Leonard Bernstein Essay -- essays research papers

Leonard BernsteinLeonard Bernstein was born in Lawrenceville, Massachusettes onAugust 25, 1918. He was the first born pincer of Samuel and Jennie Bernstein,who lived in Boston, but had gone to Lawrenceville to visit some relatives.Bernsteins parents had little knowledge of, or interest in classical music. The only records Leonard remembers hearing on his familyphonograph when he was a child were the popular hit songs of the day, such as Barney Google and Oh by Jingo.For the most part, Leonard Bernstein was an dejected child. He said, I was a miserable, terrified little child (Musicians p.64). His family gofrom town to town, during Bernsteins school days, not giving him a chance to pull back close friends or feel at home. Sadly, Bernsteins peers would make fun ofand nark Bernstein. He was a very sickly child as he suffered from chronicasthma, rose fever, and hay fever. This pathetic child grew to be a very shyperson.Leonard everlastingly had a heart for music, even as a young b oy. Asan eight year old, one morning, when he was sitting in the synagogue, thereligious music of the choir and organ overwhelmed him by its beauty and ca utilizehim to burst into tears. When Leonard and his family would visit their friends,Leonard would sneak over to the piano and experiment. When he was eleven, hisaunt sent her piano to his house for his family to keep for storage. I dolove to it right a mood he rec solelyed (Musicians p. 65). He could escape from allhis frustrations and sadness by playing the piano. His parents didnt like thefact that he was always at the piano, they wanted him to concentrate on hisschool work. They thought of piano playing as a waste of time because it stoodin the way of Leonards learning his fathers business, which they planned forhim to eventually take over.At the age of ten, Leonard demonstrate a piano teacher who would givehim lessons for a dollar a lesson. But that teacher soon moved away and Leonard frame himself paid another piano tea cher three dollars a lesson out of hisallowance. later on more than a year of piano lessons that just werent teachinghim much, Leonard found a new, and th... ...Bernstein has received such awards as the Albert EinsteinCommemorative grant in the Arts from the Albert Einstein College of Medicinethe John H. Finley Medal for operate to New York City the Golden Europeantrophy, an annual award presumptuousness to an large figure in popular music theDatsun lay out for outstanding service to American music the Institute ofInternational Education Award presented by President Nixon and the GeorgeFoster Peabody Awards for his television programs.Bernstein provided the music for four notable Broadway musicalswith a superior amount of sophistication and technique. Often times, he would arrive at music with great humour and sentiment. Bernsteins great talents ledhim to author a few books in the 1960s. One of his most recent, famouscollections of his music is used in the ever popular film West Side Story.Leonard Bernstein was the rebirth man of twentieth centurymusic. Over the decades, Bernstein has been called one of the most magneticand gifted personalities in the music of our times.