Overview

As a prominent conductor, composer, commentator and music educator, pianist, and writer, Leonard Bernstein has inspired numerous scholarly contributions. Being a composer of both concert music and musical theater, his output encompassed many different facets: from small-scale instrumental character pieces to symphonies, musicals to operas, pop songs to art song cycles, as well as ballets, film music, and Mass, a work that does not fit any category. Historical Dictionary of Leonard Bernstein contains a chronology, an introduction, an appendix, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 700 cross-referenced entries encompassing people whom he befriended or worked with, institutions, orchestras, performance venues, cities, compositional methods, and compositions. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Leonard Bernstein.

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9781538113448

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This volume is part of the Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts series, which has now grown to more than 80 volumes. It is the 11th volume devoted to music and the only one so far on a single individual. Bernstein (1918-90) was undoubtedly one of the most versatile and gifted musicians of the 20th century. Well known as a conductor, composer, pianist, educator, and author, he was prominent in both the classical and popular music scenes, not to mention the social scene in mid-century America. From the late 1930s onward, he met and associated with other composers, stage designers and directors, lyricists, producers, dancers, choreographers, educators, politicians, and many other important people both inside and outside the arts. The present volume abounds with cross-references, so it is relatively easy to find, for example, people, places, concert halls, events, titles of works, and subjects connected to Bernstein. The reader may also find here a more well-balanced view of the life and works of this larger-than-life figure than many other resources offer. A lengthy chronology, biographical introduction, works list, and bibliography are provided. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers.--CHOICE

Author Information

Paul R. Laird is professor of musicology at the University of Kansas. His research interests include Leonard Bernstein, the Broadway musical, the Spanish villancico, and early string instruments. Hsun Lin is an independent scholar who resides in Monterey, California. Her research interests include Leonard Bernstein, the Broadway musical, string repertoire, and the performance practice of early music.

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