
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Looking back on a famous person’s life and career, one often notes quirky patterns of coincidences. Take the American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, for example.
On today’s date in 1943, Bernstein was one day short of his 25th birthday, and, at the Public Library in Lenox, Massachusetts, accompanied the singer Jennie Tourel in the premiere of a new song cycle for which Bernstein had composed both the words and the music. The song cycle was entitled “I Hate Music!” and offered, from a child’s perspective, some devastatingly direct observations on art and life.
The following day, the New York Philharmonic’s music director, Artur Rodzinski, invited Bernstein to become Assistant Conductor of the orchestra.
Now, fast forward to November 13th that same year: Jennie Tourel and Bernstein were at Town Hall, giving the New York premiere of “I Hate Music!” The very next day, Bernstein was asked to step in at short notice for the indisposed Bruno Walter, making his New York Philharmonic debut conducting the orchestra during their live national Sunday afternoon radio broadcast from Carnegie Hall.
Leonard Bernstein’s surprise—and successful—conducting debut made the front page of the New YorkTimes, and a legendary career was launched.
Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990) — I Hate Music! (Jennie Tourel, mezzo-soprano; Leonard Bernstein, piano) Sony 60697
Miklos Rosza (1907 - 1995) — Theme, Variations and Finale (The New Zealand Symphony; James Sedares, cond.) Koch 7191
4.7
1010 ratings
Looking back on a famous person’s life and career, one often notes quirky patterns of coincidences. Take the American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, for example.
On today’s date in 1943, Bernstein was one day short of his 25th birthday, and, at the Public Library in Lenox, Massachusetts, accompanied the singer Jennie Tourel in the premiere of a new song cycle for which Bernstein had composed both the words and the music. The song cycle was entitled “I Hate Music!” and offered, from a child’s perspective, some devastatingly direct observations on art and life.
The following day, the New York Philharmonic’s music director, Artur Rodzinski, invited Bernstein to become Assistant Conductor of the orchestra.
Now, fast forward to November 13th that same year: Jennie Tourel and Bernstein were at Town Hall, giving the New York premiere of “I Hate Music!” The very next day, Bernstein was asked to step in at short notice for the indisposed Bruno Walter, making his New York Philharmonic debut conducting the orchestra during their live national Sunday afternoon radio broadcast from Carnegie Hall.
Leonard Bernstein’s surprise—and successful—conducting debut made the front page of the New YorkTimes, and a legendary career was launched.
Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990) — I Hate Music! (Jennie Tourel, mezzo-soprano; Leonard Bernstein, piano) Sony 60697
Miklos Rosza (1907 - 1995) — Theme, Variations and Finale (The New Zealand Symphony; James Sedares, cond.) Koch 7191
1,349 Listeners
3,887 Listeners
179 Listeners
521 Listeners
7,646 Listeners
37,866 Listeners
75 Listeners
40 Listeners
72 Listeners
43,334 Listeners
240 Listeners
25,777 Listeners
110,602 Listeners
2,096 Listeners
55,911 Listeners
4,097 Listeners
6,210 Listeners