Leonard Bernstein - Age of Anxiety (Symphony No.2) & Serenade for Violin, Strings, and Harp

The Age of Anxiety (Symphony No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra) [after W.H. Auden] [original 1949 version]

Lucas Foss (piano)

New York Philharmonic

Leonard Bernstein;

Recorded in New York City on February 27, 1950

Serenade for Solo Violin, Strings, Harp and Percussion after Plato's "Symposium" (1954)

Isaac Stern, (violin)

The Symphony of the Air

Leonard Bernstein; 

Recorded in New York City on April 19, 1956

 Despite the composer's lofty programmatic ambitions for these two concerted works, the pieces not only stand on their own merits, but are arguably Bernstein's most inventive and concise large-scale instrumental works. They explode with catchy tunes and carefully built climaxes that stir rather than bait the emotions (is that "Maria" hidden in the Serenade's first movement?). Bernstein's restless rhythms out-Copland Copland, yet are never complex for their own sake. The youthful Isaac Stern was at his robust peak in this 1956 recording (excellent mono) while the 28-year-old Lukas Foss sails through Age of Anxiety's demanding piano part with breathtaking aplomb, and digs into the jazzy "Masque" movement like an unbridled puppy. Bernstein later revised the ending, but this 1950 version is still a classic. --Jed Distler

This is yet another re-release in the Leonard Bernstein series with the New York Philharmonic, this time focusing on Bernstein's own compositions. His Age of Anxiety (1949) is for piano and orchestra, here with Lukas Foss on the piano. The recording was made in 1950 but translates remarkably well to CD. The music itself is also quite interesting; it's a kind of rugged neo-Romanticism with an angry mood now and then. Bernstein's Serenade (1954) is for solo violin, strings, harp, and percussion. Based on Plato's Symposium, it's a lucid, underrated work with simply stated musical ideas. Recommended. --Paul Cook

Another Post recovered from LDC by Simon Moreley with his original links

Thanks a lot Simon!