ABSTRACT
American composer, pianist, and conductor, born Louis Bernstein in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He studied composition and conducting with such distinguished musicians as Fritz Reiner, Randall Thompson, Walter Piston, and Serge Koussevitzky. He was engaged as assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in 1943, and became conductor in 1958. After a decade of international success, he resigned from the orchestra in 1969. Thereafter he composed, appeared as guest conductor in opera and concert around the world, wrote books, and gave acclaimed talks on television. On Christmas morning, 1989, Bernstein marked the reunion of East and West Berlin with a televised performance of the Beethoven Ninth Symphony (changing the “Ode to Joy” to an “Ode to Freedom”; Deutsche Grammophon CD 429-861-4.)
Bernstein’s records of Haydn and Mahler have been most highly praised, but his discs of the complete Beethoven and Brahms symphonies, of Copland and Gershwin, and many others have been placed among the best interpretations available. His recordings won Grammy awards in 1964,1967,1973,1977,1989,1990, and 1992. He was the first American appointed to head a major orchestra, and the first to conduct a regular performance at La Scala. Bernstein died in New York.
