Leonard Bernstein: A Biography

by Joan Peyser

Peyser, Joan

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Andrew Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

The negative reviews that you find here and on Amazon should not be overly heeded. Although Peyser does not write a hagiography of Leonard Bernstein as some of his fans would prefer, neither does she tear him apart unfairly.

I adore Leonard Bernstein. Yet finding out he was an egomaniac who pouted when he wasn't the center of attention does not take away my insane love for his talent, showmanship, and bravery. Peyser does her best to paint Bernstein as a real person with faults and blemishes. She also did her homework and gives an in depth account of his growth as a pianist, conductor, and composer, placing his concerts, compositions, television specials, recordings, and lectures in their historical context.

As far as what critics have made of her "obsession" with Bernstein's homosexuality, I don't believe a reader in 2015 would see it that way. Now that being gay isn't as big a deal, I don't think Peyser's discussion of it would be that big of a deal. I am grateful that she deals with Bernstein's sexuality frankly throughout the book. It is an interesting perspective to see this icon in this light . . .

I read the last few chapters as slowly as possible. I did not want them to end. And even though I knew this book was published while Bernstein was living and therefore wouldn't get to his death, the book brought him so alive to me, I didn't want to face the world without him.

[Peter Ruark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found much of the book fascinating and informative, but ultimately this biography left me wanting. It does a good job in describing the beginning of his career and his career milestones, but ultimately I would have preferred fewer details of Bernstein's personal life and more about his recordings. I would have liked a discussion of, for example, what drew him to conduct Mahler but not Bruckner? Which recordings was he happy with and which was he not so happy with? Many of the personal life accounts are interesting, but some are not and veer close to "too much information." I personally care less about a conductor's sex life and more about their vision--and Bernstein truly was a visionary. He wanted a distinctly "American" classical music tradition and mentored and championed American composers; he wrote of Mahler that he was a composer "whose time has come" and made the first notable American recordings of Mahler; he had a distinctive approach to conducting; and he had a passion for educating laypeople and the young about music. Too little about this was included in the book.

All that said, this was still a worthwhile book to read.

[Sophie Wieland · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
While it provided a reasonably well-balanced and nicely sourced perspective of Bernstein, my biggest bone to pick is that the book was not terribly chronological. A biography without such a feature repeats events and stories, and probably leaves others out. I couldn't have determined if certain events happened multiple times or were only told multiple times even if I had been taking extensive notes while reading.

[Giosué · Rating 1 out of 5]

The worst biography of Bernstein, stay away. Much better to read Humphrey Burton's bio of LB. The writing is leaps and bounds better and the author does not have an axe to grind the way Peyser had. This is a tabloid piece. Steer clear.

[Scott Fuchs · Rating 3 out of 5]

INTERESTING BUT SUCH A NASTY ACCOUNT

[Henry Sturcke]

From the "now that he's dead, we can dish out the gossip" school of biography. Hey, I like lunchroom slander as much as anyone. It's a shame it is no help in accounting for the man's genius.