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Nobody conducted Leonard Bernstein's compositions better than Lenny himself. On this double-CD, we can hear the conductor-composer at the podium on four of his most spiritual works. Symphony No. 1 (
Jeremiah) was written when Bernstein was just 24 years old, but it's a work rich with emotion and turmoil, especially in the gripping third movement, in which mezzo-soprano Jennie Tourel adds some much-needed weight to the Copland-esque instrumental passages. Symphony No. 3 (
Kaddish) was written 20 years after
Jeremiah, and it shows: here, Bernstein goes out on a musical limb with a rich symphonic and choral lamentation to JFK. The Israel Philharmonic and soprano Montserrat Caballé give electrifying performances on this gripping work, which is indebted to Bernstein's Jewish roots; only speaker Michael Wager sounds unconvincing and slightly wooden. But the real gems are on disc two, with the gorgeous ballet
Dybuk and the choral work
Chichester Psalms, where Bernstein's vision of religious text, chorus, and orchestra (in this case, the Vienna Philharmonic) all come together for one magical moment. Recommended.
--Jason Verlinde
Product Description
No Description Available.
Genre: Classical Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating: Release Date: 12-OCT-1999
