Classic Ross Amico

Tag: Leonard Bernstein

Bernstein Conducts Rózsa Rare 1943 Broadcast

Leonard Bernstein conducts Miklós Rózsa? No way. YES, WAY!

On November 14, 1943, a 25 year-old Bernstein strode onto the podium to replace an ailing Bruno Walter – without rehearsal – for what became his New York Philharmonic debut. The rest, as they say, is history. On the program was Robert Schumann’s “Manfred Overture,” Richard Strauss’ “Don Quixote” and Miklós Rózsa’s “Theme, Variations and Finale.” The concert was broadcast nationwide. The New York Philharmonic issued the CBS transmission on CD in 1996. To my knowledge, this is the only document of Bernstein conducting Rózsa, who is best known for his film scores – especially that for “Ben-Hur,” but in 1943, Rózsa was chin-deep in his film noir phase.

You’ll be able to enjoy this historic concert broadcast and much more, as I salute Bernstein on his birthday anniversary, tomorrow morning from 6 to 11 EDT, on WPRB 103.3 FM and at wprb.com. We’ll go loony for Lenny, on Classic Ross Amico.

August 24, 2016
Blitzstein’s Airborne Symphony WW2 Relic

This Sunday night on “The Lost Chord,” we’ll highlight a single, patriotic work: Marc Blitzstein’s “Airborne Symphony.” Written on a commission from the U.S. Army while Blitzstein was serving in its Air Force, the work traces the evolution of flight from its conception in theory to its use in modern warfare.

The work was envisaged by the composer as a big symphony on the theme of “the sacred struggle of airborne free men of the world… to crush the monstrous fascist obstructionist in their path.”

Blitzstein began the work in 1943, at the height of World War II. It would not be completed until after the war, in 1946. Leonard Bernstein conducted the premiere virtually while the ink was still wet on the page. He recorded it twice. We’ll be listening to the second of the two recordings, from 1966, with Orson Welles as the narrator, vocal soloists, the New York Philharmonic, and the men of the Choral Arts Society.

Join me for this forgotten relic of WWII – “Flight of Fancy” – tonight at 10 EDT on WWFM – The Classical Network; or listen to it later as a webcast at http://www.wwfm.org/

July 3, 2016
Great Achievements Plan and Urgency
“To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan, and not quite enough time.”
- Leonard Bernstein
July 2, 2016
Composers and Koalas A Musical Encounter

Apropos of nothing – composers with koalas.

PHOTOS: (Counter-clockwise from top) Igor Stravinsky, Sir William Walton and Leonard Bernstein

Koala sings Mozart’s Requiem:

June 18, 2016
Bernstein Skis Left A Winter Tale

Bernstein on skis (left).

January 25, 2016

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