Leonard Bernstein the Composer – with Edward Seckerson

Leonard Bernstein (1918-90) was perhaps the most ‘complete’ classical musician of the last century, as composer (covering everything from Broadway musicals to serial orchestral works), conductor (one of the 20th century’s most admired), teacher or pianist. Edward Seckerson interviewed Bernstein for Gramophone in December 1989, but his admiration went back much further, as he reveals to James Jolly in this next instalment in our occasional series focusing on major composers. The music is drawn from Bernstein’s extensive CBS catalogue, now available from Sony Classical.