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Back in the 1950s and ’60s, when George Gershwin was taken for granted more than he was respected, Leonard Bernstein was one of his only champions in high-classical-music circles, and to judge from these recordings, he got away with a lot. He would seem to be attempting to out-swagger Arthur Fiedler in the jazzier passages, but on the plus side, what can sound freeze-dried with some conductors has a welcome heat here, especially in An American in Paris. That piece receives … More >>
Bernstein Century – Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue, etc
Tags: amazon, american in paris, arthur fiedler, Bernstein, Blue, Century, comback, conductors, george gershwin, Gershwin, leonard bernstein, music circles, rhapsody, swagger
#1 by Anonymous on March 15, 2010 - 5:42 am
Cross-over entertainment for popular music lovers asking for the big orchestra sound. In the orchestra business Duke Ellington was more consistent and composed better music.
Rating: 2 / 5
#2 by K. Williams on March 15, 2010 - 6:35 am
Bernstein could barely be bothered with Gershwin, recording only the Rhapsody, An American in Paris, and the Three Preludes. He took just about every possible cut in the music (stating in one of his books that Gershwin could be cut and cut without harming the music), and ignored the composer’s instructions as to tempo.
On the plus side, the ending sounds great — nobody ever climbed the last stairway with such excitement. I’d almost swear he added some steps.
But it doesn’t make up for the disdain he seemed to feel for the composer whose music gave him his big break. (Read his essay, “Why don’t you write a nice Gershwin musical?” for more.)
Musical snobbery seems to have led Bernstein to spend most of his career running away from Gershwin, and damning him with faint praise when he said anything about him. I wish he’d loosened up a little, recorded more Gershwin, and showed more faith in the composer by playing it as written. He certainly had the ability! Just think what a job he could have done with the Concerto, or with Porgy and Bess.
Rating: 3 / 5
#3 by D. C. Hunter on March 15, 2010 - 9:17 am
Although I have several recordings of this beautiful piece of music, I never tire of listening to it. This particular recording is just about the best I have heard and I would strongly recommend it to music lovers. When I close my eyes, I can see the Maestro conducting!!
Rating: 5 / 5
#4 by Nikki Faye on March 15, 2010 - 10:26 am
I am, definitely, absolutely and totally sold on Gershwin, so there is no question as to whether this CD is good or not, since it has Gershwin’s two “hits”, Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris, it is good and enjoyable. I only feel that the Ferde Grofé part, though outstanding, is too overpowering vis-a-vis the Gershwin part. But it is definitely an OK CD, no question about it.
Rating: 4 / 5
#5 by Hiram Gomez Pardo on March 15, 2010 - 12:16 pm
No other director in the history has achieved such expression level and plain domain of the idiomatic lexicon of George Gershwin as Bernstein did it. There are two main reason for it, his enormous talent and his condition as pianist.
So, Gershwin may be very grateful because of that because for the posterity , the future newcomers in music will have the chance to analyze, scrutinize and explore all the factors that made possible this testimonial.
Totally recommended.
Rating: 5 / 5