Composers Datebook

Synopsis

On today’s date in 1969, Leonard Bernstein conducted his last concert as the Music Director of the New York Philharmonic. Bernstein had assumed that post in November of 1957, becoming the first American-born and trained conductor to do so.

For sports fans, these were Bernstein’s “stats” as of May 17, 1969:

He had conducted 939 concerts, more than anyone else in Philharmonic history. He had given 36 world premieres, 14 U.S. premieres, 15 New York City premieres and led more than 40 works never before performed by the orchestra.

At Philharmonic concerts Bernstein conducted Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel, but also Babbitt, Cage, and Ligeti. He led the world premiere performance of the Second Symphony of Charles Ives and included other elder American composers like Carl Ruggles and Wallingford Riegger on Philharmonic programs, as well as works by his contemporaries, Ned Rorem and Lukas Foss, and his own compositions as well.

Bernstein would continue to appear with the New York Philharmonic as its Laureate Conductor, and as a popular guest conductor with major orchestras around the world. His final concerts were with the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood in the summer of 1990. He died in October of that year.

Leonard Bernstein (1918 – 1990) Symphony No. 2 (The Age of Anxiety) Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano; Ulster Orchestra; Dmitry Sitkovetsky, cond. Hyperion 67170

• 1866 - French composer Erik Alfred-Leslie Satie, in Honfleur;

• 1901 - German composer Werner Egk, in Auchsesheim, near Donauswörth; His original last name was Mayer, and it is said (although denied by the composer) that the he chose the acronym E-G-K because it stood for "ein grosser Komponist" ("a great composer");

• 1923 - American composer Peter Mennin, in Erie, Pa.;

• 1935 - French composer Paul Dukas, age 69, in Paris;

• 1779 - Gluck: opera "Iphigénie en Tauride" (Iphigenia in Taurus), at the Paris Opéra;

• 1890 - Mascagni: "Cavalleria Rusticana," in Rome at the Teatro Costanzi;

• 1904 - Ravel: "Schéhérazade," in Paris, with vocalist Jane Hatto and Alfred Cortot, conducting;

• 1919 - Ravel: "Alborado del gracioso" (orchestral version), in Paris at Pasdeloup Concert;

• 1929 - Prokofiev: Symphony No. 3, in Paris, by the Orchestre Symphonique de Paris, with Pierre Monteux conducting;

• 1933 - Cowell: "Reel," for small orchestra, in New York;

• 1939 - Prokofiev: cantata "Alexander Nevsky," in Moscow;

• 1946 - Martin: "Petite Symphonie Concertante," in Zurich, Paul Sacher conducting;

• 1960 - Ned Rorem: "11 Studies for 11 Players," for chamber ensemble, at the State University of Buffalo (N.Y.), conducted by the composers;

• 1990 - Rautavaara: "Vincent," in Helsinki at the Finnish National Opera;

• 2000 - Michael Torke: "Corner in Manhattan," by the Minnesota Orchestra, Eiji Oue conducting;

• 2001 - Christopher Rouse: Clarinet Concerto, by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Christoph Eschenbach, with Larry Combs the soloist;

• 1922 - Music of "The President's Own" reached homes across the nation when the first Marine Band radio program was broadcast;

• 1969 - Leonard Bernstein's last concert as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic, having conducted 939 concerts with the orchestra (831 as its Music Director); Bernstein conducted 36 world premieres with the orchestra; He continued to appear with the Philharmonic as an occasional guest conductor until his death in 1990;

• 1978 - Philips Electronics of The Netherlands announces a new digital sound reproduction system from flat, silver "Compact Discs."

• On Bernstein