Ten Most-Asked Questions About Leonard Bernstein

The movie Maestro, based on the life of conductor Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre, was released on Netflix on 20 December 2023.

Today, we’re looking at data from search engines to find out what questions people are asking about this giant of twentieth-century American music…and we’re answering all of them!

Bernstein conducting the New York City Symphony (1945) © Wikipedia

When was Leonard Bernstein born?

Leonard Bernstein was born on 25 August 1918 in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

What is Leonard Bernstein best known for?

It’s tough to say what Leonard Bernstein is best known for because he did so many things! He’s most famous for being a composer, conductor, educator, and pianist, probably in that order.

His most famous work is West Side Story, for which he wrote the music. He also wrote many other works, including the scores to On the Waterfront, On the Town, and Candide.

Candide Overture: Leonard Bernstein Conducting

He was also a legendary conductor of the New York Philharmonic and was the first American-born conductor to be named a music director of a major American orchestra.

He made his Philharmonic debut on 14 November 1943 when conductor Bruno Walter came down with the flu. In 1958, he became the orchestra’s full-time music director, a position he served in until 1969.

Bernstein was also famous for his televised Young People’s Concerts, where he spoke to the audience about orchestral music. These concerts were aired across America on CBS and were hugely formative experiences for many aspiring music lovers.

How did Leonard Bernstein’s career launch?

Leonard Bernstein

In 1943, when he was twenty-five years old, Leonard Bernstein got a job as an assistant conductor to Artur Rodziński, who had just been appointed music director of the New York Philharmonic.

On November 14, the scheduled guest conductor, Bruno Walter, came down with the flu and was unable to go onstage.

Bernstein was asked to take Walter’s place. He would have no rehearsal, and the performance would be broadcast over the radio to millions.

Shortly before his death, Bernstein reminisced to his brother in an interview published in Town & Country Magazine about what being shoved into the spotlight felt like: “When it came to the time – that very day – all I can remember is standing there in the wings shaking and being so scared.”

When he went into the neighbourhood drug store, he was so pale that the druggist offered him two medications to combat his anxiety. According to Bernstein, just before he went onstage, he threw the pills away, determined to give the performance without any pharmaceutical aids.

Lucky for music lovers, a recording of the broadcast was preserved:

Leonard Bernstein: Debut in the New York Philharmonic – Schumann, Rózsa & Strauss – Live (1943)

The day after, the performance made front-page news.

Was Leonard Bernstein a good pianist?

Leonard Bernstein was a very good pianist. That said, he began playing the piano relatively late in life, and his piano playing took a backseat to his conducting and composing, so today, he is better remembered as a conductor and composer.

He started teaching himself piano when he was ten years old. His aunt left her piano at Leonard’s household, and he started teaching himself. Unfortunately, his father refused to pay for his studies, so in order to raise money for his own lessons, he taught piano to various neighbourhood children.

He made his concerto debut when he was sixteen with the Boston Public School Orchestra playing the Grieg concerto.

Were Elmer Bernstein and Leonard Bernstein related?

Elmer Bernstein © cinescores.dudaone.com

Elmer Bernstein was an American composer famous for his soundtracks. He wrote scores for The Ten Commandments, To Kill a Mockingbird, True Grit, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Airplane!, The Blues Brothers, Ghostbusters, and many other movies.

Although they were friends, Elmer Bernstein was not related to Leonard Bernstein. They also pronounced their names differently. Leonard pronounced his “Bern-styne” while Elmer pronounced his “Bern-steen.”

They had tongue-in-cheek nicknames that referenced each other: Leonard was known as “Bernstein East” because his home was in New York, and Elmer was known as “Bernstein West” because he lived in Los Angeles.

Did Leonard Bernstein ever win an Oscar?

Leonard Bernstein never won an Oscar. However, he was nominated in 1954 for his score to On the Waterfront.

On the Waterfront (1954) Trailer

Was Leonard Bernstein married?

Yes.

In 1946, Leonard Bernstein met his future wife, Costa-Rican-Chilean actress Felicia Montealegre, at a party given by her piano teacher and their mutual friend, Claudio Arrau.

Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre, 1959

Bernstein and Montealegre dated on and off for years. At one point, they separated, and Montealegre got engaged to actor Richard Hart, who died of a coronary occlusion in January 1951. Later that year, Montealegre got back together with Bernstein, and they married in September 1951.

Is Leonard Bernstein still alive?

No. On 5 October 1990 Bernstein announced his retirement from conducting, then died five days later at the age of seventy-two.

How did Leonard Bernstein die?

He died of a heart attack. He had struggled with mesothelioma and emphysema for years, likely caused at least in part by decades of ceaseless smoking.