PEOPLE IN AMERICA - Leonard Bernstein: Composer, Conductor,

PEOPLE IN AMERICA - Leonard Bernstein: Composer, Conductor, Pianist and Teacher
By Jerilyn Watson

Broadcast: Sunday, August 07, 2005

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ANNCR: Welcome to People in America in VOA Special English. Today, Rich Kleinfeldt and Sarah Long tell about the life and work of one of the most influential¹ musicians of the twentieth century -- Leonard Bernstein.

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This music was written by Leonard Bernstein. He composed it for the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., in nineteen seventy-one.

VOICE TWO:

 
 

Leonard Bernstein lived from nineteen-eighteen until nineteen-ninety. During his seventy-two years he was one of America's most hard-working musicians. He was a composer, conductor, pianist and teacher.

He wrote both serious classical music and light popular music. He was musical director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra² for more than ten years. He often played the piano while leading an orchestra at the same time. He taught many other musicians. And, he appeared on television programs and wrote books to help people -- especially children -- learn about music.

VOICE ONE:

Leonard Bernstein was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, on August twenty-fifth, nineteen-eighteen. His parents were Jews from Russia. They met and married in the United States. Leonard demonstrated⁴ early in life that he had special abilities in music. His father, however, did not believe his son could support himself as a musician. The older Bernstein continually⁵ advised against it.

Luckily, his son rejected this advice. Leonard studied music at Harvard University and the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He spent summers at a famous music center in Massachusetts called Tanglewood. There he studied conducting with two major musicians of our time -- Serge Koussevitsky and Fritz Reiner. Later Leonard Bernstein would return to Tanglewood to teach almost every summer of his life.

VOICE TWO:

In nineteen forty-three, Leonard Bernstein became assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. In November of that year, New York Philharmonic conductor Bruno Walter became sick could not conduct an important concert.

Mister⁶ Bernstein was called to lead the orchestra very soon before the event. He had little time to prepare. Still, he did so well that the New York Times newspaper published a story praising his effort. The story appeared on the front page the day after the concert.

After that, Leonard Bernstein was invited to conduct concerts of almost every major American orchestra. In nineteen fifty-eight, he became musical director of the New York Philharmonic. He was the first American to hold that position. Critics said the well-known orchestra became even better under his leadership. He was the main conductor of the Philharmonic until he resigned in nineteen-sixty-seven.

VOICE ONE:

Leonard Bernstein became involved in many more projects after leaving the New York Philharmonic. People said he was like a powerful ocean storm. He seemed to live his whole life in a hurry.

Mister Bernstein traveled around the world to act as guest conductor of many orchestras⁷. He wrote music and taught music. At home, he and his wife, Chilean actress Felicia Montealegre, were raising their three children. Their home was a gathering⁸ place for some of the most influential artists, musicians and writers in the United States.

VOICE TWO:

 
 

As the years passed, Leonard Bernstein's many musical skills made him known around the world. He won high praise as a pianist. Listen now as he plays "Piano Sonata⁹" by his friend Aaron Copland.

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VOICE ONE:

Critics say Bernstein wrote some of his best work in his early years. He wrote "Symphony¹⁰ Number Two, the Age of Anxiety" in nineteen forty-nine when he was about thirty. Musical experts say the piece captures¹¹ the sounds of America.

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VOICE TWO:

That piece was among several large works¹² Leonard Bernstein wrote for symphony orchestras over the years. He composed several symphonies¹³ that demonstrate³ his deep interest in his Jewish¹⁴ religion.

Mister Bernstein wrote other major classical works through the years for a large group of singers and an orchestra. He also composed operas and ballet music.

Many people think these classical works are not as great as some of his musical plays for Broadway such as "On the Town," "Wonderful Town" and "Candide." Some music critics say "Candide" is the best music Leonard Bernstein ever wrote.

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VOICE ONE:

 
 

The musical, "West Side Story," is considered Leonard Bernstein's most famous work. It opened on Broadway in New York City in nineteen fifty-seven. It still is being performed all over the world. The show tells a story similar to "Romeo and Juliet," the famous play by William Shakespeare. Stephen Sondheim wrote the words to the Bernstein music.

"West Side Story" guaranteed Leonard Bernstein a special place in American musical theater. Here tenor¹⁵ Larry Kert sings "Maria," one of the most beautiful songs from "West Side Story."

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VOICE TWO:

Leonard Bernstein worked for three years on "Mass, A Theater Piece for Singers Players and Dancers" to be performed at the Kennedy Center opening. Two-hundred people are in this huge work. Its name comes from the religious service of the Roman

Catholic¹⁶ Church. The story tells of a young man who loses his belief in God. "Mass" is the closest Mister Bernstein ever came to joining the styles of Broadway and classical music. It contains rock music, blues¹⁷ music, and religious music.

VOICE ONE:

Throughout his life, Leonard Bernstein was involved with social issues as well as music. He supported the civil rights movement and opposed the Vietnam War. He conducted concerts to raise money for AIDS research.

In his later years, he wanted to write something that he knew would be remembered always. But he was in poor health. Still, he kept composing, directing and speaking. He gave his last performance in August, nineteen ninety, at Tanglewood. Less than

two months later, he died in his New York home. He will be remembered always for his many musical gifts to the world.

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ANNCR: This Special English program was written by Jeri Watson. It was produced by Paul Thompson. The announcers¹⁸ were Rich Kleinfeldt and Sarah Long. I'm Barbara Klein. Listen again next week for People in America in VOA Special English.

1 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

2 orchestra   

n.管弦乐队；vt.命令，定购

参考例句：

• He plays the violin in an orchestra.他在管弦乐队中演奏小提琴。
• I was tempted to stay and hear this superb orchestra rehearse.我真想留下来听这支高超的管弦乐队排练。

3 demonstrate   

vt.论证，证明；示范；显示；vi.示威游行

参考例句：

• Let me demonstrate to you how this machine works.我给你演示一下这台机器的运转情况。
• How can I demonstrate to you that my story is true?我怎样才能向你证明我的话是真实的呢？

4 demonstrated   

举行示威游行（或集会）( demonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )； 示范。展示； 显示； 论证

参考例句：

• All of those demonstrated the correctness of his analysis. 这一切都证明了他分析的正确性。
• The fireman demonstrated great courage in saving the child. 那位消防队员在抢救孩子的过程中，表现了极大的勇气。

5 continually   

adv.不间断地，不停地；多次重复地

参考例句：

• The other kids continually taunted him about his size.其他孩子不断地耻笑他的个头儿。
• The US is continually building up its armed forces.美军正持续加强它的三军。

6 mister   

n.(略作Mr.全称很少用于书面)先生

参考例句：

• Mister Smith is my good friend.史密斯先生是我的好朋友。
• He styled himself " Mister Clean ".他自称是“清廉先生”。

7 orchestras   

管弦乐队( orchestra的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The orchestras, the choruses, the drama and opera casts, will be cut to pieces. 各个管弦乐队、合唱队、戏剧和歌剧的演员名单都将支离破碎。
• In Indonesia, gamelan orchestras play music on gongs, drums, and xylophones. 印度尼西亚，佳美兰乐队用锣、和木琴演奏音乐。

8 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

9 sonata   

n.奏鸣曲

参考例句：

• He played a piano sonata of his own composition.他弹奏了一首自作的钢琴奏鸣曲。
• The young boy played the violin sonata masterfully.那个小男孩的小提琴奏鸣曲拉得很熟练。

10 symphony   

n.交响乐（曲），（色彩等的）和谐

参考例句：

• The Ninth Symphony of Beethoven is a famous one.贝多芬的第九交响乐非常有名。
• They play over the whole symphony.他们把整个交响乐重新演奏了一遍。

11 captures   

俘获( capture的第三人称单数 )； 夺取； 夺得； 引起（注意、想像、兴趣）

参考例句：

• King Arthur himself captures the beast and cuts off its head. 亚瑟王亲自捉住怪物，并砍下它的头。
• His book captures exactly the ethos of Elizabethan England. 他的书准确地描绘了英国伊丽莎白时代的风土人情。

12 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

13 symphonies   

n.交响乐，交响曲( symphony的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The melody harks back to one of his earlier symphonies. 这首曲子使人想起他早期的一首交响曲。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• No one would deny that Beethoven's symphonies are great masterpieces. 人人都认为贝多芬的交响乐是伟大的杰作。 来自辞典例句

14 Jewish   

adj.犹太人的，犹太民族的

参考例句：

• The coin bears a Jewish symbol.硬币上有犹太标记。
• They were two Jewish kids;I was friendly with both of them.他们是两个犹太小孩；我同他们都很要好。

15 tenor   

n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意

参考例句：

• The tenor of his speech was that war would come.他讲话的大意是战争将要发生。
• The four parts in singing are soprano,alto,tenor and bass.唱歌的四个声部是女高音、女低音、男高音和男低音。

16 catholic   

adj.天主教的；n.天主教徒

参考例句：

• The Pope is the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church.教皇是罗马天主教的最高领袖。
• She was a devoutly Catholic.她是一个虔诚地天主教徒。

17 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

18 announcers   

n.宣告者( announcer的名词复数 )；播音员；（戏剧的）报幕员；（比赛的）解说员

参考例句：

• There are two announcers of this concert, a female and a male. 这场音乐会有两个报幕员，一位女士和一位男士。 来自互联网
• Some persons objected that announcers' articulation was too meticulous to be natural. 有人反对播音员的发音过于规范，这样就显得很不自然。 来自互联网