The Americans

Leonard Bernstein

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The Americans Review

by Blair Sanderson

No conductor is more strongly associated with the propagation of American music than Leonard Bernstein, and his recordings of works by his compatriots may be his most enduring legacy. As Bernstein's stature rose, so did that of his fellows, and through his championship of Copland, Barber, Harris, and Schumann in one generation, and of Foss, Rorem, and Del Tredici in the next, he fostered careers, furthered the idea of a living American tradition, and considerably expanded the repertoire. Gershwin and Bloch were regularly featured in Bernstein's concerts, and his promotion of Ives amounted to a cause célèbre, bringing recognition to him and establishing his symphonies and orchestral sets as bona fide masterpieces. This six-disc box set brings together live recordings from the 1980s with the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Israel Philharmonic orchestras, and features such exceptional soloists as cellist Mischa Maisky, clarinetist Stanley Drucker, violinist Gidon Kremer, and Bernstein himself as pianist on Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Balancing popular works with serious essays, The Americans is a well-rounded set that is both educational and enjoyable. Deutsche Grammophon's sound is as clean as it gets in live settings, and surpasses the problematic sound quality of Bernstein's older recordings for Columbia.

Track Listing - Disc 1

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
1
Rhapsody in Blue, for piano & orchestra (orchestrated by F. Grofé)
George Gershwin
Leonard Bernstein 17:15 SpotifyAmazon
Preludes (3) for piano
2
No. 2
George Gershwin
Leonard Bernstein 04:27 SpotifyAmazon
3
Adagio for strings (or string quartet; arr. from 2nd mvt. of String Quartet), Op. 11
Samuel Barber
Leonard Bernstein 10:08 SpotifyAmazon
4
Schelomo, rhapsody for cello & orchestra (or piano)
Ernest Bloch
Leonard Bernstein 24:38 SpotifyAmazon

Track Listing - Disc 2

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
Symphony No. 3
1
1. Molto moderato
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 11:01 SpotifyAmazon
2
2. Allegro molto
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 08:10 SpotifyAmazon
3
3. Andantino quasi allegretto
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 10:20 SpotifyAmazon
4
4. Molto deliberato (Fanfare) - Allegro risoluto
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 14:04 SpotifyAmazon
5
Quiet City, for English horn, trumpet & strings (from the incidental music)
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 10:45 SpotifyAmazon
6
Appalachian Spring, ballet for 13 instruments
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 26:35 SpotifyAmazon

Track Listing - Disc 3

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
1
El Salón México, for orchestra
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 12:08 SpotifyAmazon
Clarinet Concerto
2
Slowly and expressively
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 09:37 SpotifyAmazon
3
Rather fast
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 08:14 SpotifyAmazon
Music for the Theatre, suite for small orchestra
4
1. Prologue. Molto moderato
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 06:27 SpotifyAmazon
5
2. Dance. Allegro molto
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 03:29 SpotifyAmazon
6
3. Interlude. Lento moderato
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 05:47 SpotifyAmazon
7
4. Burlesque. Allegro vivo
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 03:40 SpotifyAmazon
8
5. Epilogue. Moderato - Molto moderato - Lento molto
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 04:14 SpotifyAmazon
9
Connotations, for orchestra
Aaron Copland
Leonard Bernstein 20:28 SpotifyAmazon

Track Listing - Disc 4

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
1
Symphony No. 3, in one movement
Roy Harris
Leonard Bernstein 18:46 SpotifyAmazon
Symphony No. 3
2
Part I. Passacaglia
William Schuman
Leonard Bernstein 06:48 SpotifyAmazon
3
Part I. Fugue
William Schuman
Leonard Bernstein 06:56 SpotifyAmazon
4
Part II. Chorale
William Schuman
Leonard Bernstein 10:48 SpotifyAmazon
5
Part II. Toccata
William Schuman
Leonard Bernstein 07:59 SpotifyAmazon
6
American Festival Overture, for orchestra
William Schuman
Leonard Bernstein 09:23 SpotifyAmazon

Track Listing - Disc 5

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
Symphony No. 2, for orchestra, S. 2 (K. 1A2)
1
1. Andante moderato
Charles Ives
Leonard Bernstein 06:16 SpotifyAmazon
2
2. Allegro
Charles Ives
Leonard Bernstein 11:10 SpotifyAmazon
3
3. Adagio cantabile
Charles Ives
Leonard Bernstein 11:47 SpotifyAmazon
4
4. Lento maestoso
Charles Ives
Leonard Bernstein 03:07 SpotifyAmazon
5
5. Allegro molto vivace
Charles Ives
Leonard Bernstein 10:16 SpotifyAmazon
6
The Gong on the Hook & Ladder or Firemen's Parade on Main Street for orchestra, S. 38 (K. 1C30)
Charles Ives
Leonard Bernstein 02:19 SpotifyAmazon
7
Tone Roads No. 1, for chamber orchestra, S. 49i (K. 1C34/1)
Charles Ives
Leonard Bernstein 03:21 SpotifyAmazon
A Set of 3 Short Pieces, for string quartet, double bass & piano, S. 84 (K. 2B16)
8
Hymn: Largo Cantabile
Charles Ives
Leonard Bernstein 03:48 SpotifyAmazon
9
Hallowe'en, for string quartet, piano & optional drum, S. 71 (K. 2B13)
Charles Ives
Leonard Bernstein 02:00 SpotifyAmazon
10
Central Park in the Dark, for orchestra, S. 34 (K. 1C27)
Charles Ives
Leonard Bernstein 07:16 SpotifyAmazon
11
The Unanswered Question (I & II), for trumpet, winds & string orchestra, S. 50 (K. 1C25)
Charles Ives
Leonard Bernstein 06:09 SpotifyAmazon

Track Listing - Disc 6

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
Tattoo, for orchestra
1
Moderato maesoto - Più mosso, piacevole - Con brio - Meno mosso - attacca:
David Del Tredici
Leonard Bernstein 10:03 SpotifyAmazon
2
Omaggio a Niccolò Paganini: Meno mosso, flessibile - Allegro - Meno messo, amoroso - Vivace - Doppi
David Del Tredici
Leonard Bernstein 08:06 SpotifyAmazon
Violin Concerto
3
1. Twilight: Free and Spacious - attacca:
Ned Rorem
Leonard Bernstein 03:04 SpotifyAmazon
4
2. Toccata - Chaconne: Very Fast
Ned Rorem
Leonard Bernstein 03:17 SpotifyAmazon
5
3. Romance without Words: Hardly moving
Ned Rorem
Leonard Bernstein 02:51 SpotifyAmazon
6
4. Midnight: Slow
Ned Rorem
Leonard Bernstein 06:48 SpotifyAmazon
7
5. Toccata - Rondo: Very Fast
Ned Rorem
Leonard Bernstein 02:36 SpotifyAmazon
8
6. Dawn: Wistful
Ned Rorem
Leonard Bernstein 05:00 SpotifyAmazon
Song of Songs (4) for mezzo & orchestra
9
1. Awake, O north wind. Allegro ma non troppo
Lukas Foss
Leonard Bernstein 07:03 SpotifyAmazon
10
2. Aria. Come, my beloved. Allegretto con moto
Lukas Foss
Leonard Bernstein 07:56 SpotifyAmazon
11
3. By night on my bed. Grave
Lukas Foss
Leonard Bernstein 07:56 SpotifyAmazon
12
4. Set me as a seal upon thine heart. Lento
Lukas Foss
Leonard Bernstein 05:33 SpotifyAmazon
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The Americans

Leonard Bernstein Discography Browser