Happy Birthday, Leonard Bernstein! Monday, August 24, 2015
August the 25th is Leonard Bernstein‘s birthday. We lost this talented and prolific composer on October 14, 1990. He gave us the music for “West Side Story“, and Stephen Sondheim gave us the lyrics. The song “One Hand, One Heart” is sung at weddings, and “Tonight” is an audition favorite. High schools still perform “West Side Story” for the spring musical. In short, “West Side Story” is a classic. Leonard Bernstein wrote music in a variety of genres, but we found this collection of piano music particularly intriguing. It is called “Complete Anniversaries.” This is a compilation of 4 sets of “Anniversaries” which he composed at various times. Each of the pieces was written for a friend. In “Four Anniversaries,” #3 is “for David Diamond” another famous composer and musician. In “Five Anniversaries”, Bernstein wrote #3 for a friend, Elizabeth B. Ehrman. Each piece is a reflection of each friend’s personality. What a gift it must have been to have a special piece written just for you! For more information about Leonard Bernstein‘s music, call us at 1-800-42-MUSIC, email us at keyboard@stantons.com, or visit our website. Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!
