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|  | | | Customer Reviews: | | | Average Customer Review:
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Theme Music for the 20th Century Aug 23, 2008
I bought this CD for this particular (remastered) performance of the Candide Overture, but the total number of tracks makes this a great value. Excellent representation of Bernstein, a New York style and era where classical and jazz intersected. If mid-20th Century America were a movie, Bernstein, Gershwin and Copland would be the theme music.
An essential benchmark disk Jul 07, 2008
The previous reviewer's five stars is not an exaggeration. This is of course a definitive view by the composer of his own iconic masterpieces. Bernstein was not a truly great composer when he was writing purely "classical forms" like symphonies. But give him a program for a ballet or film and he really is up there with the all time greats. His best is not up to "Le Sacre" or "Firebird" but is as good as almost any other 20th century competitor. This disk, old as the masters are, is very good-sounding. I do suspect residual volume compression. The performances are indeed exciting.
One note: the whole disk ends with a wimper ... quite bizarre. Be sure to play the first track last.
7 of 7 found the following review helpful:
Bernstein Has Never Sounded Better Feb 09, 2008
This is a fantastic CD, featuring film and theater music composed by the American legend, Leonard Bernstein. The recordings were made with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of the composer, from 1960 to 1963. It opens with the "Overture to Candide" (and what an opening!). The sound is so good that you cannot tell it was recorded almost fifty years ago. The brass instruments are blaring, the percussion knocks your socks off, and the strings and woodwinds have a most realistic presence. Bernstein's account of the Symphonic Suite from "West Side Story" has never sounded better. The NYPO truly captures the excitement and rhythm of these short, and unforgettable pieces.
Bernstein's only film score was for Elia Kazan's Academy Award winning, 1954 blockbuster, "On the Waterfront." This soundtrack, however, is quite different from others. It can stand independent from film and be a concert piece - this is truly marvelous music. The CD closes with Bernstein's ballet, "Fancy Free", and three bonus tracks from "On the Town." All in all, the music is classically American, and pure Bernstein. Sonically, the recording is one of the best in my collection - highly recommendable.
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