entered
the private and sometimes dark thoughts of a couple, and are off on a musical exploration of different aspects of love..."
A most engaging learning curve.
A real scream, particularly with a Glesga' cadence!
). I have long admired and enjoyed (most of) his compositions, and am pleased that the centenary has encouraged new recordings and Proms concerts, which seem to be bringing others on board or at least causing them to reassess his music, which has often been sniffed at.
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