Search - Bernstein, Zimerman, Bso :: Lenny the Legend Lives on

There are so many ways to discover the genius of Leonard Bernstein, it's really a question of where to begin. Give a listen to his monumental Mahler cycle, or start with something easier to grasp, his definitive recordings of Copland? On the six-CD Lenny: The Legend Lives On, Deutsche Grammophon does its best to capture the conductor's finest from his last decade (1981-1990), giving us the added bonus of a previously unreleased recording of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 17, with Lenny at the piano. Not surprisingly, the set focuses on live material, but it begins on a somber note--Bernstein's final concert, recorded at Tanglewood with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Gone is the impassioned energy that marks Lenny's earlier conducting, but the tension and electricity here on Beethoven's Seventh are unmistakable. Other discs feature Bernstein at full strength. Just listen to his sublimely warm recording of Mozart's Great Mass in C minor (K. 427) with the Bavarian Radio Chorus, or his expressive take on Mahler's Fifth Symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic. You also get your fill of Americana--Lenny playing Rhapsody in Blue and, of course, conducting Appalachian Spring. These may lack the passion of his younger recordings for Sony, but they're still thoughtful, great performances. The bonus disc with Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 17 and the Vienna Philharmonic is a special treat for Bernstein lovers. At times, the orchestra sounds a bit tentative, but Lenny is in fine form--slightly more subdued than on his earlier recording of the piece with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra, but still plenty playful. Any way you look at it, this is an incredible bargain for this much music and a wonderful introduction to the conducting great. --Jason Verlinde