Bernstein, the last recordings
Bernstein conducting the New York City Symphony (1945) By Fred Palumbo, World Telegram staff photographer - Library of Congress. New York World-Telegram & Sun Collection. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c27783, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1273889
The last phase of Leonard Bernstein's recording career was mainly with Deutsche Grammophon Records. Bernstein had become a star guest conductor in Europe, especially in Vienna. He was always better before a live audience, so recordings of live performances were issued. As Bernstein mellowed with age, his tempos got slower as his career drew to a close.
On this week's Classics of the Phonograph, Saturday at 11 am on WILL-FM, we will sample some of these recordings.
Playlist:
Liszt: Faust Symphony, finale, Boston Sym., first recording of Bernstein's contract with Deutsche Grammophon
Mozart: Sym. 41, Jupiter, first movement, Vienna Phil.
Beethoven: Ninth Symphony, choral finale (in part), "Freiheit" Performance, on 12, 25, 1989, on fall of Berlin Wall, seen by over a 100 million people on TV.
Beethoven: Symphony 7, finale, at last concert of Bernstein's life, Tanglewood Festival, Boston Symphony, August 14, 1990