Feelings run high between Jews and Catholics. It was to be “a modern version of Romeo and Juliet set in the slums at the coincidence of Easter-Passover celebrations. In 1948 Bernstein and Jerome Robbins were working on a musical that was to be called East Side Story. And many of his compositions have Jewish content, including his Jeremiah and Kaddish symphonies, settings of the prayers Hashkivenu and Yigdal, arrangements of Israeli songs Simhu Na and Reena, a piano suite entitled Four Sabras, the Dybbuk ballet, a chamber work entitled Hallil, and the Chichester Psalms. He was a frequent visitor to Israel, guest conducting the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Bernstein was a great conductor, but he was also a great and devoted teacher, a brilliant concert pianist, and a successful composer of both Broadway and “classical” music.īernstein also strongly identified Jewishly and was a passionate supporter of Israel. In 1957 Bernstein was named Music Director of the New York Philharmonic, becoming the first American-born music director of any major symphony orchestra. He replied, “How did I know he would grow up to become Leonard Bernstein?” 3 1965, Chichester Psalms 1966, The Infinite Variety of Music (book). Years later in an interview, Sam and asked why he discouraged his son from pursuing a career in music. Biography 1960, New York Philharmonic Mahler Centennial 1963, Kaddish Symphony No. He simply couldn’t understand his son’s interest in music. Naturally, Sam wanted Lenny to go into the family business, or if not that, then he should be a rabbi. But while his passion was Talmud, his work was the beauty supply business, The Sam Bernstein Hair Company. His father Sam came from a long line of rabbis, and Sam himself was deeply involved in the study of Jewish texts, especially the Talmud. He also attended Hebrew School at Mishkan Tefila and celebrated his bar mitzvah there. As a child he loved to play the piano and organize impromptu concerts and even musicals and operas, featuring himself, naturally, as the star, and with his family and friends taking the supporting roles.īernstein said that the first time he heard great music was as a child, listening to the organ, cantor and choir at Congregation Mishkan Tefila under the direction of Solomon Braslavsky. Summers were spent at the family home on a lake in Sharon.īernstein was a musical prodigy. Lenny grew up in the Boston area, his family moving frequently-first to Mattapan, then Allston, Roxbury, and Newton. As a boy Bernsteins principal musical influences were the local synagogue and popular songs on the radio, which he began to play by ear as soon as the piano. Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts on Augto Sam and Jennie Bernstein, Jewish immigrants from the Ukraine.
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