# Bernstein Narrative



## Yosemite Sam (Nov 7, 2009)

Many years ago there was a set of the 9 symphonies recorded by the NY philharmonic with Bernstein conducting. Within the set were two narratives by Bernstein. One was about the Eroica symphony titled "How to write a great symphony" and the other was about the 5th symphony. I have found the first narrative of the Eroica but I have not found the one about the 5th. Does anyone have any idea where I can find this recording or even know if it is still available out there somewhere?

Thanks
Sam


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Yosemite Sam said:


> Many years ago there was a set of the 9 symphonies recorded by the NY philharmonic with Bernstein conducting. Within the set were two narratives by Bernstein. One was about the Eroica symphony titled "How to write a great symphony" and the other was about the 5th symphony. I have found the first narrative of the Eroica but I have not found the one about the 5th. Does anyone have any idea where I can find this recording or even know if it is still available out there somewhere?
> 
> Thanks
> Sam


The narrative about the 5th that you speak of is actually a telecast from an old TV show called "Omnibus." I think the Omnibus Bernstein shows are on a DVD box (I'm not sure though). You can find the full script, though, in a book called "The Joy of Music" by Leonard Bernstein.


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

I had a gossamer wisp of memory about this monologue being commercially available on CD- 
but I thought I'd do a little internet browsing to confirm my recollections...

Well, it turns out that in the "Royal Edition" collection of Bernstein recordings, there was a release featuring a performance of Beethoven 5 and the Bernstein speech "How a Great Symphony Was Written."

However (here it gets "interesting"), the lecture was tracked TWICE, with the first track having Bernstein in German out of one stereo channel and Bernstein in French out of the other channel _at the same time_ eek, and the second track having Italian issuing from one channel and English from the other channel. So, in order to have the best shot at hearing in your chosen language, you have to adjust the balance COMPLETELY to one channel or the other, and even then, there's still the potential of some annoying 'bleed-over,' (or so I'm made to understand).

I don't think this lone disc is commercially available new, 
but it seems that you can get it used from the 'usual-suspect' on-line seller(s).


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## Yosemite Sam (Nov 7, 2009)

Thanks gentlemen for your responses. I will poke around and see what I can scare up about that "Royal Edition" recording.

Have a great weekend. (what's left of it)
Sam


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

But, wait, there's more! There is a relatively new rerelease of Bernstein's old Beethoven 5th--with the "How a Great Symphony was written." Intriguingly, it _still_ has the same balance issue described by CTP above.

http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Sym...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1257693566&sr=8-2


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## Yosemite Sam (Nov 7, 2009)

Yes Indeed. It is released on the "Great Performances" series. You can even preview the tracks online and it most certainly does have that balance issue. I am debating whether or not I want it that bad. You would think they would fix such a glaring shortcoming on a new release. eeeesh.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Well, I imagine that if you have earbuds then you just take one out and thereby eliminate one side of the stereo. So it's perfectly listenable, really; you just have to make it that way.


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## tahnak (Jan 19, 2009)

Yosemite Sam said:


> Yes Indeed. It is released on the "Great Performances" series. You can even preview the tracks online and it most certainly does have that balance issue. I am debating whether or not I want it that bad. You would think they would fix such a glaring shortcoming on a new release. eeeesh.


Sorry to stir your debate and contemplation....
This is just to tell you that these performances of Beethoven's symphonies created two definitive performances and both are mentioned by you..
The Eroica .. no one after Bernstein has brought the drama and emphasis on punch as Bernstein and the same applies to the Fifth.. The repeats have been honoured and honoured magnificently.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

tahnak said:


> Sorry to stir your debate and contemplation....
> This is just to tell you that these performances of Beethoven's symphonies created two definitive performances and both are mentioned by you..
> The Eroica .. no one after Bernstein has brought the drama and emphasis on punch as Bernstein and the same applies to the Fifth.. The repeats have been honoured and honoured magnificently.


I must have thought that would have been taken for granted...


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## Yosemite Sam (Nov 7, 2009)

World Violist said:


> I must have thought that would have been taken for granted...


Me too....


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

...these performances of Beethoven's symphonies created two definitive performances and both are mentioned by you..
The Eroica .. no one after Bernstein has brought the drama and emphasis on punch as Bernstein and the same applies to the Fifth.. The repeats have been honoured and honoured magnificently.

I'm not certain I would call these recordings the "definitive" recordings of the 3rd and 5th. Kleiber's 5th assuredly gets the nod from a great many... myself included, while the 3rd...? Bernstein's is certainly one of the great recordings. But I also love Karajan's (1963) and John Eliot Gardiner's muscular HIP recording. And then there's Szell with the Cleveland Orchestra....


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

StlukesguildOhio said:


> I'm not certain I would call these recordings the "definitive" recordings of the 3rd and 5th. Kleiber's 5th assuredly gets the nod from a great many... myself included, while the 3rd...? Bernstein's is certainly one of the great recordings. But I also love Karajan's (1963) and John Eliot Gardiner's muscular HIP recording. And then there's Szell with the Cleveland Orchestra....


Point is, they're darn good.


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## christmashtn (Aug 29, 2009)

The Bernstein Omnibus episodes were reissued in a DVD box set on December 8, 2009!! It contains the entire Beethoven 5th lecture. This was in fact Bernstein's TV appearance, and I am convinced he never would have become the NY Philharmonics music director if it were not for this broadcast. Nothing quite like it had ever been on television befoe.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

christmashtn said:


> The Bernstein Omnibus episodes were reissued in a DVD box set on December 8, 2009!! It contains the entire Beethoven 5th lecture. This was in fact Bernstein's TV appearance, and I am convinced he never would have become the NY Philharmonics music director if it were not for this broadcast. Nothing quite like it had ever been on television befoe.


Yes, I noticed that was being released! That made me rather excited.


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