Do you remember your first Bernstein record? Mine was this LP of famous overtures, including “William Tell” and “Poet and Peasant” – great cartoon music! It was sent home with me by my uncle at the end of a Saturday visit, after I picked it out of his collection and listened to it transfixed through his headphones.

My uncle was an audio nut. Until my cousins were born, he was constantly upgrading his system. He always had the latest equipment. You’d think he’d be a natural candidate for a classical music lover – Richard Strauss or Shostakovich would have given his system a hell of a work-out – but he wasn’t. He was into classic rock before it became “classic.” The fact that he even had Bernstein in his collection demonstrates just how remarkable and pervasive Lenny was. He was the people’s conductor.

My uncle loves “Rhapsody in Blue.” He’s got many recordings – even one made on a Moog synthesizer – but Bernstein’s remains his favorite.

The overtures LP was one of my first classical records. Who knew where it would lead?