Leonard Bernstein Larger Than Life

Product Description Leonard Bernstein was Americas musical ambassador to the world. This fascinating documentary shows why Bernstein was one of the most influential classical musicians of the last century. He was an inspirational teacher, a brilliant conductor, a fine composer, and an accomplished pianist. In his role as an educator, he found and fascinated an even larger audience of young listeners on television shows such as Omnibus and Young Peoples Concerts. As a composer (West Side Story, On the Town etc.) he could bridge gaps and break down barriers in an extraordinarily skilful and yet accessible manner, reaching a large audience worldwide, way beyond classical music. The film includes interviews with Leonard Bernsteins children, Jamie, Alexander and Nina Bernstein, Gustavo Dudamel, Stephen Sondheim, Kent Nagano, Marin Alsop, Sir Peter Jonas, Christoph Eschenbach, Norman Lebrecht, members of the Vienna Philharmonics, Craig Urquhart, and many others. BONUS INTERVIEWS with Gustavo Dudamel, Kent Nagano, Marin Alsop Review "Marin Alsop, now conductor of the Baltimore Symphony, studied with Bernstein at Tanglewood and has become one of his most authoritative interpreters. .... She remembers her experiences with Bernstein as life-changing. Having idolised Bernstein before meeting him, she found his teaching to be inspired and transformational. In the interview, when asked which Bernstein composition she thought was the best, she gave a somewhat surprising answer: "Mass." Coming from Alsop, that comment should send all of us reaching for a recording of Mass to give it a second chance." --Paul E. Robinson, Musical Toronto, July 11, 2016