Celebrating
100 Years of Bernstein
Celebrating the centennial of conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein's birth. Bernstein's close relationship with the BSO spanned a half-century, from the time he became a protégé of legendary BSO conductor Serge Koussevitzky until the final concerts he conducted with the BSO in 1990.
Spring 1935
1939
First formal appearance as a conductor, leading his own incidental music to a student production of The Birds, at Sanders Theatre, Harvard University.
Read moreAugust 24, 1943
Bernstein performs the premiere of his work I Hate Music with Jennie Tourel as vocal soloist at Sedgewick Hall in the Lenox Library.
February 18, 1944
Bernstein performs with the BSO in Symphony Hall for the first time, conducting his own Symphony No. 1, ‘Jeremiah’ and Aaron Copland’s El Salón México. This is the BSO’s first performance of one of Bernstein’s works.
Read moreJuly 6, 1947
Bernstein performs music from his ballet, Facsimile, on piano as part of a Composers’ Forum at Tanglewood.
April 8, 1949
World premiere of Bernstein’s Symphony No. 2, ‘Age of Anxiety’ at Symphony Hall conducted by Serge Koussevitzky with Bernstein as piano soloist.
Listen below to an excerpt from Movement 3 – The Seven Stages from the April 9th performance.
Read moreAugust 12, 1949
Bernstein’s Symphony No. 2, ‘Age of Anxiety’ is repeated at Tanglewood with Bernstein as piano soloist and Serge Koussevitzky conducting the BSO.
Click ‘Read More’ to see the full Tanglewood on Parade program.
Read moreJune 12, 1952
World premiere of Bernstein’s opera Trouble in Tahiti at Brandeis’ first Creative Arts Festival in Waltham, MA. Several BSO members participate in the Festival.
Read moreAugust 8, 1952
A revision of Bernstein’s opera Trouble in Tahiti is performed by the Tanglewood Music Center Opera Department.
Read moreSeptember 12, 1954
World premiere of Bernstein’s Serenade at the Venice Festival. Bernstein conducts the Teatro La Fenice Orchestra with Isaac Stern as the violin soloist.
April 15, 1955
Charles Munch conducts the BSO in the American premiere performance of Bernstein’s Serenade for solo violin, string orchestra, harp and percussion at Symphony Hall with Isaac Stern as the violin soloist.
August 11, 1955
Bernstein conducts the world premiere of his Symphonic Suite from “On the Waterfront” with the BSO as part of Tanglewood on Parade. This is also the first time Bernstein performed as a pianist with the Boston Pops, performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.
Read moreDecember 10, 1963
World premiere of Bernstein’s Symphony No. 3, ‘Kaddish’ by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Tel Aviv, by permission of the BSO.
Read moreJanuary 31, 1964
Charles Munch conducts the BSO in the American premiere performance of Bernstein’s Symphony No. 3, ‘Kaddish’ in Symphony Hall. The work was commissioned by the BSO and the Koussevitzky Music Foundation in conjunction with the BSO’s 75th anniversary. Listen below to an excerpt from the February 1st performance.
June 8, 1964
Bernstein shares conducting duties with Arthur Fiedler at Harvard Night at the Pops in conjunction with the 25th Harvard Reunion of Bernstein’s Class of 1939. Listen below to Bernstein addressing the audience:
Click ‘Read More’ to hear Bernstein conducting Rossini’s Overture to the Barber of Seville.
Read moreSeptember 25, 1980
Seiji Ozawa conducts the BSO in the world premiere performance of Bernstein’s Divertimento for Orchestra in Symphony Hall. The work was commissioned by the BSO for its 100th anniversary. Bernstein conducts a repeat performance at Tanglewood on July 4, 1981.
Click ‘Read More’ to view photos, score, and program pages.
Read moreJuly 4, 1981
Bernstein conducts the BSO at Tanglewood in the American premiere of his work Ḥalil with Doriot Anthony Dwyer as flute soloist. The concert also includes a performance of Bernstein’s Divertimento for Orchestra.
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June 1985
John Williams and the Boston Pops record works by Leonard Bernstein for a recording released in 1986 on the Philips label titled Bernstein by Boston.
August 25, 1988
Tanglewood Gala Concert for Bernstein birthday. Lauren Bacall sings Sondheim’s “The Saga of Lenny” with Paul Ford at the piano and lyrics adapted for “Bernstein at 70!”.
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