The Leonard Bernstein Letters

With their intellectual brilliance, humour and wonderful eye for detail, Leonard Bernsteins letters blow all biographies out of the water. His galaxy of correspondents includes Stephen Sondheim, Boris Pasternak and Jacqueline Kennedy. Full of fresh information and the authentic voice of a constant seeker.The Economist (named a 2013 Book of the Year) His collaborator Betty Comden once noted, in a letter to Bernstein, that he saved every scrap of correspondence. You will be grateful . . . a rich collection of letters to and from Bernstein, filled with revelations about his musical and personal lives.James R. Oestreich, New York Times Bernsteins versatility and ambition were such that he spent a lot of time trying to figure out who he waswhich also meant searching for American music and for the future of music generally. This book doesnt resolve Bernsteins quest. But its an invaluable resource, and the quest itself continues to fascinate and to matter.Joseph Horowitz, Wall Street Journal A rich selection of letters to and from Bernstein, meticulously edited by Nigel Simeone. . . . Alive with spontaneous intelligence, Leonard Bernsteins letters display exactly this unforced intimacy, though there were moments when he no doubt knew that posterity was listening in.Morris Dickstein, Times Literary Supplement His letters have a tremendous zest, and a good journalistic eye, too, and since he was often at the right place at the right time, at some of the key moments in his 20th-century history, this gives them a wider interest.Christopher Hart, Sunday Times The correspondence from and to the remarkable conductor is full of pleasure and insights.New York Times Book Review (Editors Choice) This volume has been handsomely edited, and the decision to include letters from Bernsteins correspondents results in a rich portrayal of a particular age of privilege.Philip Hensher, The Guardian Like Britten, Bernstein was an assiduous correspondent, and The Leonard Bernstein Letters is a vast, absorbing canvas of a life lived at full speed, with a cast list that reads like a whos who of American cultural life in the 20th century.Adam Lively, Sunday Times Simeones choice of letters [are] superbly amplified by his exhaustively researched footnotes, which manage to identify and flesh out even the most obscure of his subjects multifarious correspondents.Stephen Walsh, The Spectator For . . . eloquent and moving testimony read the entry for 25 November 1963 in The Leonard Bernstein Letters edited by Nigel Simeone, the contents of which give an . . . overview of a liberal American century.Chris Ford, The Guardian [A] fascinating selection of correspondence edited by Nigel Simeone. . . . The Leonard Bernstein Letters is indeed a written reflection of the man himselffascinating, discursive, frequently brilliant.Ken Smith, Fontes Artis Musicae A marvelously entertaining new book. . . . The Leonard Bernstein Letters makes it possible to take stock of Bernsteins weaknesseshis enthusiasm could lead to sentimentality, and clearly his fame became a kind of bubble. But these pale in comparison with his energy, joy, and absolute dedication to music. Its sad to think that our culture will probably never produce someone like him again.Adam Kirsch, Tablet magazine It is a major, highly accomplished piece of work in its own right.Illtyd Harrington, Camden New Journal The Leonard Bernstein Letters . . . contains so much that is startling and unknown that all past books, including his own, become instantly inadequate. Dont take my word for it. On the jacket, Bernsteins official biographer, Humphrey Burton, declares that, with this book in hand, I want to start all over again.Norman Lebrecht, Standpoint Magazine In Nigel Simeones editorial labour of love The Leona

Nigel Simeone is well known as a writer and speaker on music and is the author of several books including Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story. He lives in Northamptonshire, UK.