LEONARD BERNSTEIN AND THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC IN MOSCOW (TV)
Summary
One in this irregularly scheduled series of music specials featuring Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic. Narrated by Bernstein, this program features Bernstein and the Philharmonic on tour in Moscow. At the Tchaikovsky Conservatory on their final day in Moscow, Bernstein delivers an afternoon speech, first leading the orchestra in performances of the national anthems of both the United States and the Soviet Union. He talks about how music can be used to illustrate similarities between the Russian and American cultures, and alternately plays brief passages on the piano and conducts the Philharmonic in performances of excerpts from the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony ("Leningrad") and the American composer Aaron Copland's "Billy the Kid" to support his point by comparing the two. This is followed by footage of the entire first movement of Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony performed by the Philharmonic in its final Moscow concert in the evening. Bernstein acknowledges the presence of Shostakovich in the audience. Also in the audience is Boris Pasternak, Nobel Prize-winning author of the novel "Dr. Zhivago." Joseph N. Welch delivers a message to Americans about patriotism and democracy from Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: October 25, 1959 Sunday 5:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:24
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: T85:0960
- GENRE: Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: Anthems; Music - Analysis, appreciation; Orchestral music; U S S R
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1958-1962
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Richard Leacock … Director
- Leonard Bernstein … Conductor, Writer, Narrator, Music analysis written and narrated by
- New York Philharmonic, The … Symphony Orchestra
- Aaron Copland … Composer
- Dmitri Shostakovich … Composer
- Joseph Welch … Announcer
- Boris Pasternak