Essential Bernstein

The New York Philharmonic This Week: Bernstein Performances, Playlist Two (Audio)

The final two programs in the New York Philharmonic This Week’s Bernstein at 100 miniseries give a taste of the breadth of repertoire Leonard Bernstein explored with the New York Philharmonic: European masterworks, modern American compositions, and works by the composer-conductor himself (listen to Playlist One).

This last episode (“Playlist Two”) begins with a set of improvisations by New York’s beloved orchestra and includes music by three American composers: Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and Overture to Candide, Samuel Barber’s Second Essay for Orchestra, and Aaron Copland’s Concerto for Clarinet, Strings, Harp, & Piano and Fanfare for the Common Man; symphonic favorites by Beethoven, Mahler, and Mozart; and “ditties” by Rodion Shchedrin.

Bernstein Performances, Playlist Two

In this episode:

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC: Four Improvisations for Orchestra (February 11, 1964)
Leonard Bernstein, Conductor

MOZART: Overture to The Magic Flute, K. 620 (October 29, 1960)
Leonard Bernstein, Conductor

COPLAND: Concerto for Clarinet, Strings, Harp, & Piano (October 24, 1989)
Leonard Bernstein, Conductor
Stanley Drucker, Clarinet

MAHLER: Symphony No. 5, IV. Adagietto (June 8, 1969)
Leonard Bernstein, Conductor

BARBER: Second Essay for Orchestra (October 24, 1959)
Leonard Bernstein, Conductor

SHCHEDRIN: Mischievous Folk Ditties (May 20, 1967)
Leonard Bernstein, Conductor

BERNSTEIN: Symphonic Dances from West Side Story (October 31, 2009)
Alan Gilbert, Conductor

BEETHOVEN: Missa Solemnis in D major, Op. 123, II. Gloria (April 18, 1960)
Leonard Bernstein, Conductor
Eileen Farrell, Soprano
Carol Smith, Contralto
Richard Lewis, Tenor
Kim Borg, Bass
Westminster Choir

COPLAND: Fanfare for the Common Man (February 16, 1966)
(excerpted from Symphony No. 3)
Leonard Bernstein, Conductor

BERNSTEIN: Overture to Candide

00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:58 New York Philharmonic: Four Improvisations – I
00:01:55 New York Philharmonic: Four Improvisations – II
00:03:48 New York Philharmonic: Four Improvisations – III
00:05:22 New York Philharmonic: Four Improvisations – IV
00:07:43 “What Is Classical Music?”
00:10:21 Mozart: Overture to The Magic Flute
00:16:57 Introduction to Copland
00:18:10 Copland: Concerto for Clarinet
00:35:51 Mahler: Symphony No. 5, Adagietto
00:47:05 Barber: Second Essay
00:57:26 End Part One; Introduction to Shchedrin
00:58:03 Shchedrin: Mischievous Folk Ditties
01:05:58 Bernstein: Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
01:30:29 Philharmonic Hall Dedication (John D. Rockefeller III)
01:31:19 Beethoven: Missa Solemnis, II. Gloria
01:48:47 Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man
01:51:57 Introduction to Candide
01:53:05 Bernstein: Candide
01:57:11 Closing and Credits

Host: Alec Baldwin
Producer: Mark Travis
Executive Producer: Vince Ford
Underwriters: Kaplen Brothers Fund; Audrey Love Charitable Foundation; The National Endowment for the Arts; MetLife Foundation

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Used by permission, courtesy of The New York Philharmonic.

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