Rating: 
Summary: Reaching for Lenny
Review: "They don't make 'em like they used to." This phrase can certainly apply to Leonard Bernstein: conductor, composer, teacher, humanitarian, and complex individual. Bernstein worked hard to knock classical music and opera from their pedestals and make those genres accessible to ordinary people, while according popular music and jazz the same respect as classical and opera. Whether it was his charisma, sense of humor, good looks, "Renaissance Man" attitude, or a combination of all these elements, Bernstein still has no peer in attempting this feat. Maybe it's just not "lucrative enough" in our corporate-oriented, essentially conservative, times.Accompanied by interviews with friends, collaborators, and his children, "Reaching for the Note" provides a compelling portrait of Bernstein. This could have been a conventional documentary, but it instead captures a flavor for Bernstein's life. Rather than just covering "major events," this documentary also explores the struggles of being Leonard Bernstein. Beginning with footage from his funeral cortege (accompanied by the second movement of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony), this documentary contains many unforgettable and moving moments, such as Bernstein's chiding of the Vienna Philharmonic for giving an indifferent rehearsal of Mahler ("I don't care about your 'eight hours.'"); building morale for Israel in the Six Days' War by performing Mahler's "Resurrection" symphony (which, in view of the atrocities committed by Israelis against Palestinians, may begin to seem as politically incorrect as Wagner's anti-Semitism); and the montage of home movie footage from the Bernstein family's "golden years," which seems even more poignant when one realizes how it collapsed under the weight of Bernstein's personal struggles in his later years. Most striking are the ambiguities of the man: a conductor who also wanted to be remembered as a composer; a humanitarian who could become temperamental; a family man who struggled with his bisexuality. Was it indecision, or simply a desire to live life to its fullest in the material and spiritual realms? Whatever one may think of the man, Bernstein's legacy has made him a musical titan. And until someone else as well-read, charismatic, godlike, and human comes along in conducting, Bernstein is guaranteed a top spot alongside such legends as Herbert von Karajan and Sir Georg Solti. One decade after his death, Lenny is still sorely missed. Who knows what else he could have done had he smoked a few less cigarettes, downed a few less bottles of scotch, and had been productive into his early eighties? He would have recorded Benjamin Britten's "Peter Grimes," or written his planned symphony about the Holocaust. But Lenny is gone, and we won't see the likes of him again. But, as one person said, maybe Lenny's spirit is now in the body of a bright and talented ten-year-old. Perhaps s/he will compare the angst in Mahler's symphonies and the music of nine inch nails, or rail against the corporate oligarchy, mean-spiritedness, and political conservatism that's slowly devouring our country. One can only hope that Lenny will live again. If not, then he has left us with much to contemplate, both about music and ourselves.
Rating:
Summary: Reaching for Lenny
Review: "They don't make 'em like they used to." This phrase can certainly apply to Leonard Bernstein: conductor, composer, teacher, humanitarian, and complex individual. Bernstein worked hard to knock classical music and opera from their pedestals and make those genres accessible to ordinary people, while according popular music and jazz the same respect as classical and opera. Whether it was his charisma, sense of humor, good looks, "Renaissance Man" attitude, or a combination of all these elements, Bernstein still has no peer in attempting this feat. Maybe it's just not "lucrative enough" in our corporate-oriented, essentially conservative, times. Accompanied by interviews with friends, collaborators, and his children, "Reaching for the Note" provides a compelling portrait of Bernstein. This could have been a conventional documentary, but it instead captures a flavor for Bernstein's life. Rather than just covering "major events," this documentary also explores the struggles of being Leonard Bernstein. Beginning with footage from his funeral cortege (accompanied by the second movement of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony), this documentary contains many unforgettable and moving moments, such as Bernstein's chiding of the Vienna Philharmonic for giving an indifferent rehearsal of Mahler ("I don't care about your 'eight hours.'"); building morale for Israel in the Six Days' War by performing Mahler's "Resurrection" symphony (which, in view of the atrocities committed by Israelis against Palestinians, may begin to seem as politically incorrect as Wagner's anti-Semitism); and the montage of home movie footage from the Bernstein family's "golden years," which seems even more poignant when one realizes how it collapsed under the weight of Bernstein's personal struggles in his later years. Most striking are the ambiguities of the man: a conductor who also wanted to be remembered as a composer; a humanitarian who could become temperamental; a family man who struggled with his bisexuality. Was it indecision, or simply a desire to live life to its fullest in the material and spiritual realms? Whatever one may think of the man, Bernstein's legacy has made him a musical titan. And until someone else as well-read, charismatic, godlike, and human comes along in conducting, Bernstein is guaranteed a top spot alongside such legends as Herbert von Karajan and Sir Georg Solti. One decade after his death, Lenny is still sorely missed. Who knows what else he could have done had he smoked a few less cigarettes, downed a few less bottles of scotch, and had been productive into his early eighties? He would have recorded Benjamin Britten's "Peter Grimes," or written his planned symphony about the Holocaust. But Lenny is gone, and we won't see the likes of him again. But, as one person said, maybe Lenny's spirit is now in the body of a bright and talented ten-year-old. Perhaps s/he will compare the angst in Mahler's symphonies and the music of nine inch nails, or rail against the corporate oligarchy, mean-spiritedness, and political conservatism that's slowly devouring our country. One can only hope that Lenny will live again. If not, then he has left us with much to contemplate, both about music and ourselves.
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent summary of a remarkable individual.
Review: For fans of Leonard Bernstein, this is a "must-have". This documentary captures the man's once-in-a-century talent and his passion for music. Without a doubt, Bernstein was the most influential American classical musician of the twentieth century. This documentary adequately captures that. The film is really a mix of interviews, film clips, and still photographs. The interviews are thoughtful and sometimes even memorable. The film clips are interesting, such as rare footage of his politically controversial "Mass" and ground-breaking "Candide" and "West Side Story". Unfortunately, still photographs comprise a bit too much of the material, and I found this to be the film's only drawback.
Rating:
Summary: An Essential American Musician
Review: For many of us growing up, Leonard Bernstein *was* American music. This excellent, thrilling PBS biography captures the essence of Bernstein. He was flamboyant as an actor at the podium, but it never seemed forced. And his performances seemed to intensify the music--he was like the speaker in "Spinal Tap" that went up to 11 instead of just 10. Watching this, you begin to feel as music-intoxicated as Bernstein himself must have been. This documentary doesn't whitewash his dark side--substance abuse, ridiculous radical-chic politics, a certain predatory sexuality, and the deep unhappiness that struck him in middle age (after he had the world at his feet.) As he turns 70, you can see the dissipation written all over his face. But he was a man with great musical gifts who changed American culture, and this fast-paced video captures that very well.
Rating:
Summary: An Essential American Musician
Review: For many of us growing up, Leonard Bernstein *was* American music. This excellent, thrilling PBS biography captures the essence of Bernstein. He was flamboyant as an actor at the podium, but it never seemed forced. And his performances seemed to intensify the music--he was like the speaker in "Spinal Tap" that went up to 11 instead of just 10. Watching this, you begin to feel as music-intoxicated as Bernstein himself must have been. This documentary doesn't whitewash his dark side--substance abuse, ridiculous radical-chic politics, a certain predatory sexuality, and the deep unhappiness that struck him in middle age (after he had the world at his feet.) As he turns 70, you can see the dissipation written all over his face. But he was a man with great musical gifts who changed American culture, and this fast-paced video captures that very well.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating recent history
Review: I saw this on PBS and enjoyed it. Made me wish I had watched Bernstein's network shows for young people when I was a kid. I've ordered a copy to give as a gift to Jewish friends, since LB revived the Mahler tradition in Vienna, wrote pieces on Jewish themes, and conducted so much in Israel.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as I expected
Review: I was a bit disappointed by this release., especially considering PBS' impeccable credentials. The very beginning set my expectations very high : slow-motion, artsily fuzzy sequences from Bernstein's funeral cortège through the street of NY, touchingly commented by his son. Very intense, but also very telling of the overall approach of the movie : the man first , and then the musician. It's not an easy task because, as those interested into this great composer-conductor know well, Bernstein was a very complicated, troubled and sometimes puzzling man. In this respect the video is very nicely done: it's pretty straighforward about potentially controversial issues like L.B.'s depressions or bisexuality, without sounding gossipy or trashy. All these aspects are described though lenghty interviews with L.B.' s son and daughters. This has obvious advantages but also shortcomings : I would have liked to hear somebody from outside the family, somebody less viscerally involved, so to say. I also liked the way the video gives us, through the Bernstein family's home movies, a fascinating idea of the life of the post-war American cultural elite. There are flaws, though. First of all, to apply the definition of "motion picture" to this documentary is, sometimes, kind of a stretch: the viewer spends decidedly too much time staring at vintage photographs with an audio commentary not especially related to them. This is actually baffling, because I don't think there has ever been a more filmed or recorded artist than L.B. and it's hard to believe that PBS could not obtain the rights on more video performances from Deutsche Grammophon, Sony/CBS and whoever else. Through the narration we learn about L.B.'s ascent to prominence and his lifelong internal struggle between the great conductor he was and the great composer he desperately wanted to be, but there aren't enough visual demonstrations of the great music that flowed from this troubled soul. And we don't get much of the legendary impact of a Bernstein performance either. In this respect the few interviews to musicians don't help much, being for the most part ridicolously brief (average 2 minutes) : a world-class maestro like Andre' Previn is just allowed the time to say that "L.B. was the figure who had the greatest influence on American music". Thank you very much. I don't want to seem harsh on this video: it's what I would call a "classy" product, and probably a totally comprehensive Bernstein portrait is far beyond the possibilities of a 2-hour video, but if it's Bernstein the musician that you really want to get to know, you'll learn much more from the 10-minute part devoted to him by the marvelous Teldec video "The Art of conducting".
Rating:
Summary: Not as good as I expected
Review: I was a bit disappointed by this release., especially considering PBS' impeccable credentials. The very beginning set my expectations very high : slow-motion, artsily fuzzy sequences from Bernstein's funeral cortège through the street of NY, touchingly commented by his son. Very intense, but also very telling of the overall approach of the movie : the man first , and then the musician. It's not an easy task because, as those interested into this great composer-conductor know well, Bernstein was a very complicated, troubled and sometimes puzzling man. In this respect the video is very nicely done: it's pretty straighforward about potentially controversial issues like L.B.'s depressions or bisexuality, without sounding gossipy or trashy. All these aspects are described though lenghty interviews with L.B.' s son and daughters. This has obvious advantages but also shortcomings : I would have liked to hear somebody from outside the family, somebody less viscerally involved, so to say. I also liked the way the video gives us, through the Bernstein family's home movies, a fascinating idea of the life of the post-war American cultural elite. There are flaws, though. First of all, to apply the definition of "motion picture" to this documentary is, sometimes, kind of a stretch: the viewer spends decidedly too much time staring at vintage photographs with an audio commentary not especially related to them. This is actually baffling, because I don't think there has ever been a more filmed or recorded artist than L.B. and it's hard to believe that PBS could not obtain the rights on more video performances from Deutsche Grammophon, Sony/CBS and whoever else. Through the narration we learn about L.B.'s ascent to prominence and his lifelong internal struggle between the great conductor he was and the great composer he desperately wanted to be, but there aren't enough visual demonstrations of the great music that flowed from this troubled soul. And we don't get much of the legendary impact of a Bernstein performance either. In this respect the few interviews to musicians don't help much, being for the most part ridicolously brief (average 2 minutes) : a world-class maestro like Andre' Previn is just allowed the time to say that "L.B. was the figure who had the greatest influence on American music". Thank you very much. I don't want to seem harsh on this video: it's what I would call a "classy" product, and probably a totally comprehensive Bernstein portrait is far beyond the possibilities of a 2-hour video, but if it's Bernstein the musician that you really want to get to know, you'll learn much more from the 10-minute part devoted to him by the marvelous Teldec video "The Art of conducting".
Rating:
Summary: Absolute BERNSTEIN!
Review: It has been said many times that music is the universal language. While the truth of this statement is self-evident, occasionally even universal languages require translators. For that, great men such as Leonard Bernstein have stepped to the fore to assist the rest of us in understanding what is perhaps man's single greatest art form.
This is a magnificent documentary of the life of this incredible individual. Leonard Bernstein can be called the Carl Sagan of classical music. What the Cornell astronomer did to popularize science to a wide audience, so too did the conductor do the same for classical music. The present DVD traces the remarkable career of Bernstein from his early flirtations with fame up through to his death in 1990.
The footage contains commentary by his daughters, son, friends and fellow conductors and musicians. Some of the notable names to compile the latter groups are Michael Tilson Thomas, Seiji Ozawa, Isaac Stern and Andre Previn. All angles of his life are covered, from his professional life to his personal life to his struggles with his bi-sexuality.
The shortcomings of this DVD are few, but I am compelled to point them out. For one, it is only hinted at a few times just how diverse Bernstein's taste in music was. Not everyone knows this, but he was a huge fan of both the BEATLES and PINK FLOYD. Some anecdotes from the likes of people such as David Gilmour and Paul McCartney would have complemented this DVD nicely. Both knew Lenny and were friends of his.
Also, it would have been nice to have learned more about his childhood. They pretty much skimmed over that, for the most part. The "story" portrayed almost begins where he sub-conducted for Bruno Walter, getting his big break.
That said, this is a must-buy for all fans of music, all fans of Leonard Bernstein, and all fans of the human race. Paul Hindemuth once said "Those who make music together cannot be enemies. So long as the music lasts." Hence, nobody could ever be a true enemy of the great Leonard Bernstein, for he made music with the entire world.
Rating:
Summary: A Dancer in a Musician world
Review: Leonard Bernstein for me is a person who breaks walls, Walls between east and west, Walls between different people, Walls between past and future, Walls between classes, Walls between music, dance and theater. I had attended many of his concerts, And this DVD which is very much informative keeps him alive for me.
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