Classical Pick of the Week: Bernstein with the LA Phil

Bernstein is probably best known in popular culture today as the composer for music from West Side Story. College Humor updated the story for the 21st century, complete with references to twitter, facebook, and pandora.

LA Phil guest conductor Bramwell Tovey conducts the LA Phil this Tuesday at 8 PM in a program of Bernstein and Barber. The program includes Bernstein's Overture to "Candide" and the piece "On the Waterfront". James Ehnes and Bramwell Tovey won a Grammy for their collaboration on a CD which includes a recording of the Barber concerto. To celebrate the centenary of Samuel Barber, The Barber concerto will also be performed at this concert, along with the Intermezzo from Vanessa. Expect to see more of Barber in the upcoming months.

Note: Bernstein and Barber had an on-again off-again relationship throughout the centuries that led to at least one fruitful collaboration. Although Koussevitzky premiered the Violin Concerto, Barber wrote to Bernstein following that premiere in hopes of convincing Bernstein to record the piece. This resulted in the 1965 recording of Leonard Bernstein conducting the NY Phil and Isaac Stern (LAist recommends this recording, or any recording of Isaac Stern).