And à propos birthday. The Pension Fund concert I had planned for your birthday in Carnegie Hall is off, alas; too complicated to get all the participants I wanted (Ormandy, etc.), & perhaps not the right note for Pension Fund events. But, I have a better idea, which is something nobody else can do for your 60th, and that is to make a whole TV show for the kids (the Shell series, originating in Carnegie) on the subject of the Venerable Giggling Dean.
Imagine, Judge-Nose for one hour, coast-to-coast! This will happen on the 12th November (Sat.) at noon in Carnegie Hall, & probably be telecast the following day, Sunday afternoon. I want you to participate, do you hear?! Either to conduct a piece, or play the piano, or maybe narrate the Lincoln piece, or maybe conduct same with me narrating. In any case it should be fun. Please say you'll do it, & that there aren't sixty other conflicting homages on the same day.
A couple of weeks ago I watched & heard you conduct the BSO for 90 minutes on WGBH-TV, and it was a joy. Man, you've improved incredibly! Clarity, meaningfulness of beat, ass not extruding. Only problem: die head too much in die score. You must to know die Musik better (or at least trust yourself more). But the big thrill was hearing the Symph #1 again – what a scherzo! And I had real pleasure out of your colloquy with Walter P[iston]. Even the Diamond Rounds sounded good! Want to succeed me at the Philh.?
I long to see you, & hear about your phenomenal travels. Any significant liaisons? When will we ever meet again?
I sorely miss T'wood also. My love to it, & its inmates. Me, I haven't written a note.
Much love,
L
453. Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein
Berkshire Music Center, Tanglewood, MA
28 July 1960
Dear Lensk,
A big pleasure to get your letter. On my one day in N.Y. before coming here I had Roger Englander show me the 2nd H[urricane]. That was a big pleasure too – a revival only you could have made so moving. I hope the recording is as good. (Only one reproach: you didn't mention Edwin [Denby]'s name as collaborator.) Goddard had written me about the birthday package and I'm pleased as punch about that too. (He's also bringing out [William] Masselos' performance of the Piano Fantasy which I want you to hear – performance is superb, I think.)
About the TV – Nov. 12; of course I'll do anything you like. Whatever else happens it will give us a reason to “confer”, i.e., see each other for a change! The only thing I don't want is to be presented as “grandpa for the kiddies.” One item you might consider is a selection of songs from the Old American Songs. I did them with The Little Orchestra and W[illia]m Warfield 2 years ago. Warfield does them wonderfully and the orchestral versions are fun-things. (You might show the kids the original versions of the songs I worked with.) If you have a quintet of singers the “Promise of Living” from The Tender Land works fine. (Or that and the Square Dance can be performed in the choral version with orch.) Etc. Etc … The hard thing will be to illustrate my “tougher” side, no?
The idea of you watching me conduct for 90 min. struck terror … After 8 performances of the Symph #1 on tour I think I can trust myself to peek outside “die score”! Anyway I've been getting lots of conducting practice: in 3 months I've had concerts with 7 different orchestras.
We need you in Tanglewood – but badly. That's a whole chapter by itself. Our summer is enlivened by Luciano Berio who is guest composer and has stirred things up considerably. But otherwise, routine reigns. Too bad …
Aside from music, I had a lovely time in London and in Tokio. The only thing I didn't do was write music, hélas!
Love to you always,
Aaron
454. Leonard Bernstein to Felicia Bernstein
The Faculty Club, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
[14 August 1960]
Darling,
Just a quickie:
We've arrived67 into a glorious kind of Pacific autumn here, with marvelous light over the sound, snow-capped peaks all around, and really cool air. I'm ensconced in this palatial suite at the University, where it is said Queen Eliz. was impregnated. Probably a canard.68 Anyway I'm sleeping in her bed.
Denver was marvelous.69 Now begins the piano nightmare. (You told me so, I know.)70 And I still can't memorize the Bartók or Daphnis.71 Paresis.
All is well, the back is great so far, and the press conferences are enormous & ghastly. I've just written David K[eiser]72 at length, offering myself for a long period on the opening–closing basis of the coming season. OK? Call you from Seattle.
All my love, my darling,
L
455. Leonard Bernstein to Aaron Copland
Mark Hopkins Hotel, San Francisco, CA
26 August 1960
Dear Aa,
Loved your letter. First instant to catch up: two weeks gone out of seven, seems like two years – much work, but also glorious fun. All record-breaking crowds, and screaming ones at that. Like Russia. And Hawaii – now there's a chapter. Just arrived from there last night, utterly spent. Mon dieu, quelle beauté!
San Fran is all gold and blue, & teeming.
I think your idea of the American Songs is great. But we must be careful not to do too much stuff out of repertoire: there's so little rehearsal time, and you know how it's jammed into the busy week. But I'm sure we can swing some of the songs (& maybe an Emily [Dickinson] one too – hein?) and mebbe your tougher side through the Variations, which I could show at the piano first. Then perhaps the scherzo of the 3rd Symph, and finally a pop thing like Rodeo or Lincoln. How would you like to participate – that is, in what capacity? Conductor or speaker in Lincoln or pianist or speechifier? Don't bother answering; just mull, & we'll confer when I get home. There's time.
Much love, I miss you.
Lenny
26 Aug 60 (I'm 42!!!)
PS. About Edwin:73 There were supposed to be big credits on the screen about his authorship, which were cut for time reasons. I couldn't really mention him, since we didn't do the play. But I had him invited to the event, in the hopes that I could have him stand up for a bow, but he didn't show. In any case, I had a sweet & very thankful telegram from him after the show. (The recording is poorly engineered – diction, etc. obscure. Alas.)
456. Marni Nixon74 to Leonard Bernstein
The Mayfair Hotel, London, England
28 August 1960
Dear Mr. Bernstein,
Just saw West Side Story for the first time – here in London – and it's a tremendous show! I am “up” for the voice dubbing for the picture they are making at Goldwyn – for Maria's singing voice. Can you help me in any way there? Would certainly appreciate anything you think you can do to help.75
Hoping you are well, and I understand we might get together for another fling at Pierre Boulez next March. Hope so!
I'm at present vacationing with my husband [Ernest Gold] – who just completed the score for Exodus and we've been in London for a while & now we will travel on the continent for a while before going back to Hollywood.
Ah – have you ever been on vacation? I suspect you haven't found the time for years now. It's wonderful!
Sincerely,
Marni Nixon
457. Leonard Bernstein to Saul Chaplin
20 September 1960
[Telegram]
Dear Solly,
Between Dixie and Berlin I send urgent pleas to consider rerecording some of the tracks I heard in Hollywood. Cool, Mambo and Jet Song are OK although slowish but America is much too slow and Rumble dies of Adagio. Also rhythms wrong at end of Something's Coming. Prologue of course is impossible and embarrassing. Johnny [Green] know[s] of feelings. Please try to redo and correct as much as possible.
Love,
Lenny
458. Leonard Bernstein to Nadia Boulanger
New York, NY
22 December 1960
My dearly beloved Nadia,
I am so happy that you have accepted our invitation!76 Not only will your visit give great musical joy
to a large public, but enormous personal joy to all of us who for so long have regarded you as the unique and adorable person you are.
Don't you think it would be marvelous to play something of one or two of your former pupils?
I look forward to seeing you with keen anticipation; and I was deeply moved by your beautiful letter.
Always,
Lenny (Bernstein)
Joyeux Noël!
459. Lukas Foss to Leonard Bernstein
University of California, Los Angeles, CA
[?December 1960 or January 1961]
Carissimo,
West Side Story score arrived and I am having a great time with it. Love it more and more. I am proud to do it!! But when can I get the definitive (final) version? And when is that one and only rehearsal?77
I am anticipating yet another Bernstein feast – on Saturday eve. May 20th. Ojai Festival.78 Don't know if you know about the Festival. It's famous around here. Stravinsky did Les Noces and other works one spring, Copland conducted it another. This year it's mine. I am doing away with the large orchestra which makes for too skimpy rehearsal time, on the meager budget. I am using never more than 30 players, but the best in Los Angeles. Anyway, on that Saturday, the program – my pride and joy – will be:
Anniversaries (Me at the piano)
Rondo for Lifey (Divace + Me)
West Side Story jazzed up (Previn and [Shelly] Manne and … the bass)
Masque from Age of Anxiety (with fade out on pianino)
(André plays, I conduct – or vice versa)
20 minutes of non-jazz improv. (my improv. Chamber ensemble)
Mozart C major 4 hand Sonata (André & Me)
I think that's a gem of a program. The shift from non-jazz to jazz back to non-jazz is subtle and meaningful thanks to your music and its enormous jazz–non-jazz range. Incidentally André and Shelly offered to donate their services and seem as pleased with the whole thing as I am.
Love to Felicia. Did you get the record, notes, charts – that messy little package? Until February, cher ami
Luke McLuke
460. Leonard Bernstein to Sid Ramin
[January 1961]
Sid,
Make it for tpts and tbns (4 each available) and percussion, but if you have time, add optional parts for horns and winds.79
Blessings and luck!
Lenny
If you're rushed, first make it for brass.
461. Frank Sinatra80 to Leonard and Felicia Bernstein
Washington, D.C.
12 January 1961
[Telegram]
Greetings,
I thought I'd better send you a rundown of activities along the Potomac. First of all, the workaday side of it, I must ask you not to make any outside appointments for the entire day of the eighteenth which is Wednesday if you remember. This will be a tough day of rehearsal and as it behooves us all to put on a really slick show the next night81 I think we should devote this entire day and night to rehearsals. And you know how much I like rehearsals. The morning of the nineteenth will be final orchestra rehearsals and we will start the dress rehearsal at noon.
Now for the social side of this hoedown. Exhibit A will be a supper party that Ambassador Kennedy is giving in honor of the entire cast immediately after our gala performance. This will be black tie for the fellows and something dazzling for the girls. Exhibit B is the inaugural ceremony itself at noon of the twentieth and the parade which follows. Sections of seats have been allotted for us for both events, for those who want to attend. I must ask you to please tell Miss Lovell in my office at the Statler Hilton Hotel whether or not you want to attend these two functions. Exhibit C is the little wing-ding dinner which I am tossing for all of us at seven thirty on the evening of the twentieth. We will also go en masse from this dinner to the Inaugural Ball at the Mayflower, which is pretty dressy for boys and girls. Black tie or white tie diamond and emeralds and all that jazz. Everything is shaping up for something that we all will be remembering for a long time and believe you me I don't think I have ever been so excited.
Love and kisses and I'll be waiting for you.
Frank Sinatra
462. Saul Chaplin to Leonard Bernstein
11 April 1961
Dear Lenny,
After much discussion with Bob Wise, it was decided that the opening of the picture would be handled in the following manner: the helicopter shots would be kept the way they are now except for the “motto” whistles which will precede the long orchestral note. Also, we will add the finger-snaps during the long note. The general feeling here is that the helicopter shots are very unusual and dramatic, and not at all travelogue-y. It is felt that they do progress the audience to the locale of the picture in a most effective manner. In any event, the opening will be kept this way for the preview. If, at that time, anyone feels that the high shots slow the opening of the picture, or interfere with the dramatic content of the “Prologue”, the proper changes will be made.
Your recital of Jerry's report to you concerning the picture has been on my mind constantly. He has, conveniently, omitted a significant amount of information in his usual vaguely dishonest manner.82 Isn't it interesting that he didn't think it important to mention various large mistakes in the numbers he shot? Isn't it curious that he didn't mention that the Jets are out of sync during a section of “The Jet Song”; or that there's half a bar of music missing during the fugue of “Cool”; or how I pleaded with him to just “try” the faster version of “Cool” and how he refused; or how several sections of “America” and “I Feel Pretty” wouldn't cut together except through Bob Wise's ingenuity; or how he staged “One Hand” and was always aware that we were going to use just one chorus and had no objection whatever? I could further mention how he kept encouraging Natalie Wood to sing her own track so that as late as last Friday I was still having trouble from that quarter. I could go on endlessly reciting blunders, which he neglected to mention to you. But, I assure you, we've corrected, and are correcting, all of his mistakes without talking about them. I hope on the other hand, he mentioned how exciting the “Quintet” turned out; or how wonderful the “Taunting” is; or how touching “Somewhere” is; or many other facets of the picture which, I'm sure, slipped his mind since we managed to muddle through without him.
The reason for this diatribe is quite simple: the fact that Jerry is going to derogate all of us concerns me not at all; the fact that many people will believe what he tells them, since it's fashionable to regard us all out here as sun-loving, bungling, no-talents, also doesn't concern me. What you believe, however, concerns me deeply. I can only reiterate that never in my experience has so much money and care been expended in the making of a movie. If it is not perfect in every detail, my only answer is – what is? It isn't because we didn't try like Hell. Jerry, of course, is wildly talented. He is also wildly destructive of people and relationships. For me, one doesn't compensate for the other. He is easily the most reprehensible person I've ever known. And so, when the golden day dawns when I will, at last, be freed from West Side Story, I will make it a life's work never again to mention his name or think of him. That, indeed, will be a time for wild celebration.
I'm sorry to have kept you this long at a time when I know how busy you are. I wish you great success with your tour and I'm sure you'll have much better luck with Alaska than I did. (Remember Bonanza Bound?).83
Love and sholom,
Sol
463. Leonard Bernstein to Felicia Bernstein
Hotel New Nagoya, Nagoya, Japan
30 April 1961
Darling,
How can I describe the last two days? Paradise. At last, really Japan – once we got out of mad gay Tokyo. About 16 of us were put up at that famous Japanese inn called Minaguchi-ya, where I think I had the most beautiful day and night anyone has ever had. The gardens – the beauty – the sea – the quiet – the deep charm of Japanese rooms, the smell of new tatami (the straw mats used for carpeting) – the elega
nce of simple flower arrangements – the marvelous food – and oh, the girls. We were welcomed in a way that made me feel I'd never been really welcomed before. The girls crowd around, laughing, attending, bubbling, dressing & undressing you, preparing your kimono, your bath (oh that wonderful bath of old scoured wood) – and with none of the artificial gaiety of the Geisha (who embarrass the wits out of me) but with a natural spontaneous joie de vivre & delight in making you happy. I had the Emperor's suite, mind you, & slept in his bed, & had his breakfast (about 17 courses) and it was coincidentally the Emperor's birthday, so Lennuhtt was the Emperor (which is Tenno in Japanese, so now you can call me Tennuhtt). The morning after we visited the famous nearby temple Shuken-ji, a terribly moving Zen sanctuary with the most overwhelming gardens I have ever seen. The entire side of a mountain covered in every green imaginable, spotted with huge red azalea, & pierced by a long, narrow graceful waterfall from top to bottom. I shall never forget the sound of that silence, or the odors, the color, the peace.
All this is really to say that in two days you would change your whole mind about things Japanese. I know you would. You would adore the food (most of it anyway), the sense of beauty, the natural grace of people and houses. You'd even change your mind about paper windows & walls & screens & doors & mats & sitting on the floor. It is the way to live. I insist on bringing you here some time, without the orchestra and la Belle and Tourel.
Now today that Paradise is all over, as we've moved into another noisy characterless big city, which doesn't even have the fun of Tokyo, but only the ugliness. But from here on it gets good again – more Japanese style inns, & Kyoto, which I can't wait to see, & Kobe, & pearls. I bought me two black kimonos today – one silk, one wool: something for you, don't dare really. Bought Axel a great boy-doll in honor of Boys' Day which is the big festival tomorrow. It's a Samurai-boy on a horse, in a glass case, & featuring a huge phallus, which I don't know how I'll explain to him. Then visited Nagoya Castle, a breathtaking piece of architecture, and a museum reminiscent of the Hermitage in terms of costumes, prints, & paintings. Now sleep. Then a koto-player is coming for to play the koto. Then sleep. Day off. Thank God. My big nose is still sick, & needs a big rest. All else is great, concerts et al. are smashes. Minimum of Saudeks [Robert and Elizabeth], etc. All under control. Only I miss you terribly.
The Leonard Bernstein Letters Page 61