Bernstein and Karajan: A Study in Contrast
This cartoon captured my attention this morning. I studied the careers and conducting styles of the late Leonard Bernstein and Herbert von Karajan intently. Their approaches to conducting and interacting with musicians were as different as night and day. Leonard Bernstein was a force of nature. I have addressed his talent as a composer in a previous post. His conducting was electric! He totally immersed himself in the music and communicated with orchestras with much passion. He valued what musicians offered, and their mutual respect resulted in collaborative concerts. Herbert von Karajan produced many wonderful concerts. However, he was rigid and very much in control of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. I always felt his conducting style was rather unusual, in that he had his eyes closed during entire performances. He claimed this helped him to concentrate on scores. While many have dismissed this as simply a reflection of his desire for perfection, I preferred Leonard Bernst...