Bernstein: Mahler, the Vienna Philharmonic, and Additional Conducting

By Casey Margerum

While Bernstein was with the New York Philharmonic, he also had several major conducting accomplishments away from home. Among these were the debut of his Kaddish Symphony in Tel Aviv, his performance of Falstaff with the Metropolitan Opera, and his debut with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Of his outside conducting, his engagements with the Vienna Philharmonic were among the most important. His debut in Vienna had actually been in 1948, but the post-war atmosphere made the experience unpleasant. However, when Bernstein returned to conduct Verdi’s Falstaff in 1966, he fell in love with the city. The opening night received half an hour of applause and 48 curtain calls.

Bernstein would return to Vienna the next year to conduct Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony and again in 1968 for Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier. In 1967, the Vienna Philharmonic also performed at Lincoln Center, and Bernstein hosted a Young People’s Concert with the New York Philharmonic called “A Toast to Vienna in 3/4 Time.” He would return to the beloved city periodically for the rest of his career.

Bernstein conducting Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony with the London Symphony Orchestra and Edinburgh Festival Chorus

Bernstein’s work was also closely linked to Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), whose Resurrection Symphony was Bernstein’s signature piece. Both artists were Jewish, and both spent their lives torn between composition and conducting. Mahler’s music is marked by its use of extremes and its heightened expressivity, and he used music to explore philosophical questions.

After Mahler’s death, anti-Semitism and the public’s inability to understand his compositions led to his obscurity. Bernstein, however, worked tirelessly to reintroduce Mahler to the world. He made multiple recordings of Mahler’s compositions.

He hosted a Young People’s Concert titled “Who Is Gustav Mahler?” and wrote articles about him. He conducted Mahler with over-the-top gestures to mirror Mahler’s use of musical extremes. Without Bernstein’s work, we may have never learned how to appreciate Mahler’s genius.

–

Casey Margerum is a senior English and music double major at Davidson College. She sings with the Davidson College Chorale and Collegium Musicum, and she intends to pursue graduate studies in vocal performance next year.

In 2018, music lovers everywhere are celebrating the centennial of legendary artist Leonard Bernstein. To help give our listeners a deeper dive into Bernstein’s life and musical genius, we have partnered with Davidson College students in Professor Bill Lawing’s seminar on Leonard Bernstein to produce a blog series sharing details about Bernstein’s family, career, friendships and more. This intimate look at Bernstein’s personal life is a part of that series.

Click here for additional blog posts highlighting different aspects of Leonard Bernstein’s experience.