On the Dignity of the Person: II. A Lesson from Leonard Bernstein

The following is a transcript of Leonard Bernstein’s address to the audience before a performance of Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1, with soloist Glenn Gould and the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall on April 6, 1962 [1]. I find his speech both remarkable in itself and highly relevant today. Among other things, it demonstrates how people with strong convictions and disagreements can get together and “achieve a unified performance”.

You are about to hear a rather, shall we say, unorthodox performance of the Brahms D Minor Concerto, a performance distinctly different from any I’ve ever heard, or even dreamt of for that matter, in its remarkably broad tempi and its frequent departures from Brahms’ dynamic indications.

I cannot say I am in total agreement with Mr. Gould’s conception, and this raises the interesting question: What am I doing conducting it? I’m conducting it because Mr. Gould is so valid and serious an artist that I must take seriously anything he conceives in good faith, and his conception is interesting enough so that I feel you should hear it too.

But the age-old question still remains: In a concerto, who is the boss, the soloist or the conductor? (audience laughter) The answer is, of course, sometimes one and sometimes the other depending on the people involved. But almost always the two manage to get together by persuasion or charm or even threats (audience laughter) to achieve a unified performance. I have only once before in my life had to submit to a soloist’s wholly new and incompatible concept, and that was the last time I accompanied Mr. Gould. (audience laughter) But, but this time, the discrepancies between our views are so great that I feel I must make this small disclaimer.

So why, to repeat the question, am I conducting it? Why do I not make a minor scandal — get a substitute soloist, or let an assistant conduct it? Because I am fascinated, glad to have the chance for a new look at this much played work; Because, what’s more, there are moments in Mr. Gould’s performance that emerge with astonishing freshness and conviction; Thirdly, because we can all learn something from this extraordinary artist who is a thinking performer; and finally because there is in music what Dimitri Mitropoulos used to call the sportive element, that factor of curiosity, adventure, experiment, and I can assure you that it has been an adventure this week collaborating with Mr. Gould on this Brahms concerto, and it’s in this spirit of adventure that we now present it to you.
(Loud applause)

It is apparent both from this speech and from his later personal recollection [2] that Bernstein has a fondness of and respect for Gould, which perhaps made it possible, though difficult at times, for him to treat Gould with the dignity that he deserved. Although eccentric, Gould is certainly not lacking in charm or the power of persuasion.

Secondly, as a prominent musical figure and a maestro in his own right, Bernstein has firsthand knowledge of Gould’s track record, his artistry and thoughtfulness. So he is willing to give Gould the benefit of the doubt, when the latter departs completely from the ordinary, and collaborate with him even when they strongly disagree on the nature of that collaboration.

Thirdly, the spirit of adventure and curiosity. This is a most overlooked aspect of our social interactions. The spirit of adventure and curiosity is perhaps the beginning of all relationships, and the beginning of all knowledge. It takes genuine humility to acknowledge that we have much to learn, especially from those who disagree with us.

Fourthly, the sportive element. When a person is playful, he forgets himself, as least for a time, fully engages and delights in the play itself, and at the same time, shares the delight of the play with other people. It is also in play that our true nature reveals itself, as the ancient Greeks observed long ago. A childlike playfulness is largely missing in public discourse today.

References:

• 1^.” Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 – Gould/Bernstein“. YouTube. August 10, 2014. Accessed August 25, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvWPM783TOE.
• 2^.” The Truth About a Legend“. Leonard Bernstein. Accessed August 25, 2018. https://leonardbernstein.com/lectures/writings/the-truth-about-a-legend-glenn-gould.