Leonard Bernstein’s only engagement with the BBC Symphony Orchestra took place in April 1982. Founded in 1930 by Sir Adrian Boult, the orchestra was admired for its interpretations of contemporary music, and had played host to distinguished conductors such as Arturo Toscanini and Bruno Walter.

Bernstein and the orchestra got off to a rocky start – Bernstein was spectacularly late for the first rehearsal and made no apology for this. But out of this rough beginning grew a partnership between orchestra and conductor that resulted in perhaps the most controversial and infamous, and perhaps the most beautifully intense, interpretation of Elgar’s Engima Variations. Most famously, under Bernstein’s baton, ‘Nimrod’ (Variation IX) lasts five minutes and fifteen seconds – nearly twice as long as most versions.

But, as Humphrey Burton quotes in the liner notes for this release - ‘when you can see the music as well as hearing it, when you watch on camera the intensity of Bernstein’s beat and body language (particularly in the studio rehearsal where he implores the orchestra to ‘keep it as pure and noble as you can’) you are caught up in this wonderfully spiritual music.’

Humphrey Burton’s booklet note is informative and enlightening, and provides a unique perspective on the conductor and the DVD programme – in particular the rehearsal, which he directed. As an eminent broadcaster, biographer and director, he had a 20-year association with Bernstein, during which he directed over 170 concerts and documentaries.

The DVD also contains the rehearsal of the Enigma Variations at the BBC studios, and an interview with Leonard Bernstein by Barry Norman about the themes relating to the variations, with Japanese, German and French subtitles.

This is the first release of this material on DVD.

‘I now want to build up a library of actual performances on film for television. I like recording very much because there are so many ways you can direct attention to aspects of the music that is just not possible in an everyday concert.’ - Leonard Bernstein, Gramophone (1970)

1 DVD
Sound format: Enhanced Stereo
DVD format: NTSC
Picture format: 4:3
Running time: 65’
Subtitles: F/G/J
Menu languages: English
Booklet languages: E/F/G
Region code: 0
Territory Restrictions: None