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The Leonard Bernstein Letters
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The Leonard Bernstein Letters
$5999
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
This book is ideal for fans of classical music and musical theatre, scholars of 20th-century arts and culture, and anyone interested in the lives of iconic musicians. It will especially appeal to those fascinated by personal correspondence that sheds light on creative processes and complex personalities.
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See moreAn extraordinary selection of revealing letters to and from one of the titans of 20th-century music
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
An extraordinary selection of revealing letters to and from one of the titans of 20th-century music
Leonard Bernstein was a charismatic and versatile musician—a brilliant conductor who attained international super-star status, and a gifted composer of Broadway musicals (West Side Story), symphonies (Age of Anxiety), choral works (Chichester Psalms), film scores (On the Waterfront), and much more. Bernstein was also an enthusiastic letter writer, and The Leonard Bernstein Letters is the first to present a wide-ranging selection of his correspondence.
The letters have been selected for the insights they offer into the passions of his life—musical and personal—and the extravagant scope of his musical and extra-musical activities. Bernstein’s letters tell much about this complex man, his collaborators, his mentors, and others close to him. His galaxy of correspondents encompassed, among others, Aaron Copland, Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Robbins, Thornton Wilder, Boris Pasternak, Bette Davis, Adolph Green, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and family members including his wife Felicia and his sister Shirley.
The majority of these letters have never been published before. They have been carefully chosen to demonstrate the breadth of Bernstein’s musical interests, his constant struggle to find the time to compose, his turbulent and complex sexuality, his political activities, and his endless capacity for hard work.
Beyond all this, these writings provide a glimpse of the man behind the legends: his humanity, warmth, volatility, intellectual brilliance, wonderful eye for descriptive detail, and humour.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
“With their intellectual brilliance, humour and wonderful eye for detail, Leonard Bernstein’s letters blow all biographies out of the water,” said The Economist, naming it a 2013 Book of the Year. The New York Times praised it as “a rich collection of letters to and from Bernstein, filled with revelations about his musical and personal lives.” The Wall Street Journal highlighted the book's importance in tracing Bernstein's lifelong quest for American music and his identity. Meticulously edited, this collection captures the spontaneity and intellect of Bernstein like no other work.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780300205442
Publisher: Yale University Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 15 October 2014
Country: United States
Imprint: Yale University Press
Illustration: 29 b-w illus.
Contributors:
- Edited by Nigel Simeone
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 140.0mm
Height: 216.0mm
Weight: 907g
Pages: 624
About the Author
Nigel Simeone is well known as a writer and speaker on music and is the author of several books including Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story. He lives in Northamptonshire, UK.
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