# Essential Recordings with Leonard Bernstein as Conductor



## Olias

Bernstein made so many recordings with a large variety of ensembles. I'm curious as to which recordings are considered to be "definitive" (in your opinion of course) with LB as conductor. I have a lot of his recordings and either really like them or really don't, not much in between. I love how he always brought a different interpretation to his recordings, whether I preferred it or not.

For example, I really love his Shostakovich 1 and 7 with Chicago recording. It's my favorite version of those two symphonies, and I've heard from many people that this is one of LB's best recordings.

So, if you wanted to list 5-10 recordings that could (in your opinion) represent Bernstein's finest, what would you select?


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## 89Koechel

Oh, wow! Try Copland's "Billy the Kid" and "Rodeo" (CD from Amazon; inexpensive). I'd always vote for Lenny in Carl Nielsen/Symphonies (esp. 2 through 5), again from Amazon. There's also a great Beethoven Missa Solemnis (with the Amsterdam Concertgebouw). If you're interested in the American, Charles Ives, Bernstein has some fine recordings there, also. Finally, there's Lenny and Gustav Mahler - maybe the 8th (with the London Symph. Orch.) is the best, but there are OTHERS, of the Mahler milieu. NO doubt, others can suggest other examples of Len, at his best; good luck!


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## 89Koechel

Also, Lenny was very fine in Shostakovich, of course; maybe his 5th (with the NYP) is his best. Funny thing, but the LP version seems pretty-rare, these days. It's available, though (with the Shostakovich 9th) from Amazon/MP3.


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## joen_cph

Another vote for the Nielsen 5th Symphony.


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## 89Koechel

Very good, joen! ... Yes, Mr. Carl N followed an inspired/logical PATH to his 5th Symphony, and even the poignancy of the 6th is maybe his "last words" in the Symphonic vein. Bernstein, Jascha Horenstein, Sixten Ehrling and others have made excellent recordings/performances of Carl's output ... and there've been others (Erik Tuxen, Launy Grondahl, Thomas Jensen, etc.). There was even a great recording of Nielsen's 4th (and his 2nd), with Jean Martinon, and the great Chicago Symphony of his time. ... Well, Leonard B and his ESPOUSAL of Nielsen's music, in Lenny's time, was very noteworthy, and still endures!


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## david johnson

Lenny/CSO - Shostakovich 7
Lenny/NYPO - Stravinsky, Rite of Spring


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## Kreisler jr

with NYPO (CBS/Sony): 
Haydn: Paris symphonies, Beethoven: Eroica, Hindemith: Symphony in E flat + fillers

with Vienna Philharmonic (DG)
Mahler: Symphonies #5 and #6


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## SONNET CLV

Samuel Barber's _Adagio For Strings_ in the Bernstein recording with the L.A. Philharmonic.

Here it is as issued on The Musical Heritage Society label, 513201A. This is a reissue of the Deutsche Grammophon ‎release, 427 437-2:















Bernstein also recorded the work with his New York Philharmonic band, where it appears on SONY (SMK 63088) and CBS ‎(MY 38484) releases, among others.















The two recordings differ, and my recommendation remains with the Los Angeles Phil issue. I've never heard another performance of this highly intense, emotional work that handled the climax of the piece with such stirring force as Bernstein manages . It's a must hear winner! In fact, the remainder of Bernstein's LA Phil recordings rank high on my "essentials" list.

However, the Mahler _Adagietto_ (From Symphony No. 5 In C-Sharp Minor), which appears on the SONY and CBS discs, proves a contender in the category of "Essential Recordings with Leonard Bernstein as Conductor". I cherish the Bernstein Mahler recordings overall. They may be as much Bernstein's music as Mahler's music, but I don't think the Austrian composer would much object to L.B.'s approach.

I will also offer one more suggestion, this time of the Shostakovich Fifth. Bernstein recorded this piece a couple of times, but the one recorded on October 20, 1959, at Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts with the NY Philharmonic is the keeper. I've long been a fan of the Shosty Fifth and have heard many recordings, and treasure a few including those by Mravinsky and Kondrashin, but the Bernstein 1959 NYP recording ranks at the top of my list for this particular symphony. Essential listening.


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## Manxfeeder

I've been avoiding Bernstein's Mahler (except the 3rd with New York), but is his New York cycle still worth consideration, or have others surpassed it?


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## mbhaub

Someday, Sony is going to come out with a large, lavish Bernstein Complete NYPO box, like they did for Ormandy. It's really astonishing just how many first-rate recordings he made in those NY years. Then came the DG recordings and he made even more great ones. Here's my short list of essential Bernstein:

On Sony:
1. Shostakovich 5
2. Shostakovich 1 & 9
3. Mahler 7 
4. Mahler 3
5. Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade
6. Dvorak New World symphony

On DG
7. Schumann symphonies
8. Shostakovich symphony 7
9. Mahler Symphony 6
10. Elgar Enigma Variations

Add to that terrific symphony cycles of Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, and even Beethoven...what a superb conductor and musician. Can't wait for that huge Sony set!


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## joen_cph

There are these, amounting to 182 CDs

https://www.discogs.com/Leonard-Ber...hony-Edition-Concerto-Orches/release/15600861


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## progmatist

I own a DVD set of the Brahms Symphony cycle, on which he conducts the Vienna Philharmonic. Quite good. And or course, him conducting his own works will always be the best performance.


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## CnC Bartok

I wish someone would get round to releasing his Berio Sinfonia on CD. That's a fabulous recording!


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## Allegro Con Brio

NYPO recordings on Sony:
The entire Sibelius cycle
Mahler 2, 3, 7
Dvorak 9 
Rite of Spring (maybe my favorite version)
Shostakovich 5 
Nielsen 4, 5
The recordings of American music: Ives, Carter, etc. 

As for the later recordings on DG, I’m not always as big of an enthusiast, but the Mahler 5 and 6, Mozart late symphonies, and jaw-droppingly good Schumann cycle OTTH are essential.


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## HenryPenfold

First ten straight off the top of my head, in no particular order:


Mozart 40 & 41 - DG

Nielsen 5 - Sony

DSCH 5 - Sony

Mahler 6 - DG

Mahler 7 - Sony

Sibelius 6 - Sony 

Ives 2 - DG

Harris & Schuman 3 - DG 

Beethoven Missa Solemnis - Sony

Rossini Overtures - Sony


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## Merl

I'm not a fan of later DG Bernstein but this set is still great.


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## Kiki

Essential for any composition? I can't think of many. Probably his Vienna Mahler 5.

Essential to appreciate his incredible musicianship? His strong personality shown on recordings warranted many - His visionary but dragging Beethoven, his jaw-droppingly slow but irresistible Pathétique, his extrovert though anti-intuitive Sibelius 4, his perfectly flawed Carmen, etc. Love them or hate them, can't miss them for an incredible experience.

He never recorded Turangalîla, did he? What a loss for us. That could have been a killer.


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## Olias

Just FYI everyone, I've been doing some listening online based on your suggestions and I'm liking what I am hearing. I'll be making a shopping list soon.


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## mbhaub

Another thought: if you like Haydn, Bernstein's recordings are simply brilliant. Unmatched, even by Beecham. Lenny seemed to get in Haydn's spirit like no one else and brought forth the humor, brilliance, majesty of Haydn.


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## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet

I love the Shosty 1 and 7, one of my favourite CDs.

Also highly recommend Bernstein's VPO's recording of Beethoven's String Quartets Ops 131 and 135.


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## joen_cph

CnC Bartok said:


> I wish someone would get round to releasing his Berio Sinfonia on CD. That's a fabulous recording!


Berio's 'Sinfonia' in an old compositional version is conducted by Berio, not Bernstein, but it was once coupled with Bernstein's equally fabulous Bartok 'Music for Strings ..' in a very fine LP release.


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## Kreisler jr

One of the late DG I forgot is the string orchestra version of Beethoven's op.131. I find the general idea of playing string quartets with orchestra wrongheaded but it is a fascinating and unique recording.


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## CnC Bartok

joen_cph said:


> Berio's 'Sinfonia' in an old compositional version is conducted by Berio, not Bernstein, but it was once coupled with Bernstein's equally fabulous Bartok 'Music for Strings ..' in a very fine LP release.


You serious? I had that LP, and it was a very fine introduction to "ultra-modern" music for me, that Berio. And all this time I've been labouring under the misapprehension it was Bernstein. Bloody hell!

So I have successfully suggested an essential Bernstein recording he had nothing to do with. What an eejit!

Ok, two essential Bernstein recordings: Nielsen 5, and Sibelius Pohjola's Daughter.


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## bluto32

I agree with the OP that Berstein's Shostakovich 1&7 on DG are superb. I also enjoy his Tchaikovsky 4-6 set on DG from the late 80s with the NYPO:









The symphonies are interpreted in a wonderfully dark, bleak way with slow tempi, especially the outer movements of No. 6 and second movement of No. 5. This set also comes with the most exciting and razor-sharp Romeo & Juliet overture: for me, this is one of those rare performances where I can't imagine how it could be topped.


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## Bill Cooke

He really excelled in these, in my opinion:

Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring - NYP - 1958 (the '58 recording is the bomb)
Shostakovich: Symphony 5 - NYP
William Schumann: Symphony 3 (he recorded it twice and they're both magnificent)
Mahler: Symphony 3 - NYP
Copland: Billy the Kid; Rodeo; Appalachian Spring Suite; Symphony for Organ & Orchestra; Symphony 3, etc. - NYP (all his NYP Copland recordings are definitive in my book)
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta - NYP 
Vaughan Williams: Symphony 4 - NYP (maybe not the best, but among the best. I have never been able to decide what is 'the best' recording of this symphony)
Nielsen: Late symphonies - NYP
Shostakovich: Symphony 9 - NYP 
Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphoses; Concert Music for Strings & Brass - NYP
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue; An American in Paris - NYP (even though his RIB is abridged for some reason)


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## Kreisler jr

Bill Cooke said:


> He really excelled in these, in my opinion:
> Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphoses; Concert Music for Strings & Brass - NYP


These are the "fillers" in the "Royal edition" with the symphony in E flat I was too lazy to look up above; this is a highly recommendable disc of repertoire not that well covered (except metamorphoses).


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## Brahmsianhorn

Barber, Adagio for strings (DG)

Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 (DG - 1976 BRSO Amnesty International concert)

Copland, Appalachian spring, Rodeo, Billy the kid, Fanfare, Symphony No. 3 (Sony)

Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris (Sony)

Ives, The Unanswered question, Central Park in the dark, Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3 (Sony)

Mahler, Symphonies Nos. 1, 5, 6, 7, 8 (DG)

Mozart, Symphonies Nos. 40 & 41 (DG)

Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5 (Sony)

Sibelius, Symphony No. 5 (Sony)

Shostakovich, Rite of spring, Petrushka (Sony)


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## Allegro Con Brio

Forgot about the NY Bartok. Only Ivan Fischer beats ‘em among recordings I’ve heard. 

As you might guess, I much prefer the earlier, more brash and uninhibited Lenny than the self-conscious artifice and near-kitsch of some of his late ventures for DG. I find those earlier recordings to be tremendously exciting, marked by a continual sense of exploration like this brilliant orchestra is rediscovering the basic repertoire as they play. The conducting explodes with passion, but it’s not over-applied and comes very naturally. The only problem with some of these is that the sound, while admirably close and ear-popping, is really not up to more spacious modern standards. But somehow this fits Lenny’s visions - when there’s a fortissimo, it socks you in the face, which is probably exactly what he’d want.


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## Olias

mbhaub said:


> Another thought: if you like Haydn, Bernstein's recordings are simply brilliant. Unmatched, even by Beecham. Lenny seemed to get in Haydn's spirit like no one else and brought forth the humor, brilliance, majesty of Haydn.


Haydn is one of my very favorites, and I have both the CD and DVD of LB doing 88, 92, and 94 with Vienna which I love. I've got his London Symphonies on Sony which I really like EXCEPT the minuet movements are too slow for my taste. It's a minor quibble. HOWEVER, I just found The Bernstein Century CD of the Paris Symphonies with NYPO and they are fantastic.


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## joen_cph

Competition is hard in the Bartok piece, but none are really better than Bernstein, yet good to have different readings IMHO ...


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## Kreisler jr

Olias said:


> Haydn is one of my very favorites, and I have both the CD and DVD of LB doing 88, 92, and 94 with Vienna which I love. I've got his London Symphonies on Sony which I really like EXCEPT the minuet movements are too slow for my taste. It's a minor quibble. HOWEVER, I just found The Bernstein Century CD of the Paris Symphonies with NYPO and they are fantastic.


The Paris symphonies are a bit string heavy for my taste but I also find them much better than the uneven London set (and also better than the late Vienna disc) and they are my favorite non-HIP recording, I guess. 
There is also an older recording of #88 but this is hard to find, mainly/only as filler for a Haydn mass, I think. The 3? Haydn masses and Creation Bernstein did with NYPO forces are also a bit rough in spots but committed and exciting.

I think Allegro con brio is a bit harsh on the later DG (mostly Vienna) recordings. They are not as consistent and some are self indulgent or just very slow but the sound is usually better than the Sony/CBS and many are at least worth trying out. The Schumann symphonies have been mentioned, the Brahms concertos (Zimerman and Kremer) are also very good and while I prefer the earlier Beethoven, the Vienna Beethoven is not without interest. (Most/all of these were also on Video/Laserdisc.) I also cannot escape some nostalgia because among my earliest encounters with both Beethoven and Mahler were these Bernstein concerts on German TV in the late 1980s)


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## wkasimer

Mendelssohn: Ruy Blas Overture:


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## elgar's ghost

Let's not forget the great recordings for which he conducted his own music, including:


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## Josquin13

I agree with the OP that, as a conductor, Bernstein was either very good, or bad, and seldom anywhere in between (& I've said the same thing myself on these threads before!). I also find that his earlier Columbia (& EMI) recordings are often better conducted than his sometimes slack and less precise & less riveting later DG recordings.

1. First & foremost, I'd strongly recommend Bernstein's Beethoven Eroica, and specifically the earlier New York Philharmonic performance on Columbia/Sony, which is preferable to his later, less tightly conducted & less dynamic digital recording in Vienna on DG, IMO. This is a symphony that is notoriously difficult to conduct well & get right!, with its massive first movement that has been known to occasionally cause conductors to lose their way in concert. Bernstein was more than up to the challenge. In fact, he was kind of obsessed with the Eroica. Of the many conductors that I've heard in the 3rd, three have stood out to me: They are Bernstein/New York, Scherchen/Vienna (two times), and van Kempen/Berlin. Indeed Bernstein had a very special affinity for the 3rd, & gave an unusually thoughtful & insightful reading for Columbia, which shouldn't be missed!--by either Beethoven or Bernstein fans:






2. Secondly, I fully agree with others here that Bernstein's Haydn is extra special. But again, I'd generally opt for his earlier Haydn in New York on Columbia/Sony over the later Philips and DG recordings, where the conducting can, at times, be less precise, in comparison (& even a bit sloppy, such as on his live Haydn Mass for Philips). The Haydn box set that was issued by Sony is essential Bernstein, IMO, and should be in any good non-period Haydn collection (along with Sir Colin Davis's recordings with the Concertgebouw Orchestra on Philips--which compliment Bernstein's well, and a selection of performances by several period conductors, too, such as Sigiswald Kuijken, Frans Bruggen, Christopher Hogwood, Nicholas McGegan, etc.).

Here's the Haydn box set that I'd most recommend (but unfortunately, it appears to have become a bit pricey compared to what I paid, so it may be OOP): https://www.amazon.com/Haydn-London...Bernstein+Haydn&qid=1627297960&s=music&sr=1-4

Here's another release, which isn't as comprehensive, and I've not heard it, so I can't say if the sound has been compressed or not (which is often a complaint with this discount Sony series): https://www.amazon.com/Leonard-Bern...Bernstein+Haydn&qid=1627297960&s=music&sr=1-2

3. Mahler Symphony No. 7 "Song of the Night". Mahler's 7th was another work that Bernstein had a special affinity for, & again, the earlier 1965 New York Columbia performance slightly gets the nod over the later DG remake, IMO, as it is one of Bernstein's great Mahler recordings, but both are good:

Sony: 



DG: 




4. Mahler Symphony No. 2--IMO, Bernstein's live performance with the London Symphony Orchestra in Ely Cathedral (with sopranos Sheila Armstrong and a young Janet Baker--who make a dream team!) is the best of Bernstein's three Mahler 2nds. Even if the sound quality is less than ideal. But it's not terrible, either, & can be best heard on DVD, IMO:





https://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symph...tein+mahler+janet+baker&qid=1627296917&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symph...r+bernstein+janet+baker&qid=1627298919&sr=8-3
https://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symph...r+bernstein+janet+baker&qid=1627298919&sr=8-4

5. Mahler Symphony No. 3--Here again, the earlier New York Columbia recording gets the nod over Bernstein's DG remake, IMO: 



.

(I'd also recommend Bernstein's Sony & DG recordings of Mahler's 6th, as well as his Sony recording of Mahler's 9th, but not the overrated live Berlin 9th, or the other DG 9th in Amsterdam. The best remasters of Bernstein's Columbia Mahler recordings come in the following box set, where the remasters are based on the DSD Japanese Hybrid SACDs, which have excellent sound, too: btw, this is the other Bernstein box set that I would strongly recommend--in addition to the Sony Haydn box set: https://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Compl...ahler+bernstein&qid=1627299335&s=music&sr=1-1 )

6. Berlioz, Harold in Italy, with violist Donald McInnes, and the Orchestre de National France, on EMI: 



. In addition, while it may not be one of my top two or three choices, Bernstein also made a fine recording of the Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique with the same orchestra. Both performances are available in a recommendable EMI double fforte, 2 for 1 discount issue: https://www.amazon.com/Berlioz-Symp...ords=bernstein+berlioz&qid=1627294936&sr=8-12.

7. R. Strauss, Der Rosenkavalier, Vienna Philharmonic, on Sony:









https://www.amazon.com/Strauss-Rose...words=Strauss+bernstein&qid=1627295296&sr=8-1

8. Nielsen, Symphony Nos. 3 & 5, Sony. Again, Bernstein had a special affinity for the symphonies of Nielsen & I wish he'd given us a complete cycle, but alas, that didn't happen (Sony did, however, combine Bernstein's Nielsen with Ormandy's to make a box set cycle). The 3rd was recorded with the Royal Danish Orchestra, and the 5th with the New York Philharmonic. Both recordings derive from the 1960s and shouldn't be missed by Nielsen fans, and the 5th is a must hear for Bernstein fans: 




9. Bernstein was especially devoted to conducting the works of American composers that were, more or less, mostly his contemporaries, such as Aaron Copland, William Schumann, Ned Rorem, David Del Tredici, Samuel Barber, Elliot Carter, Lukas Foss, Charles Ives, Roy Harris, George Gershwin, etc. Though in regards to Bernstein's recordings of the music of Barber, I personally prefer the American conductor Thomas Schippers (among analogue recordings of Barber's Adagio for Strings, for instance), and from the digital era, Leonard Slatkin in St. Louis (among recordings of the Adagio for Strings, as well as the Slatkin/Oliveira recording of Barber's Violin Concerto over the earlier 1964 Bernstein/Stern recording--but more due to Stern's violin playing, which I don't overly like, in comparison to Oliveira's, which is way, way better, than due to Bernstein's conducting, which is first rate).

Again, among Bernstein's various recordings of works by American composers, the earlier Columbia recordings tend to be better, at least when he recorded a work twice (such as was the case in certain works by Ives, Harris, Schuman, etc.). But the DG recordings of Copland's 3rd Symphony & Quiet City and the symphonies by Harris & Schuman are 'must hears', too, and overall, the later DG box entitled "The Americans" set makes a good buy.

--If I had to pick one Bernstein recording of works by an American composer for this post, I'd choose his Columbia/Sony recording of William Schuman's Symphonies Nos. 3, 5, & 8: 



.

10. Beethoven Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 5, with pianist Rudolf Serkin, who, at his best, was one of the great Beethoven pianists that I've heard in my life. I also treasure Serkin's live mid-1970s Beethoven PC 1-5 set with conductor Rafael Kubelik on Orfeo, which is extra special, too, and may be even preferable, despite that Serkin was more in his prime with Bernstein. By the way, Bernstein also recorded Beethoven's Choral Fantasia with Serkin: 



.

--Beethoven PC 3: 



--Beethoven PC 5: 




So, those are my top ten Bernstein recordings. In addition, here are five more Bernstein recordings that I wouldn't want to be without:

11. Brahms, Academic Festival Overture, Vienna Philharmonic, DG. While I have mixed feelings about Bernstein's later DG Brahms in Vienna, this is one of my favorite recordings of the Academic Festival Overture: 



. The only question is, is it better than his earlier Columbia recording? (it is certainly better sound-wise): 




12. Mahler, Kindertotenlieder, Dame Janet Baker, Israel Philharmonic (Baker made another wonderful recording of this song cycle, as well as the other two mature Mahler song cycles, with Sir John Barbirolli, on EMI, & that one is a desert island disc in my collection):

Bernstein: 



Barbirolli: 




13. Ives: The Unanswered Question: Holidays, Central Park in the Dark/Carter: Concerto for Orchestra, 1969, New York Philharmonic, Columbia/Sony: 




https://www.amazon.com/Ives-Unanswe...in+charles+ives&qid=1627298488&s=music&sr=1-1

14. Stravinsky, the opera, Le chant du Rossingnol, or The Song of the Nightingale (underrated Stravinsky, IMO):









15: Beethoven Symphony No. 7: New York Philharmonic, Columbia: 




Plus, all of the recordings that Bernstein made of his own music (though I wouldn't overly recommend his DG West Side Story, which, for me, tends to be too operatically sung for an American musical)...

If I were to continue with my list from here, my focus would be on Bernstein's Shostakovich, Hindemith, Sibelius, & Bartok, and more Stravinsky...


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## Heck148

There are so many!!
The aforementioned Shostakovich 7 & 1 with CSO, #5 with NYPO ['59]
His Sibelius symphony set is top of the heap - #5 is esp great....all topnotch, the whole set is terrific...

Stravinsky - Rite of Spring - NYPO '58
Firebird Suite NYPO '57
Hindemith - Sym in Eb, Sym Metamorphosis, Konzert Music Brass/Strgs [NYPO

His recordings of American music are classics -

Copland, Schuman [original #3 ' is a terrific effort, along with Slatkin/CSO, top drawer for this amazing blockbuster],
Diamond, Piston, Bernstein, etc...Lenny always got into the basic rhythm of American works - whether it's the folksy underlying basis, or the jazzy, swinging style that runs thru so much of the music...always very lively and boisterous....
Schumann Syms 3,4 [NYPO]
Haydn - Paris, London Syms [NYPO]
Nielsen - Syms 5 [NYPO] and 3 [Royal Danish Orch]
Bizet - Carmen suites
Mahler - Sym #7 I ['65 NYPO] Sym #3 II ['87 NYPO]

So many, I'm sure I left out a few....


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## 89Koechel

Josquin13: (your 16:56 post) - Pretty comprehensive, and thanks! One might ADD to recommendation #8 - Nielsen - in the Symphonies 2 and 4. One can find his LP of both from discogs.com, beginning at $3.00. Also, his version of Nielsen's 5th is VERY fine, but the Horenstein version might be even better, overall, IMO. ... Also, in recommendation #5 - Mahler - I agree about his later versions of the 9th ... and, believe it or not, Herbert von Karajan had two, MASTERFUL recordings of that one ... but I have an open-reel tape of Leonard, in the Mahler 8th. It's somewhat grand, but not grandiose, and is worthy of consideration with his other Mahler recordings.


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## fbjim

My absolute favorites which aren't his Mahler cycle-

Columbia - Stravinsky / Rite of Spring (Still the one for me. I want this to sound insane and thrilling- and it's hard to beat that NY
Columbia - Berlioz - Requiem (my absolute favorite Berlioz requiem - more exciting than Munch's, and a better soloist than the Colin Davis one in Dresden)
Columbia - Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique/Harold in Italy - he really was a fabulous Berliozian, though not so much for the French rep in general
Most stuff he did for Americans - Ives, Copland, Barber, Gershwin, excluding the cut Rhapsody in Blue (which sold like 60 bazillion copies)


So much of what he did that wasn't the standard German rep (I've never warmed to his Beethoven), apart from Haydn- was excellent. Also as for Bartok - I prefer Boulez's later recordings for the NYPO, though Bernstein's is very good.


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## starthrower

joen_cph said:


> Another vote for the Nielsen 5th Symphony.


That's a good 'un! Also the Rite Of Spring, Mahler 9, his own symphonies, On The Waterfront, Candide, Serenade. And Haydn.


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## MarkW

Probably not available anywhere, but his early '60s Brahms Second with NYPO was terrific performance hampered by laughably bad recording acoustic of then new, legendarily awful Philharmonic Hall.


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## 89Koechel

fbjim: (your 16:55) - Very good! ... although one might recommend "better" than Bernstein, in that extraordinary work - Stravinsky's Rite of Spring - maybe the "young lion" of his time/Monteux, in 1929, with a Paris Orchestra (Pristine Classical reissue). ... Also, in Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique ... there again, was a Monteux recording, in it's headlong decisiveness, probably better than any, since. As for Berlioz, and Harold in Italy, there's a Toscanini version ... yes, it's the "old man", and the constricted acoustics of his old, recording venues (with Carlton Cooley, I think), that might be better. ... Agree, though, as am sure many, others would ... about what he could DO with Charles Ives, Aaron Copland, Roy Harris, Wm. Schuman, Gershwin, and so many others!!


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## Heck148

MarkW said:


> Probably not available anywhere, but his early '60s Brahms Second with NYPO was terrific performance hampered by laughably bad recording acoustic of then new, legendarily awful Philharmonic Hall.


Yes, that Lenny/NYPO Brahms #2 from '62 is very excellent, one of the best....it sounds in many ways like the live Reiner/NYPO from 3/60....big, brawny, ballsy as hell....exciting.....


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## Heck148

89Koechel said:


> ......Agree, though, as am sure many, others would ... about what he could DO with Charles Ives, Aaron Copland, Roy Harris, Wm. Schuman, Gershwin, and so many others!!


yep, Lenny always seemed to have his thumb well-placed on the pulse, the rhythm, style of American music....whether the folksy, traditional style, or the more jazzy style, Bernstein was definitely wired in.....others are good, too, but Lenny is very consistent...


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## jimsumner

Allegro Con Brio said:


> Forgot about the NY Bartok. Only Ivan Fischer beats 'em among recordings I've heard.
> 
> As you might guess, I much prefer the earlier, more brash and uninhibited Lenny than the self-conscious artifice and near-kitsch of some of his late ventures for DG. I find those earlier recordings to be tremendously exciting, marked by a continual sense of exploration like this brilliant orchestra is rediscovering the basic repertoire as they play. The conducting explodes with passion, but it's not over-applied and comes very naturally. The only problem with some of these is that the sound, while admirably close and ear-popping, is really not up to more spacious modern standards. But somehow this fits Lenny's visions - when there's a fortissimo, it socks you in the face, which is probably exactly what he'd want.


Very much agree. As Bernstein aged he fell prey to the idea that slower equaled more profound. Maybe it did sometimes. But all too often it just equaled ponderous and labored. His DG Tchaikovsky just doesn't work for me.

Thus, much of my favorite Bernstein is on Sony and has already been mentioned, 1958 Le Sacre, his pioneering Ives, Nielsen S4,5. He was a great conductor of American composers, e.g. Ives, Copland, Gershwin, Harris. His DG Ives second symphony is one of my favorite works by him on that label. And he was a great Mahler conductor, almost always teetering on the edge but fighting to keep it under control. If you want Mahler with a sense of struggle, a sense of great issues being fought over, then he's your man.


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## Brahmsianhorn

Funny how people interpret things differently. I find much of Bernstein’s early stuff to be played more “straight” and thus more safe rather than daring. It was when he allowed himself greater liberty that he became more interesting, exploratory, and risk-taking to my ear. More bearing of his true soul as opposed to being conventional.


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## JohnP

In no particular order:

Sibelius 1 & 5
Nielsen 3
Schumann 2
Mahler 7
Shostakovich 7


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## jimsumner

JohnP said:


> In no particular order:
> 
> Sibelius 1 & 5
> Nielsen 3
> Schumann 2
> Mahler 7
> Shostakovich 7


I hope this doesn't come across as harsh but Bernstein made multiple recordings of some of these works. Can you specify which ones?


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## Orfeo

I am going to go out of the limb and say....


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## SanAntone

I would his own works: the symphonies, _Mass_, _Candide_, etc.


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## Rogerx

I have the Sony boxes and the all the works on DG , all important, too me that is. :angel:


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## Michael122

His Beethoven & Brahms Symphonies and, preferably, his earlier recordings of these.


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## Mxc93

I made an account to recommend his Shosty 7 with the CSO. Perhaps, in my opinion, one of the best recordings that has ever been recorded.


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## Rogerx

Beethoven: String Quartets Nos. 14 & 16

Wiener Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein

Very essential.


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## Heck148

Mxc93 said:


> I made an account to recommend his Shosty 7 with the CSO. Perhaps, in my opinion, one of the best recordings that has ever been recorded.


Agreed, the Bernstein/CSO Shostakovich #s 7 and 1 recordings are perhaps the best ever made...pretty amazing..


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