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He wrote both serious classical music and light popular music. He was musical director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra for more than ten years. He often played the piano while leading an orchestra at the same time. He taught many other musicians. And, he appeared on television programs and wrote books to help people -- especially children -- learn about music.
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As the years passed, Leonard Bernstein's many musical skills made him known around the world. He won high praise as a pianist. Listen now as he plays "Piano Sonata" by his friend Aaron Copland.
Mister Bernstein was called to lead the orchestra very soon before the event. He had little time to prepare. Still, he did so well that the New York Times newspaper published a story praising his effort. The story appeared on the front page the day after the concert.
ANNCR: This Special English program was written by Jeri Watson. It was produced by Paul Thompson. The announcers were Rich Kleinfeldt and Sarah Long. I'm Barbara Klein. Listen again next week for People in America in VOA Special English.
Leonard Bernstein lived from nineteen-eighteen until nineteen-ninety. During his seventy-two years he was one of America's most hard-working musicians. He was a composer, conductor, pianist and teacher.
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Catholic Church. The story tells of a young man who loses his belief in God. "Mass" is the closest Mister Bernstein ever came to joining the styles of Broadway and classical music. It contains rock music, blues music, and religious music.
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Throughout his life, Leonard Bernstein was involved with social issues as well as music. He supported the civil rights movement and opposed the Vietnam War. He conducted concerts to raise money for AIDS research.
In his later years, he wanted to write something that he knew would be remembered always. But he was in poor health. Still, he kept composing, directing and speaking. He gave his last performance in August, nineteen ninety, at Tanglewood. Less than
two months later, he died in his New York home. He will be remembered always for his many musical gifts to the world.
That piece was among several large works Leonard Bernstein wrote for symphony orchestras over the years. He composed several symphonies that demonstrate his deep interest in his Jewish religion.
"West Side Story" guaranteed Leonard Bernstein a special place in American musical theater. Here tenor Larry Kert sings "Maria," one of the most beautiful songs from "West Side Story."
Luckily, his son rejected this advice. Leonard studied music at Harvard University and the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He spent summers at a famous music center in Massachusetts called Tanglewood. There he studied conducting with two major musicians of our time -- Serge Koussevitsky and Fritz Reiner. Later Leonard Bernstein would return to Tanglewood to teach almost every summer of his life.
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