I can’t live a single day without listening to music,
without playing music, without thinking about it.
Leonard Bernstein was born in 1918 in the American city of Lawrence, Massachusetts, into a family that was not directly connected to the music world. From an early age, he was drawn to piano concerts and after his parents bought him a piano, he started playing intensively and thus building his path towards the world of contemporary classical music.
He studied music at Harvard and there he met Aaron Copland, a giant of modern music who became his artistic role model and close friend. However, the biggest impression on young Bernstein was made by Professor of Aesthetics David Prall, known for his multidisciplinary approach to art, which Bernstein himself later used in his work. After completing his studies, he moved to New York, where he founded the musical comedy duo The Revuers with his friend Adolph Green and performed in various clubs in Greenwich Village.
In early 1940, He became an assistant conductor in the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. By a twist of fate, a major turning point in his career occurred in 1943. Maestro Bruno Walter was supposed to conduct a concert that was being broadcasted on national radio, but due to illness, he had to withdraw and Bernstein was chosen as his last-minute replacement, with no prior preparation or rehearsal with the orchestra. The concert was a huge success, and Bernstein, at the age of just twenty-six, practically overnight, became a new star in classical music.
Bernstein and a few creative students at Harvard, ideologically alienated from the prevailing positivist thinking about art, which emphasized pure form, were greatly influenced by Professor of Aesthetics David Prall. According to Professor Prall, exploring the form of art helps in a deeper understanding, but by only looking at art through the prism of form, one cannot see the complete picture. Looking at art purely rationally and non-emotionally. Depriving art of its essence. Therefore, he advocated for the aesthetics of sensation and emotion. For him, all natural objects and created structures were “aesthetic surfaces” that are perceived by all people regardless of their level of knowledge. Prall also emphasized the responsibility of the artist to create works that would inspire the viewer/listener, bring them closer to the spirit of the times, and thus create a strong community striving for the same goal of progress.
Since then, he has performed with many prestigious domestic orchestras, and as his fame grew, he began to travel outside of America. His first European performance was with the Prague Philharmonic, and later he performed with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, French National Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and others. He was the first American conductor to conduct at the famous La Scala in Milan, and he frequently performed with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
In 1958, he became the music director of N. ge uspješno je prenosio svoju strast i znanje mladim generacijama. Njegova sposobnost da složene glazbene koncepte učini pristupačnima i zanimljivima bila je izuzetna. Kroz Koncerte mladih, Bernstein je koristio priče, primjere i interakciju s mladim glazbenicima kako bi ih inspirirao i educirao o svijetu klasične glazbe.
Taj obrazovni rad također je potaknuo mnoge mlade ljude da se zainteresiraju za klasičnu glazbu i upuste se u glazbenu karijeru. Bernstein je bio uvjeren da je obrazovanje i popularizacija klasične glazbe važna za budućnost umjetnosti, te je cijeli svoj život ulagao napore u tu svrhu.
Leonard Bernstein ostavio je neizbrisiv trag u svijetu glazbe svojom iznimnom dirigentskom karijerom, ali i svojom ulogom kao učitelj i pedagog. Njegova strast prema glazbi, talent i sposobnost da je prenese na druge bili su izvanredni. Njegov doprinos popularizaciji klasične glazbe i obrazovanju mladih glazbenika trajat će i nadživjeti generacije. if he successfully knew how to talk to children, as well as renowned artists. His love for music was so strong that it bubbled out of him. He conveyed his wide knowledge, charisma, and enthusiasm through eloquent, energetic lectures full of warmth and nobility. His passion for art never waned, and he tirelessly helped young and undiscovered artists to establish themselves. He mentored cellist Yo-Yo Ma and composer John Mauceri, among many others.
In addition to being a conductor and educator, Bernstein was a prolific composer and a great innovator – he completely revolutionized the musical expression of the 20th century by combining jazz, classical, and theatrical music in a way that opened the doors to the creation and development of many musical styles.
He composed chamber music works, ballets, operas, a mass, music for films, and song cycles. However, his most famous work was written for Broadway. Renowned choreographer Jerome Robbins approached Bernstein in 1947. Bernstein, together with his composing partner Arthur Laurents, invited a famous trio to collaborate on a musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Eventually, a young lyricist named Stephen Sondheim joined the group. This exceptionally creative team decided to set the modernized storyline of the play in the western part of New York City and explore not only Shakespeare’s eternal human questions but also current social issues. The result was West Side Story, one of the greatest musicals of all time, still performed today not only in America but also worldwide.
Bernstein’s art was closely tied to his fiery, passionate character and strong humanism. He believed that through the creation of great art, any obstacle to brotherhood and peace could be overcome. He actively encouraged society to contemplate the limitless possibilities of creation and the human spirit. Throughout his life, he fearlessly fought against all forms of social injustice and violence, especially during times when it was not popular to do so. heir works and beliefs left a strong impression of a true artist-citizen and became an inspiration for many younger musicians. Bernstein’s humanitarian aspirations are well illustrated by the speech he gave at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine on May 30, 1980:
Every artist deals with reality through their imagination. Imagination is the greatest treasure, the fundamental tool for life. Since the artist’s work is their life, their imagination is constantly active. The artist dreams life. What else do we do with our minds when we suddenly wake up, as if from a deep sleep? We quickly harness it to be creative, to work, to make use of that time of inspiration. That’s the moment to use our imagination. Imagination is the only way to overcome any kind of stagnation. It’s the moment to embrace our imagination and release it to create, to make music, to make beauty, and to make a difference in the world. I ask, are you ready to dare to free your mind from limitations? Will you accept, as artists do, that the life of the spirit precedes and determines external life? The richer and more creative our spirit’s life, the more productive and happier our society is. If you are ready to accept this, and I’m not saying it’s easy to do, then I must ask you: are you willing to acknowledge that war and every form of violence are unnecessary?
Bernstein’s children today proudly uphold their father’s legacy by helping the work of many charitable organizations he founded. Some of the more well-known projects include the educational program Artful Learning, which aims to improve all areas of learning using art, and El Sistema, a music education program in Venezuela designed to improve the lives of young people living in poverty. Bernstein saw these activities as a positive paradigm for social change and an important step in the development of art.
Leonard Bernstein died in 1990 in New York. The renowned magazine New York Times dedicated a fitting epitaph and article titled “The King of Music has Passed Away.” His immense influence on the world of music will certainly not be forgotten and will continue throughout the coming centuries.