Photo: Christina Burton, courtesy The Leonard Bernstein Office, Inc.
Leonard Bernstein would have been 91 today, and while there were many celebrations last year, this year DecSimp is starting a bandwagon of one, and gives you the Bernstein-honoring Playlist for the 91st birthday.
Bach Magnificat in D Major Schola Cantorum, New York Philharmonic (Sony Classical). This is one of the great pre-historically informed-practice recordings, with soloists (including soprano Jennie Tourel) and chorus whose vibrato really doesn’t vibrate so much as shake violently, and a big ol’ symphony orchestra with strings with long, silken bow strokes.
Bach Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D minor Glenn Gould, piano; Columbia Symphony Orchestra (Sony Classical). Counterpoint becomes armed warfare when the strings are under Bernstein’s command and the piano is under Gould’s in this aggressive, bracing performance.
Copland Quiet City / Symphony No. 3 Thomas Stacy, English horn; Philip Smith, trumpet; New York Philharmonic (DGG). Two impossibly clean takes on two American classics. Stacy and Smith are tops.
Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue / An American in Paris – Ferde Grofé Grand Canyon Suite Bernstein, piano; New York Philharmonic and Columbia Symphony Orchestra (Sony Classical). For sheer fun, Bernstein’s never been beaten in Rhapsody in Blue. I’m pretty sure I paid more than the $7.99 Amazon lists it for, too.
Mahler Symphony No. 5 New York Philharmonic (Sony Classical). Notable for being the first classical CD I ever bought.
Bach Violin Concertos 1 & 2 Isaac Stern, violin; New York Philharmonic (Sony Classical). More Bach in the grand style, and what a style it was.