Search - Leonard Bernstein :: Bernstein Conducts Bernstein

Mostly valuable for what's not duplicated

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 09/21/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Once he departed for Europe, Bernstein rarely recorded again in the U.S. These recordings demonstrate his loyalty to the Israel Phil., with whom he duplicated many things he had already recorded in New York. This set is equally a testimonry to his love affair with the Vienna Phil, which sounds a little out of touch in American music. The original recordings from NY on Sony surpass the remakes in vigor and freshness. Even so, it's nice to get the Kaddish Sym. with revised narration, and to hear Gidon Kremer in the Serenade for violin and orchestra.



This 7-disc set also includes later Bernstein compositions that never appeared on Sony, in particular Songest and Jubilee Games. But the singers aren't particularly good in the former recording and the piece isn't very good in the latter. All in all, I think only a Bernstein completist would seek out this collection. Better to stick with the wonderful recordings originally made in New York in Bernstein's heyday."