Season Opener: Bernstein & Bolcom

2008 is the 90th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s birth, and it’s also William Bolcom’s 70th birthday year. Steve has a deep connection to and history with both of these men and their music, and he was characteristically generous in sharing it with all of us. Of course, the music stands on its own quite well, but the context Steve gives it is unparalleled.

In case you’re curious, the complete program:

Leonard Bernstein
My House (from Peter Pan)
Mr. and Mrs. Webb Say Goodnight (from Arias and Barcarolles)
Love Duet (from Arias and Barcarolles)
Piccola Serenata
Storyette H.M. (from Songfest)
Dream with Me (from Peter Pan)
100 Easy Ways to Lose a Man (from Wonderful Town)
A Little Bit in Love (from Wonderful Town)
Seena (from White House Cantata)
Wrong Note Rag (from Wonderful Town)
Spring Will Come Again (from The Skin of Our Teeth)
Ya Got Me (from On the Town)

William Bolcom
Graceful Ghost: Piano Rag
How to Swing Those Obbligatos Around (from I Will Breathe A Mountain)
The Sage (from I Will Breathe A Mountain)
Otherwise (from Briefly it Enters)
If It’s Gold You Got (from McTeague)
Golden Babies (from McTeague)
Drive Me, Driver (from Casino Paradise)
Song of Black Max (from Cabaret Songs Book I)
Waitin‘(from Cabaret Songs Book I)
Blue (from Cabaret Songs Book IV)

And, from the Bolcom/Morris cabaret catalogue:
Humphrey Bogart……………………….Leiber & Stoller
Bruce…………………………………………..Wallowitch
Yip-I-Addy-I-Ay………………………..Flynn & Cobb

Encore
Nachspiel (from Bernstein’s Arias and Barcarolles)

I’d love to be able to post some audio snippets, and will try to do so if time and energy allow.