Bernstein Thanks Shostakovich In Moscow (1959)

Clips from Bernstein's visit to Moscow with the New York Philharmonic in 1959

[phineasg]

I wish I too could personally thank Shostakovich for his wonderful music.

[mashtali]

Shostakovich didn't mean anything bad there. He simply didn't understand what was going on because of language. First he thought he must just thank. he got up. then applause continued, very quickly he walked to stage. He also was a very very shy person.
this is a very precious video. I never saw that anywhere online.

[secondchairmusic]

Awww, I’ve never seen this before!! Shostakovich’s awkwardness before he got up to shake hands was adorable. 😆😆😆

[novagerio]

Proof that musical geniuses are the best ambassadors.

[ladyrosenrot]

why am I crying ? this is so sweet omg. I love Bernstein and Shosty much. I understand his music deeply on many levels. I love both of them so much. wish I could meet them too :(

[daloki]

Bernstein's ending monologue convinces me that the wrong people are (and always have been) in charge.

[zebulon]

Two giants of classical music. How glorious it would have been if Mr. Shostakovich could have visited Tanglewood one of those summers. I hope they've met again in a secluded corner of the

[Thedearster]

Wish we could see the entire performance. This concert is legendary.

[Misha.K]

Amazing! More clips like this please as they are rare, Dimitri was not too fond of public appearances

[BadViola]

This is the sweetest thing I've ever seen on YouTube. Shy, sweet Shostakovich, my favourite composer and my favourite symphony, and Bernstein's weird and wonderful conducting. ❤❤❤ Thank you so much for posting this

[dmitryyudenkov]

Шостакович - величайший музыкальный гений 20 века.. удивительно скромный человек...И великий Бернстайн со своим блистательным с большой буквы, титаны мировой культуры.... Вечная слава!....

[aenadanziger]

I'm crying... Shostakovich, Bernstein and Pasternak! I love them so much! Thank you for all that...

[gorankaticbc]

He was reluctant at first, embarrassed a bit, touching his head, scratching his cheek, caught off guard by Bernstein's unexpected gesture, by audience's and orchestra's appreciation. Then he approached his foreign colleagues with a huge smile. For a moment this musical chronicler of his complex inner life and of the brutal world surrounding him was genuinely happy. But when the music stops, when guests leave the country, when all of the Khrushchev/US political circus ends he is again alone with himself at his "usually" high levels of anxiety while watching blood stained red cloud sunsets from the balcony of his Leningrad flat, while the 23rd Prelude from Op. 87 softly plays in the background, whether in his head, whether from one of his EMI recordings, whether from Tatiana Nikolayeva's fingers. When he finishes his cigarette and enters the room both pianos are "unmanned", there are no guests, his family is out. Suddenly Siberian winter-like coldness forces him to bed, his heart is racing. While covering his body in layers of linens a muffled scream then crying are heard from underneath. By each decade of survivor's life the terror takes its physical and mental toll. His wife returns home, calls him "Mitya!", then upon seeing him in bed fearfully rushes forward and after his "I am well" hugs him with mixed feelings of joy and worry. His Seventh starts playing on the radio. For Mitya it's more then a mere "distraction" as his life returns from and as a musical pulse.

[alanwitton]

A truly wonderful slice of musical history

[waynejones]

Shostakovitch looked so nervous and stiff as he approached the stage. His daughter said he was always a nervous person. I guess that came from the life he lead during Stalin's time.

[hectorberlioz]

What a great document and this in the mid of the coldwar! Bernstein and Shostakovich ; two geniuses.

[maestroclassico]

The excerpt of Shostakovich's 7th....powerful years later ... Lenny was finally given the opportunity to guest conduct the Chicago Symphony in Shostakovich's 1st and 7th was recorded by Deutsch critics say its the best recording of it around. Leonard loved Shostakovich's music....

[ChrisBreemer]

A wonderful document. To see the great man smile is a treat.

[Fabio_Costa_Music]

Hardly possible to realize the stature of both men in full, Lenny having himself just written West Side Story. In 2023 the depth and profetic nature of his words are the more striking:
"why couldn't such warmth overflow into the totality of our relations instead of wasting our energies in hostility and our wealth on weaponry? We could send art to the moon, exalt our
Pasternaks instead of isolating them, we could feed and house and clothe everyone forever, lick cancer in a week, harness the sun's energy, learn a few languages, talk, travel, grow - and love".
Could we please learn some greatness from people like these? It's high time.
Thank you so much for uploading this, what an amazing document!

[gudrunscherber]

I wish I could thank personally Shostakovich and Bernstein for their wonderfull music