Album

No conductor is more strongly associated with the propagation of American music than Leonard Bernstein, and his recordings of works by his compatriots may be his most enduring legacy. As Bernstein's stature rose, so did that of his fellows, and through his championship of Copland, Barber, Harris, and Schumann in one generation, and of Foss, Rorem, and Del Tredici in the next, he fostered careers, furthered the idea of a living American tradition, and considerably expanded the repertoire. Gershwin and Bloch were regularly featured in Bernstein's concerts, and his promotion of Ives amounted to a cause célèbre, bringing recognition to him and establishing his symphonies and orchestral sets as bona fide masterpieces. This six-disc box set brings together live recordings from the 1980s with the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Israel Philharmonic orchestras, and features such exceptional soloists as cellist Mischa Maisky, clarinetist Stanley Drucker, violinist Gidon Kremer, and Bernstein himself as pianist on Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Balancing popular works with serious essays, The Americans is a well-rounded set that is both educational and enjoyable. Deutsche Grammophon's sound is as clean as it gets in live settings, and surpasses the problematic sound quality of Bernstein's older recordings for Columbia.

© Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 6
George Gershwin Composer Rhapsody in Blue, for piano and jazz orchestra Work Recorded 1982 Leonard Bernstein Piano, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
1	Rhapsody in Blue, for piano and jazz orchestra	17:09			$2.99
George Gershwin Composer 3 Preludes Work Recorded 1982 Leonard Bernstein Piano
2	2.Andante con moto e poco rubato in C#-	4:24			$0.99
Samuel Barber Composer Adagio for Strings (arr. of 2nd mvmt. of String Quartet), Op.11 Work Recorded 1982 Leonard Bernstein Conductor, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
3	Adagio for Strings (arr. of 2nd mvmt. of String Quartet), Op.11	10:05			$1.99
Ernest Bloch Composer Schelomo, rhapsody for cello and orchestra Work Recorded 1988 Leonard Bernstein Conductor, Mischa Maisky Cello, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra
4	Schelomo, rhapsody for cello and orchestra	24:38			$3.99
CD 2 of 6
Aaron Copland Composer Symphony No.3 (includes material from 'Fanfare for the Common Man') Work Recorded 1985 43:26 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
1	1.Molto moderato	11:01			$1.99
2	2.Allegro molto	8:10			$1.49
3	3.Andantino quasi allegretto	10:20			$1.99
4	4.Molto deliberato (based on Fanfare for the Common Man)	13:55			$2.49
Aaron Copland Composer Quiet City, for English horn, trumpet, and strings Work Recorded 1985 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor, Thomas Stacy English Horn, Philip Smith Trumpet
5	Quiet City, for English horn, trumpet, and strings	10:36			$1.99
Aaron Copland Composer Appalachian Spring (ballet) for 13 instruments Work Recorded 1982 Leonard Bernstein Conductor, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
6	Appalachian Spring (ballet) for 13 instruments	26:36			$3.99
CD 3 of 6
Aaron Copland Composer El Salón México Work Recorded 1989 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
1	El Salón México	12:00			$1.99
Aaron Copland Composer Clarinet Concerto Work Recorded 1989 17:43 Stanley Drucker Clarinet, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
2	1.Slowly and expressively; Cadenza	9:37			$1.49
3	2.Rather fast	8:06			$1.49
Aaron Copland Composer Music for the Theatre, suite for small orchestra Work Recorded 1989 23:25 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
4	1.Prologue: Molto moderato	6:26			$0.99
5	2.Dance: Allegro molto	3:29			$0.99
6	3.Interlude: Lento moderato	5:47			$0.99
7	4.Burlesque: Allegro vivo	3:40			$0.99
8	5.Epilogue: Moderato	4:03			$0.99
Aaron Copland Composer Connotations Work Recorded 1989 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
9	Connotations	20:28			$3.49
CD 4 of 6
Roy Harris Composer Symphony No.3, in 1 movement Work Recorded 1985 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
1	Symphony No.3, in 1 movement	18:28			$2.99
William Schuman Composer Symphony No.3 Work Recorded 1985 32:21 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
2	1.Passacaglia	6:48			$0.99
3	2.Fugue	6:52			$0.99
4	3.Chorale	10:48			$1.99
5	4.Toccata	7:53			$1.49
William Schuman Composer American Festival Overture Work Recorded 1982 Leonard Bernstein Conductor, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
6	American Festival Overture	9:23			$1.49
CD 5 of 6
Charles Edward Ives Composer Symphony No.2, S.2 Work Recorded 1987 42:26 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
1	1.Andante moderato	6:16			$0.99
2	2.Allegro	11:10			$1.99
3	3.Adagio cantabile	11:47			$1.99
4	4.Lento maestoso	3:07			$0.99
5	5.Allegro molto vivace	10:06			$1.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer The Gong on the Hook and Ladder or Firemen's Parade on Main Street, S.38 Work Recorded 1988 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
6	The Gong on the Hook and Ladder or Firemen's Parade on Main Street, S.38	2:17			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Tone Roads, for chamber orchestra, Op.49 Work Recorded 1988 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
7	No.1	3:18			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer A Set of 3 Short Pieces, for string quartet, double bass, and piano, S.84 Work Recorded 1988 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
8	1.Largo Cantabile: Hymn	3:43			$0.99
Charles Edward Ives Composer Hallowe'en, for string quartet, piano and optional drum, S.71 Work Recorded 1988 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
9	Hallowe'en, for string quartet, piano and optional drum, S.71	1:56			$0.49
Charles Edward Ives Composer Central Park in the Dark, S.34 Work Recorded 1988 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
10	Central Park in the Dark, S.34	7:11			$1.49
Charles Edward Ives Composer The Unanswered Question, for trumpet, winds, and string orchestra, S.50 Work Recorded 1988 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
11	The Unanswered Question, for trumpet, winds, and string orchestra, S.50	6:10			$0.99
CD 6 of 6
David Del Tredici Composer Tattoo, for orchestra Work Recorded 1988 18:04 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
1	Moderato maesoto	10:03			$1.99
2	Omaggio a Niccolò Paganini: Meno mosso	8:01			$1.49
Ned Rorem Composer Violin Concerto Work Recorded 1988 23:29 New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Gidon Kremer Violin, Leonard Bernstein Conductor
3	1.Twilight: Free and Spacious	3:04			$0.99
4	2.Toccata - Chaconne: Very Fast	3:17			$0.99
5	3.Romance without Words: Hardly moving	2:51			$0.99
6	4.Midnight: Slow	6:48			$0.99
7	5.Toccata - Rondo: Very Fast	2:36			$0.99
8	6.Dawn: Wistful	4:53			$0.99
Lukas Foss Composer Song of Songs, for mezzo-soprano and orchestra Work Recorded 1986 28:28 Leonard Bernstein Conductor, Sheri Greenwald Soprano, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra
9	1.Awake, O north wind. Allegro ma non troppo	7:03			$1.49
10	2.Aria. Come, my beloved. Allegretto con moto	7:56			$1.49
11	3.By night on my bed. Grave	7:56			$1.49
12	4.Set me as a seal upon thine heart. Lento	5:33			$0.99