Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein is one of the most widely performed 20th-century composers. The wonderful excitement of his style comes from his combining classical and popular idioms, using jazz-inspired energy and theatrical panache.

A figure highly associated with New York, he is particularly famous for his hugely popular stage musicals: West Side Story (made into a film), On the Town, and Candide (a comic operetta). He also had an important role as an educator, producing some pioneering work on television.

Deeper listening: Symphony No.2 'The Age of Anxiety' (1949) for piano and orchestra.

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