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On the Road and Off the Record with Leonard Bernstein Lib/E: My Years with the Exasperating Genius
Leonard Bernstein reeked of cheap cologne and obviously hadn't showered, shaved, or slept in a while. Was he drunk to boot? He greeted his new assistant with "What are you drinking?" Yes, he was drunk.
Charlie Harmon was hired to manage the day-to-day parts of Bernstein's life. There was one additional responsibility: make sure Bernstein met the deadline for an opera commission. But things kept getting in the way: the centenary of Igor Stravinsky, intestinal parasites picked up in Mexico, teaching all summer in Los Angeles, a baker's dozen of young men, plus depression, exhaustion, insomnia, and cut-throat games of anagrams. Did the opera get written?
For four years, Charlie saw Bernstein every day, as his social director, gatekeeper, valet, music copyist, and itinerant orchestra librarian. He packed (and unpacked) Bernstein's umpteen pieces of luggage, got the Maestro to his concerts, kept him occupied changing planes in Zurich, Anchorage, Tokyo, or Madrid, and learned how to make small talk with mayors, ambassadors, a chancellor, a queen, and a Hollywood legend or two. How could anyone absorb all those people and places? Because there was music: late-night piano duets, or the Maestro's command to accompany an audition, or, by the way, the greatest orchestras in the world. Charlie did it, and this is what it was like, told for the first time.
A celebratory, intimate, and detailed look at the public and private life of Leonard Bernstein written by his former assistant. Foreword by Broadway legend Harold Prince.
Charlie Harmon was hired to manage the day-to-day parts of Bernstein's life. There was one additional responsibility: make sure Bernstein met the deadline for an opera commission. But things kept getting in the way: the centenary of Igor Stravinsky, intestinal parasites picked up in Mexico, teaching all summer in Los Angeles, a baker's dozen of young men, plus depression, exhaustion, insomnia, and cut-throat games of anagrams. Did the opera get written?
For four years, Charlie saw Bernstein every day, as his social director, gatekeeper, valet, music copyist, and itinerant orchestra librarian. He packed (and unpacked) Bernstein's umpteen pieces of luggage, got the Maestro to his concerts, kept him occupied changing planes in Zurich, Anchorage, Tokyo, or Madrid, and learned how to make small talk with mayors, ambassadors, a chancellor, a queen, and a Hollywood legend or two. How could anyone absorb all those people and places? Because there was music: late-night piano duets, or the Maestro's command to accompany an audition, or, by the way, the greatest orchestras in the world. Charlie did it, and this is what it was like, told for the first time.
A celebratory, intimate, and detailed look at the public and private life of Leonard Bernstein written by his former assistant. Foreword by Broadway legend Harold Prince.
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First published January 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
April 20, 2018
This advance reader copy was provided by Penguin Random House via NetGalley.
My love of biographies, particularly those of celebrities and/or musicians, led me to this book. While I've certainly heard of the name Leonard Bernstein and that he was associated with music in iconic proportions, I knew next to nothing about him. Well, he's just the guy who wrote the music to the legendary musical "West Side Story" and is a world famous conductor of orchestras. Nicknamed "Maestro", Bernstein travelled the world on a brutal schedule instructing college students, conducting orchestras, writing new scores and making recordings.
In the early 1980s Charlie Harmon answered an ad under "M" for Musician in the Sunday New York Times seeking an assistant for a "world-class" musician. The skill set required was to read music, be available to travel, speak some European languages and be very organized. Prior to Harmon's hiring, Bernstein changed personal assistants like the blur of a revolving door.
I got exhausted just reading about all Charlie Harmon had to do in his role as personal assistant to Leonard Bernstein, a role he served during the last years of Bernstein's life. Presented with Bernstein's punishing schedule of work and travel, Harmon's duties included carefully packing up 20+ trunks and boarding them on planes all over the world. Very knowledgeable in orchestra music himself, Harmon was often called upon to prepare and "mark up" sheet music to Bernstein's specifications for various orchestras.
Bernstein's main residence was the imposing and impressive Dakota building, which had just seen the recent murder of Beatle John Lennon prior to Harmon coming on board. Another celebrity neighbor often encountered in the Dakota building was actress Lauren Bacall. During his role as personal assistant to Leonard Bernstein, Harmon would find himself rubbing elbows with many celebrities.
Harmon kept a diary throughout his years working for Bernstein from which he drew upon intricate details for this book. The writing is intelligent, authentic, knowledgeable and intimate. Just to offer a few glimpses into the private world of Bernstein, while pining for his deceased wife Felicia (whose apparition others could see while Bernstein did not), Bernstein was often found waking up with a male in his bed...prompting Harmon to go back to fetch a second cup of morning coffee. Bernstein smoked too much, relied on Dexedrines for energy and refused to eat at the same table with his cook.
Although after several grueling years working for Bernstein Harmon resigned as personal assistant, he continued to work for Bernstein in other very important capacities such as his archivist and editing Bernstein's scores after his death. Indeed, when Harmon last visited Bernstein at the Dakota the day before his death, "LB" said, "Please look after my music." And he did.
My love of biographies, particularly those of celebrities and/or musicians, led me to this book. While I've certainly heard of the name Leonard Bernstein and that he was associated with music in iconic proportions, I knew next to nothing about him. Well, he's just the guy who wrote the music to the legendary musical "West Side Story" and is a world famous conductor of orchestras. Nicknamed "Maestro", Bernstein travelled the world on a brutal schedule instructing college students, conducting orchestras, writing new scores and making recordings.
In the early 1980s Charlie Harmon answered an ad under "M" for Musician in the Sunday New York Times seeking an assistant for a "world-class" musician. The skill set required was to read music, be available to travel, speak some European languages and be very organized. Prior to Harmon's hiring, Bernstein changed personal assistants like the blur of a revolving door.
I got exhausted just reading about all Charlie Harmon had to do in his role as personal assistant to Leonard Bernstein, a role he served during the last years of Bernstein's life. Presented with Bernstein's punishing schedule of work and travel, Harmon's duties included carefully packing up 20+ trunks and boarding them on planes all over the world. Very knowledgeable in orchestra music himself, Harmon was often called upon to prepare and "mark up" sheet music to Bernstein's specifications for various orchestras.
Bernstein's main residence was the imposing and impressive Dakota building, which had just seen the recent murder of Beatle John Lennon prior to Harmon coming on board. Another celebrity neighbor often encountered in the Dakota building was actress Lauren Bacall. During his role as personal assistant to Leonard Bernstein, Harmon would find himself rubbing elbows with many celebrities.
Harmon kept a diary throughout his years working for Bernstein from which he drew upon intricate details for this book. The writing is intelligent, authentic, knowledgeable and intimate. Just to offer a few glimpses into the private world of Bernstein, while pining for his deceased wife Felicia (whose apparition others could see while Bernstein did not), Bernstein was often found waking up with a male in his bed...prompting Harmon to go back to fetch a second cup of morning coffee. Bernstein smoked too much, relied on Dexedrines for energy and refused to eat at the same table with his cook.
Although after several grueling years working for Bernstein Harmon resigned as personal assistant, he continued to work for Bernstein in other very important capacities such as his archivist and editing Bernstein's scores after his death. Indeed, when Harmon last visited Bernstein at the Dakota the day before his death, "LB" said, "Please look after my music." And he did.
October 19, 2018
Once you get over the shock of this musical genius being described as a "diminutive, decidedly derelict geriatric cocooned in an enormous white parka" who was "shriveled and wizened and wildly unkempt," who hadn't "shaved or showered that day" and "reeked of rancid suntan lotion, strong cologne, and a damp-dog rankness that wafted from his parka's wolf fur," Charlie Harmon's memoir settles down into something slightly less excoriating.
Harmon, a self-described "feckless, overeducated, and lazy gay man," was Bernstein's personal assistant from 1982 to 1986. With a degree in composition from Carnegie-Mellon, he's responsible for packing the entourage's many suitcases and trunks, bringing coffee and breakfast to the genius and whatever young man is in bed with him that morning, keeping the schedule, complying with requests for concert tickets, and a million other details and tasks, but he also knows enough about music to respond to Bernstein's request in the middle of the night to quickly come when two more hands are needed to play the piece he has just written for the opera "A Quiet Place." After Bernstein dies, he becomes the music editor for his estate, producing full scores and vocal scores for many works.
Bernstein was a man of large and mostly unhealthy appetites, for sex, Scotch, cigarettes, amphetamines. He could be a mean drunk (once, slapping Harmon), and when he came down from his Dexedrine highs, would disappear into bed and depression. He could also be caring, writing Harmon a check to cover his depression medication and more after the psychiatrist Bernstein had demanded he see ordered the suicidal Harmon to enter treatment immediately. The sadness that sometimes descended over him came from the fear that "People like me for what I do, not for who I am."
The memoir contains bits you are delighted to learn, such as how the pianist Krystian Zimerman found out it was Harmon's birthday and asked what he could do for him, then played a Chopin mazurka; and bits you aren't, such as a description of Bernstein's turds in the stool sample Harmon is tasked with taking to the doctor.
Bernstein sexually harassed Harmon once, with a "solid pat" to the crotch. Harmon removes Bernstein's hand, and describes this as a "test," later confirming with another assistant that this happened to others. The now-disgraced James Levine offers to take over Harmon's assistant job for one night at Ravinia, being at-the-ready with towels for Bernstein's intermission sweatiness, and a fresh cigarette. Harmon accepts and disappears. He sometimes reveals which bigwigs are kind, and which are utter assholes (Christoph Eschenbach among them).
Since Harmon is new to writing, it's not always smooth. We move herky-jerkily from anecdote to anecdote, and it's not always clear what the tone is when someone says something, so the reader doesn't know what to make of it. And what are we supposed to think of multiple people, including Harmon, spotting Felicia Bernstein (dead for 7 years) around the house?
Whenever young conductors were auditioning for Bernstein, Harmon seemed to become bored and depart with a book. I would have liked to hear his critiques of them. And although I have no real interest in Broadway music, this was intriguing:
LB said that when he was writing the score [for West Side Story] in the 1950s, as he played the dance numbers at the piano, Jerome Robbins stood behind him. "Eight more bars of that," Robbins would say, pressing his hands into LB's shoulders. So LB would figure out how to elongate a musical phrase by eight bars, while also keeping judicious proportions within each musical number. Robbins needed enough music to get people across the stage; Bernstein wanted the music to have a shape. Everything came together, but very quickly.
Typos:
Marilyn Munroe for Marilyn Monroe
discrete for discreet
October 6, 2017
"Please look after my music"
The Maestro's last words to his long-time assistant Charlie Harmon. But in many ways, he wasn't the Maestro to "Charlito", he was LB as their relationship evolved over the four plus years that Harmon worked for him. Longer than any other assistant. Some of the Bernstein stories are iconic and oft told, but I learned a lot about the man and his attendants as Harmon traveled with him from Bloomington, Indiana to western Massachusetts, Vienna, Jerusalem, Tokyo and beyond in the early to mid 80s.
This is in many ways a testament to the music world - LB Aaron Copland, Harry Kraut, Gore Vidal... They're all gone. The Orient Express and the Concorde are gone. James Levine is no longer conducting the Met Opera. But the orchestras remain. Vienna Philharmonic, La Scala, Tanglewood. The Maestro's beloved New York Philharmonic still performs its annual concert for peace on New Years Eve.
"But I had betrayed LB's trust in me"
Harmon may have thought so once he quit working for Kraut some years after Bernstein died, but I don't think he did. Is Bernstein gone? I think he lives on in his music, and in the memories of those like Harmon who worked along side him, protecting the Maestro and his legacy from "Mississippi Mud"
While its fitting to read this as the centennial begins with the Maestro's 99th birthday, I wish I'd been more aware of the significance of November 14th and read this then.
A solid read, whether or not you're already familiar with Bernstein, Harmon's stories will teach you a lot about the man behind the Maestro, LB.
"Be curious, stay eager to learn. Ask all the questions you can think of. And then listen. Carefully, quietly, deeply."
The Maestro's last words to his long-time assistant Charlie Harmon. But in many ways, he wasn't the Maestro to "Charlito", he was LB as their relationship evolved over the four plus years that Harmon worked for him. Longer than any other assistant. Some of the Bernstein stories are iconic and oft told, but I learned a lot about the man and his attendants as Harmon traveled with him from Bloomington, Indiana to western Massachusetts, Vienna, Jerusalem, Tokyo and beyond in the early to mid 80s.
This is in many ways a testament to the music world - LB Aaron Copland, Harry Kraut, Gore Vidal... They're all gone. The Orient Express and the Concorde are gone. James Levine is no longer conducting the Met Opera. But the orchestras remain. Vienna Philharmonic, La Scala, Tanglewood. The Maestro's beloved New York Philharmonic still performs its annual concert for peace on New Years Eve.
"But I had betrayed LB's trust in me"
Harmon may have thought so once he quit working for Kraut some years after Bernstein died, but I don't think he did. Is Bernstein gone? I think he lives on in his music, and in the memories of those like Harmon who worked along side him, protecting the Maestro and his legacy from "Mississippi Mud"
While its fitting to read this as the centennial begins with the Maestro's 99th birthday, I wish I'd been more aware of the significance of November 14th and read this then.
A solid read, whether or not you're already familiar with Bernstein, Harmon's stories will teach you a lot about the man behind the Maestro, LB.
"Be curious, stay eager to learn. Ask all the questions you can think of. And then listen. Carefully, quietly, deeply."
October 20, 2017
Charlie Harmon with a degree in orchestral music from Carnegie-Mellon, finds himself at 31 acting as assistant to Leonard Bernstein, one of the towering figures in the field of music of the twentieth century. After a three-hour interview in which he learns of the upcoming schedule for 1982, he was reluctant to take the job since he felt he was a "low energy person" and the position required someone younger and more up to the demands. But his qualifications got him the job without having even met the maestro himself, and he first is required to spend a number of weeks at the Jacobs School of Music at the University of Indiana. Thus began four years of the frenetic task of taking care of the personal needs of Maestro Bernstein but at the same time, meeting an endless number of those at the top of the music world and beyond. It was great fun learning about LB -- his flamboyant, demanding nature but also his genius and flashes of warmth. At times it felt like he was almost a cliche of the temperamental divo, and Harmon left his role as personal assistant, and moved upstairs so to speak as personal archivist, a role he continued to occupy after Bernstein's death in 1990. Worth reading if you have interest in well known personalities of the arts.
November 16, 2018
Bernstein was larger than life, so it’s a pleasant surprise that a book as short as this one offers such a satisfying glimpse of the maestro. The overall impression is that Bernstein had a big heart but regularly mistreated underlings. The mistreatment mostly involved fits of anxiety or anger but could on occasion involve unwanted sexual advances. Harmon tried excruciatingly hard to measure up to Bernstein’s exacting standards, and the book documents Harmon’s successes and failures in very readable prose that makes it easy to empathize with Harmon.
For his professionalism and talent, his love of being a teacher, and his ability to sustain the many foibles that come from keeping to a hectic schedule year after year, Bernstein surely deserved the admiration he received. Still, if you ever entertained fantasies about working as a famous person’s personal assistant, this book will go a long way toward helping you reconsider.
I read Jamie Bernstein’s “Famous Father Girl” shortly before picking up this book. Both are intimate portraits and are totally worth reading, and even though they’re written from very different perspectives, there’s nothing in one that is at all inconsistent with the other. But of the two, Harmon’s book is much more revealing, if only because Harmon’s experiences with his subject cover a wider range of circumstances.
For his professionalism and talent, his love of being a teacher, and his ability to sustain the many foibles that come from keeping to a hectic schedule year after year, Bernstein surely deserved the admiration he received. Still, if you ever entertained fantasies about working as a famous person’s personal assistant, this book will go a long way toward helping you reconsider.
I read Jamie Bernstein’s “Famous Father Girl” shortly before picking up this book. Both are intimate portraits and are totally worth reading, and even though they’re written from very different perspectives, there’s nothing in one that is at all inconsistent with the other. But of the two, Harmon’s book is much more revealing, if only because Harmon’s experiences with his subject cover a wider range of circumstances.
July 11, 2022
Obsessed w this book ! Gives such an interesting and new insight on Bernstein. I love how the author does not sugar coat his experience with the maestro, but instead tells us even the unlikable aspects. Def would recommend especially to my musician friends !
February 14, 2018
A series of vignettes written by one of Leonard Bernstein's assistants, this book was an interesting look into the chaotic life of a mercurial genius. Beginning from the moment the author, Charlie Harmon, sees a job ad requesting a personal assistant and ending with Bernstein's death and legacy, this book traces the ups and downs of the latter years of the musician's life.
As someone with only passing knowledge of Bernstein and his accomplishments, this book did a good job at bringing me up to speed and giving me a peek into what life as a musical elite would be like. This isn't a thorough biography of the composer, nor a deep exploration of his music, so I wouldn't recommend this book for people looking for either of these things. Nonetheless, it is a detailed look at the late years of the man's life: his mood swings, his drug use, his love for his family, his passion for his work, how rapidly he could fluctuate between kindness and cruelty, and what a hectic schedule and life he kept and spread to the people around him. Fans of Bernstein would certainly find this book a complementary read to their knowledge of the man.
Parts of the book got too dense for me in terms of name-dropping—it got difficult keeping straight who was who and which part of the world were they currently touring around (and to be fair, I suppose this may simply be an accurate representation of what a confusing whirlwind the author's job as a personal assistant was). I also would've like more about Bernstein's work process and how he made his art.
All in all, it was an interesting memoir that would resonate strongly with Bernstein fans and music aficionados. Not the easiest read at some bits, but it adds another dimension to the man.
As someone with only passing knowledge of Bernstein and his accomplishments, this book did a good job at bringing me up to speed and giving me a peek into what life as a musical elite would be like. This isn't a thorough biography of the composer, nor a deep exploration of his music, so I wouldn't recommend this book for people looking for either of these things. Nonetheless, it is a detailed look at the late years of the man's life: his mood swings, his drug use, his love for his family, his passion for his work, how rapidly he could fluctuate between kindness and cruelty, and what a hectic schedule and life he kept and spread to the people around him. Fans of Bernstein would certainly find this book a complementary read to their knowledge of the man.
Parts of the book got too dense for me in terms of name-dropping—it got difficult keeping straight who was who and which part of the world were they currently touring around (and to be fair, I suppose this may simply be an accurate representation of what a confusing whirlwind the author's job as a personal assistant was). I also would've like more about Bernstein's work process and how he made his art.
All in all, it was an interesting memoir that would resonate strongly with Bernstein fans and music aficionados. Not the easiest read at some bits, but it adds another dimension to the man.
November 20, 2017
Music fans curious about Bernstein behind the scenes will find lovely vignettes about the Maestro's life on and off the stage. If you are looking for a complete biography of Bernstein, this book is not it - it instead focuses on the years when the author worked as assistant to Bernstein. The photos and memorabilia are interesting to look at, and make Bernstein come to life. Those who only know him through his music will enjoy learning more about him behind the baton or the composition paper.
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 27, 2017
An unkempt and redolent drunk greeted Charlie Harmon, a socially insecure gay job seeker, when the door opened for Charlie’s interview. It was Harmon’s first glimpse of a music icon and he was hired by the man to be his assistant. Little did he know that the next four years would be a time of turmoil, exhaustion, world travel, and frustration, all tempered by a wondrous journey into the world of classical music. His life would be filled with responsibility, trying to keep the celebrated conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein on a hectic schedule while dealing with the Maestro’s frailties and peccadillos.
Harmon was immediately ensconced in a frenetic world with little free time to get any rest. His regular duties were immense and, to top it off, there seemed to be some resentment towards Charlie by Harry Kraut, Bernstein’s long time manager, who seemed determined to make Charlie’s life miserable. Somehow he managed to juggle it all and find the time to chronicle his experiences in “On the Road and Off the Record with Leonard Bernstein,” written after Bernstein’s death in 1990.
Bernstein was in constant demand. He was constantly on the move, traveling from country to country as he conducted world famous orchestras, lectured exceptional musicians, organized top-level symposiums, and collaborated with other celebrated composers and musicians in his role as the most famous maestro in the world.
Bernstein traveled big with huge stacks of luggage, vast portfolios of music, and huge groups of people that needed to be coddled. There were deadlines to be met, transportation details to attend to, important meetings to be held, prestigious functions to be attended, important big-wigs to be indulged, and it was up to Charlie to make sure his undependable boss carried out all his obligations. That was his main job.
Other auxiliary duties included being the gatekeeper to Bernstein, his valet, music copyist and librarian and he had to pack twenty or thirty huge trunks of luggage every time a new location was in the offing. He was Bernstein’s pharmacist, sounding post, drinking partner, and companion, although he often had to stay up getting everything ready for another trip while Bernstein slept off another drunken night.
When I finished the book I was exhausted. It was threes weeks before I could even start this review. Before Charlie finished his term of employment, he was seeking professional help, suffering from a number of stress related ailments. But, oh, the places he’d been, the people he hobnobbed with, and the wonderful musical performances he experienced. His role as the Maestro’s personal savior makes Charlie Harmon a wonderful guide, introducing us to magical places and legendary celebrities. I’ll not be a namedropper, as was Bernstein, but rest assured you’ll thrill at the people you meet.
November 20, 2017
I have seen on television large productions of musicals or plays and never thought about all the extra work that goes into making those productions successes. It never crossed my mind how many people are standing behind the scenes, helping with every little detail of a conductors life. Then I read On the Road and Off the Record with Leonard Bernstein by Charlie Harmon and I realized all the extra things someone of Leonard Bernstein's status requires. The amount of travel and everyday little things that made Leonard Bernstein's life manageable was very overwhelming. At some parts, my head was spinning from the constant travel and maneuvering of the luggage, and I was only reading about it, not living it.
The novel written by Charlie Harmon describes his job title of the assistant to Leonard Bernstein from 1982-1986. Harmon gives accurate; if overwhelming, detail of the day to day life that he was thrown into with little preparation. Dealing with the manager and the other people involved with Bernstein's life would be enough to make even the most tough-skinned people move on, but Harmon stuck it out for four years. The longest any of Bernstein's assistants lasted. Harmon's everyday life of fetching towels and drinks to editing music was written with grace and extravagance. It was a beautiful glimpse of life on the road with the American musical composer of West side story, and his extravagant lifestyle. Maestro's love of music is shown by how passionate he could be if a little aggressive. "He go with God" was how Bernstein's Housekeeper describe his daring driving and living. He never seemed to stop, sleeping weird hours and throwing himself entirely into his music, but living life to the fullest.
This novel was a brief look at the interesting life of a musical genius. Harmon had an experience of a lifetime, meeting great composers and opera singers, actors, and actresses. The novel is an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish, as I found myself hating Bernstein at some points, then thinking of him like a fatherly figure to Harmon.
This novel shows us that everyone has demons that they must face, how they deal with them is up to the individual. It never hurts to talk about anything that is on your mind, opposed to keeping all bottled up. The novel briefly talks about homosexuality, the Aids epidemic, and mental illness while showing people that The Maestro was human just like everyone else.
Intriguing, compelling and fast-paced, you won't want to put it down.
I would like to thank NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The novel written by Charlie Harmon describes his job title of the assistant to Leonard Bernstein from 1982-1986. Harmon gives accurate; if overwhelming, detail of the day to day life that he was thrown into with little preparation. Dealing with the manager and the other people involved with Bernstein's life would be enough to make even the most tough-skinned people move on, but Harmon stuck it out for four years. The longest any of Bernstein's assistants lasted. Harmon's everyday life of fetching towels and drinks to editing music was written with grace and extravagance. It was a beautiful glimpse of life on the road with the American musical composer of West side story, and his extravagant lifestyle. Maestro's love of music is shown by how passionate he could be if a little aggressive. "He go with God" was how Bernstein's Housekeeper describe his daring driving and living. He never seemed to stop, sleeping weird hours and throwing himself entirely into his music, but living life to the fullest.
This novel was a brief look at the interesting life of a musical genius. Harmon had an experience of a lifetime, meeting great composers and opera singers, actors, and actresses. The novel is an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish, as I found myself hating Bernstein at some points, then thinking of him like a fatherly figure to Harmon.
This novel shows us that everyone has demons that they must face, how they deal with them is up to the individual. It never hurts to talk about anything that is on your mind, opposed to keeping all bottled up. The novel briefly talks about homosexuality, the Aids epidemic, and mental illness while showing people that The Maestro was human just like everyone else.
Intriguing, compelling and fast-paced, you won't want to put it down.
I would like to thank NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2020
The title just about says it all: On the Road and Off the Record with Leonard Bernstein . . . author Charlie Harmon takes a deep dive into the datebooks he meticulously must have kept to recount the four years he spent as assistant to the Maestro he describes as an Exasperating Genius. “Assistant” only loosely describes Harmon’s role with the music and the man and the requirements of the job - jet-setting around the world, while maintaining Bernstein’s (LB’s) exhausting career and private life.
A young and accomplished musician going “nowhere in particular” himself, Harmon was hired in 1982 in answer to a want ad in the classified section of the New York Times under the heading “M” seeking an assistant for a world-class musician. Harmon fit the few requirements for the job. Specifically, he was able to read music and free to travel; he sported a smattering of European languages and possessed a finely tuned set of organizational skills. Nothing, however, prepared him for the breakneck pace, the incessant needs, the idiosyncrasies and the glittering circles of Bernstein’s celebrity.
Beyond memoir, in 33 short chapters, Harmon pulls the curtain back to reveal the highs and debilitating lows of a tortured artist, a very different Bernstein than the dazzling, passionate Maestro we remember on the podium as the charismatic composer, conductor, educator and creator of the some of the most iconic American music of the 20th Century.
After four years on the road with Bernstein (whom he describes as his center of the universe, that immense gravitational field, that primordial Big Bang), Charlie “retired” with a gift of a lifetime – the key to Apartment 2DD, LB’s old studio in Osborn, with the request that he undertake the herculean task of cataloguing of the volumes of manuscripts, letters, lectures, writings and photos amassed by Helen Coates, Bernstein’s devoted musical caretaker. That first assignment easily turned into the position of LB’s music editor
“No fond farewells” . . . those were Bernstein’s last words to Charlie Harmon – gently spoken only hours before the Maestro died on a Sunday afternoon in October 1990. “Then he took my hand, and said, ‘Please look after of my music.’ And Charlie Hamon has done just that: as music editor for the estate of Leonard Bernstein, he has edited the first publications of full scores of West Side Story, Candide, On the Town, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and Mass. Hanson has also served as the orchestra librarian for the New York Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Nice work if you can get it.
A young and accomplished musician going “nowhere in particular” himself, Harmon was hired in 1982 in answer to a want ad in the classified section of the New York Times under the heading “M” seeking an assistant for a world-class musician. Harmon fit the few requirements for the job. Specifically, he was able to read music and free to travel; he sported a smattering of European languages and possessed a finely tuned set of organizational skills. Nothing, however, prepared him for the breakneck pace, the incessant needs, the idiosyncrasies and the glittering circles of Bernstein’s celebrity.
Beyond memoir, in 33 short chapters, Harmon pulls the curtain back to reveal the highs and debilitating lows of a tortured artist, a very different Bernstein than the dazzling, passionate Maestro we remember on the podium as the charismatic composer, conductor, educator and creator of the some of the most iconic American music of the 20th Century.
After four years on the road with Bernstein (whom he describes as his center of the universe, that immense gravitational field, that primordial Big Bang), Charlie “retired” with a gift of a lifetime – the key to Apartment 2DD, LB’s old studio in Osborn, with the request that he undertake the herculean task of cataloguing of the volumes of manuscripts, letters, lectures, writings and photos amassed by Helen Coates, Bernstein’s devoted musical caretaker. That first assignment easily turned into the position of LB’s music editor
“No fond farewells” . . . those were Bernstein’s last words to Charlie Harmon – gently spoken only hours before the Maestro died on a Sunday afternoon in October 1990. “Then he took my hand, and said, ‘Please look after of my music.’ And Charlie Hamon has done just that: as music editor for the estate of Leonard Bernstein, he has edited the first publications of full scores of West Side Story, Candide, On the Town, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and Mass. Hanson has also served as the orchestra librarian for the New York Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Nice work if you can get it.
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April 23, 2024Did employees not sign NDAs back then? I'm surprised by the overwhelmingly positive reviews of a shameless exposé by an employee who sometimes called his employer a friend and claimed to have immense respect for him and his talent.
While Bernstein certainly sounded like the temperamental celebrity genius, trotting out his private life from every sweat-stained shirt and runny nose to sexual encounters is enormously disrespectful and exploitative unless the maestro himself signed off on a former assistant profiting from the behind-the-scenes of someone else's extraordinary life.
At least gossip is semi-private and appropriately self-aware (I shouldn't tell you this but.) But this public voyeuristic betrayal is like selling a secret peephole to your employer's bedroom.
Bernstein died 28 years before Harmon salaciously included private details of his life in an otherwise interesting account of the great conductor's life, replete with appropriate anecdotes like lobsters in bathtubs and world travel in historically renowned cultural landmarks.
Would he have published this memoir during Bernstein's lifetime? If not, why is it morally acceptable to do so after his death?
Harmon was loved by Bernstein's mother and trusted by his family. Bernstein's dying wish, his final words to Harmon were, "Look after my music." Not, write a self-pitying memoir that also details how much I sweat during concerts and everyone I slept with between 1981 and 1986.
It is, in a word, tacky.
Part of me thinks Bernstein himself would find some of the anecdotes uproariously funny. But in the absence of a signed contract or even a televised interview of him laughing and saying, sure, write whatever you want, tell them anything and everything, would. not. recommend.
While Bernstein certainly sounded like the temperamental celebrity genius, trotting out his private life from every sweat-stained shirt and runny nose to sexual encounters is enormously disrespectful and exploitative unless the maestro himself signed off on a former assistant profiting from the behind-the-scenes of someone else's extraordinary life.
At least gossip is semi-private and appropriately self-aware (I shouldn't tell you this but.) But this public voyeuristic betrayal is like selling a secret peephole to your employer's bedroom.
Bernstein died 28 years before Harmon salaciously included private details of his life in an otherwise interesting account of the great conductor's life, replete with appropriate anecdotes like lobsters in bathtubs and world travel in historically renowned cultural landmarks.
Would he have published this memoir during Bernstein's lifetime? If not, why is it morally acceptable to do so after his death?
Harmon was loved by Bernstein's mother and trusted by his family. Bernstein's dying wish, his final words to Harmon were, "Look after my music." Not, write a self-pitying memoir that also details how much I sweat during concerts and everyone I slept with between 1981 and 1986.
It is, in a word, tacky.
Part of me thinks Bernstein himself would find some of the anecdotes uproariously funny. But in the absence of a signed contract or even a televised interview of him laughing and saying, sure, write whatever you want, tell them anything and everything, would. not. recommend.
November 4, 2018
On the Road and Off the Record is not a biography of Leonard Bernstein but rather a voyeuristic peek into the back stage life of a musical genius as told by one of his long suffering assistants. Author Harmon assisted LB for four years. The high intensity job sent Charlie to the therapist's office as he handled all manner of tasks for the Maestro. The reader is taken into the often glamorous, sometimes sleazy, but always chaotic life of Mr. Bernstein and the helpers that allowed him to pursue his greatness while others handled the mundane aspects of every day life along with booking global travel with renowned orchestras. There are descriptions of parties, ribald poetry, glamor, slumming, gay sex which were all a part of LB's life. For a non-writer Charlie Harmon does a fine job depicting vignettes from his four years with Leonard Bernstein making this a must read for all fans of the great man and his musical legacy.
January 12, 2022
After reading "Growing Up Bernstein" by the composer/conductor's daughter Jamie, I looked for other books about him. Charlie Harmon, then in his early 30s, served as Leonard Bernstein's personal assistant for four years, 1982-1986. His duties ranged widely, from preparing (and, if necessary, copying) musical scores to making travel arrangements (and packing dozens of suitcases) to keeping track of Bernstein's social activities. It was exhausting, exhilarating, and eye-opening. There's a little too much emphasis on Harmon's private emotional struggles--but an unusual view of an amazing and incredible, at times maddeningly infuriating man.
April 24, 2025
I think Charlie Harmon tries to keep himself out of the book, trying to keep the spotlight on the big star L.B.; however it is Charlie who is the star of this book, and I want to know more about him. How he felt, how he ended up... How the rest of his life played out emotionally.
It is interesting to see glimpses of the famous L.B. and what his life was like; but like many of the rock and roll biographies I've read, the superstar most frequently ends up sounding like someone that I wouldn't want to be friends with... though perhaps I can be inspired by how driven they were, or how many hours they put into their craft.
I liked this book because of the tales of humanity throughout it.
It is interesting to see glimpses of the famous L.B. and what his life was like; but like many of the rock and roll biographies I've read, the superstar most frequently ends up sounding like someone that I wouldn't want to be friends with... though perhaps I can be inspired by how driven they were, or how many hours they put into their craft.
I liked this book because of the tales of humanity throughout it.
July 4, 2018
Knowing about Leonard Bernstein and his accomplishments, and having an appreciation for his body of work I decided to get this book from Net Galley.. I was glad I did. I was also glad I did not read any reviews prior to the reading of this book as it may have influenced me in some way. I will say that I thought it was impartial a reporting as possible for someone working so closely with their subject. I found the inside stories fascinating and helped shape a greater understanding of the legend. The writing was good and holds one's interest. I found the book very entertaining and informative.
October 1, 2018
Leonard Bernstein's assistant Charlie Harmon has written this book about his life and the life of Leonard Bernstein. This is a behind the scenes look at the life of a star. This book mainly covers the latter years of Leonard Bernstein's life. You will read about Charlie Harmon from the moment he saw a help wanted add up until after Bernstein's death and a little after. If you like non-fiction, if you like memoirs, and if you are a fan of Leonard Bernstein this is a very interesting book.
I received this book from the Author or Publisher via Netgalley.com and chose to leave this review.
I received this book from the Author or Publisher via Netgalley.com and chose to leave this review.
April 10, 2019
I love Leonard Bernstein's music - but didn't know a lot about his life. After reading this I find I know a lot more about one particular part of his life (as expected) and can add him to the list of Difficult Male Geniuses. I still love the music, but the man behind it is... trickier.
There's a lot of inside classical music stuff here - so probably one for the classical music aficionados rather than the casual fan (I am definitely the latter!).
***Copy from NetGallley (a long time ago) in return for an honest review****
There's a lot of inside classical music stuff here - so probably one for the classical music aficionados rather than the casual fan (I am definitely the latter!).
***Copy from NetGallley (a long time ago) in return for an honest review****
February 3, 2025
A really powerful memoir from someone who worked for one of the most fascinating figures in music. Harmon’s detailing of his daily life working as Leonard Bernstein’s assistant allows readers to understand just how tiring yet rewarding such a job is. Not to mention, getting even more of an understanding as to who Bernstein was, both as a person and as a professional, is extremely valuable.
I wish I was more consistent with my reading schedule once the fall semester had started, otherwise I would have finished this a lot sooner.
I wish I was more consistent with my reading schedule once the fall semester had started, otherwise I would have finished this a lot sooner.
August 13, 2018
If you want an in depth read about Bernstein this is not the book for you. If you want introduction to the conductor/ composer/ author/ teacher it is a fun place to start. The author reveals the day to day details of the maestros life and how he managed them for Bernstein for four years. I look forward to reading something that talks about his early years and family life and what his thinking about the music he wrote and conducted.
October 8, 2018
What is it like to work for a musical genius? Mr. Harmon took on the challenging task of being an assistant to Leonard Bernstein and gives readers an insider's and primarily even-handed look at what it was like. His years with the Maestro were not easy ones, and we are glad that he wrote this book to add to other authors' reflections on Leonard Bernstein personally and professionally. Recommended.
November 9, 2018
A good read for Bernstein fans, blending a terrifying look at the schedule of a professional musician mixed with a healthy dose of tittle tattle. The author shares his life as Bernstein’s assistant...the joy, the impossible schedule, the travel, the music always the music...resulting in psychiatrist care to combat thoughts of suicide. Quite a read.
January 8, 2024
Are there any books about the life of a personal assistant, where the employer doesn't come off as a jerk? If Bernstein hadn't been addicted to uppers, he might have been less annoying and thoughtless. As Bernstein frantically traveled around the world, conducting different major orchestras, I wondered if he was still a great conductor or was he in demand because of his fame and charisma.
September 3, 2018
Passionnant témoignage d'un assistant de Bernstein dans la première moitié des années 80. Trouve juste équilibre entre observation de Bernstein et sentiments du narrateur. Portrait intime de Bernstein en fin de carrière - mode de vie effrayant de frénésie et d'excès en tous genres. Mais aussi un prince de la musique.
December 27, 2023
Such a wonderful book filled with huge personalities in Bernstein’s circle at during his last years. While his personal assistant witnessed everything whole eschewing most of the sex and drugs himself. If Maestro made you curious this is the gayer LB after his wife passed away
February 18, 2024
Interesting read
A lively and personal accounts on Bernstein’s late years. The words are imbued with countless details of LB’s reckless life (so were the authors), sincerity and touching moments of emotions, which gives light to a more fulsome picture of who the man really was.
A lively and personal accounts on Bernstein’s late years. The words are imbued with countless details of LB’s reckless life (so were the authors), sincerity and touching moments of emotions, which gives light to a more fulsome picture of who the man really was.
March 15, 2024
An intimate look into the final chapters of Bernstein’s personal and musical life. Bernstein comes across at first as a cold, east coast intellectual. But that ice slowly melts as Harmon bonds with Bernstein. It’s a fascinating look into what may be the only American conductor/composer celebrity.
September 15, 2018
Eye opening account of the life of Leonard Bernstein from the viewpoint of his personal assistant and music editor.
December 17, 2018
Needs less quirkiness and more scoops and scandals.
January 4, 2019
A bit fast paced, but insightful and eye opening
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