Leonard Bernstein’s career-long involvement with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra intersected with the Cold War, the Civil Rights movement, and the growth of television. He first conducted the Philharmonic in 1943, at age twenty-five, and his term as music director (1958−69) is remembered as a particularly vibrant period in the orchestra’s history. On taking over that role, Bernstein embarked on an ambitious agenda both for thematic programming, including focuses on American music and the symphonies of Gustav Mahler, and for public-facing initiatives, such as the televised Young People’s Concerts and touring. In addition, Bernstein used his position to highlight the work of solo performers who were members of minority groups, and he oversaw the orchestra during its period of racial integration.

The growth of Bernstein’s career coincided with the growth of television, so many knew him through his broadcasts. His fifty-three hour-long award-winning Young People’s Concerts (1958−72) are among his most significant television work and were seen at their height by nearly ten million in the USA and in over forty countries. In each show, the maestro would expound on some musical principle, with clarity and appeal, accompanied by demonstrations by him and the New York Philharmonic. While the series clearly shows Bernstein’s brilliant pedagogy, a deeper story lies beneath. No other musician in the late twentieth century so fully addressed the issues of the day as did Bernstein, and no other classical musician has ever been so widely seen. Through his Young People’s Concerts, the maestro not only spread his love of music but also raised his artistic voice from this bully pulpit to work for a better world.

This chapter explores Leonard Bernstein’s work as pianist-conductor, including early influences that shaped Bernstein’s choice to conduct while playing, preferred repertoire (Mozart, Beethoven, Ravel and Gershwin), and reception by audience, and critics. Bernstein’s technique as conductor-pianist is analysed through audio and video recordings, as well as through the study of Bernstein’s annotated scores from the New York Philharmonic Archives. A brief history of conducting from the piano serves to contextualize this notable aspect of Bernstein’s career. Particular attention is given to Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, which was among Bernstein’s most frequently performed pieces while leading the orchestra from the piano. An analysis of three different recorded performances of Bernstein’s performance of the Rhapsody – two audio recordings and one televised broadcast – provide insight into significant moments (and challenges) for Bernstein as pianist-conductor, as well as key interpretive changes in his performance over time.

Gustav Mahler’s impact on Leonard Bernstein’s career is undeniable. Empathizing with Mahler’s dual role as conductor and composer, Bernstein commented that both he and Mahler led double lives. Bernstein continued emphasizing his connection to Mahler, notably in an essay entitled ‘Mahler: His Time Has Come’. Ultimately, his appreciation of Mahler’s music spanned a lifetime and Bernstein eagerly advocated for recognition of Mahler’s genius. This chapter focuses on three events during Bernstein’s New York Philharmonic years that illustrate the importance of Mahler to Bernstein’s tenure: the 1960 Mahler Festival, the 1963 death of John F. Kennedy, and the 1967 Mahler symphonic recordings. Although these three events are in no way all-encompassing of Bernstein’s efforts to reintroduce Mahler to the world, they outline the trajectory of the New York Philharmonic throughout the 1960s and show how Bernstein educated and inspired his audiences to a new appreciation of an old composer.

The New York City that Mahler encountered in 1907 had for decades been one of the music capitals of the world. In the late nineteenth century, two towering personalities, Anton Seidl and Antonin Dvořák, had shaped the city’s symphonic and operatic affairs – and memories of these men, and of their accomplishments, would cast deep shadows on Mahler’s lesser New World achievements. This chapter elaborates on these influences, as well as considering the role of newspaper critics (principally Henry Krehbiel) and impresarios (at both the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic) in shaping the musical culture in which Mahler tried to make new start after leaving Vienna. Because he failed to discern the burden of expectation imposed on him by the legacies of Seidl and Dvořák, and because his self-absorption prevented him from recognizing the political challenges he faced, Mahler would remain a chronic outsider.