RICHARD WAGNER Prelude and Liebstod from Tristan und Isolde LEONARD BERNSTEIN

Prelude & Liebstod from Tristan und Isolde
Leonard Bernstein (conductor)
Boston Symphony Orchestra

[@nadiaturki7938]

Does anyone else find that Wagner’s music makes you experience emotions you haven’t felt since childhood?

[@djmattese]

20 minutes that every human being should be required to see/hear. If not to just realize the beautiful pain that is the definition of being human.

[@HolgerRuneFan]

Absolutely beautiful said. Magnificently expressed, thank you.

[@djmattese]

@@HolgerRuneFan You're very welcome Tilly, and thank you so much for responding with such a kind comment :)

[@plekkchand]

Hear, not see. But yes.

[@djmattese]

@@plekkchand thx for responding! I meant the see part regarding Bernstein’s passion for this masterpiece. In his Harvard Lecture series this for this episode he talked about ambiguity and transformation, he dedicated portion dedicated a part of it to Tristan, how transformative it was. He mentioned how being Jewish, it was hard sometimes to like Wagner, based on some of his extreme views on the Jewish race, and how Hitler took it to the horrendous level he did. But in the end the music, especially this piece, enabled him to leave his bitterness behind and just let the music itself become the thing that he took from Wagner. I think you see it in this video, it takes him to pure bliss, seen, heard, and mostly felt. The love it stirs far outweighing some of the harsh ingredients to make it just so. Thank you again, Sorry for the whole long take, it’s just I truly feel the same way😀

[@kevinpeick7879]

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[@neeltheother2342]

At the end of Liebstod, the Tristan chord comes back a final time and transitions seamlessly into the final cadence. Completely genius and absolutely stunning.

[@terryhammond1253]

My god, the clarity Bernstein achieves Is astounding. And he never rushes. He maintains total control over Wagner's masterpiece. An astounding performance.

[@dennisdrud2078]

This is an amazing and ultimate version. So much power & emotion, with incredible rests and tempos in the music. Bernstein was a great Wagner conductor 🙏❤️

[@wandalista701]

In 1974 my high school band performed this piece in a competition. One was a perfect score. We were awarded a one with five pluses. To this day I can hear two bars and I recognize it. A beautiful masterpiece.

[@cbptrumpet]

You must have had a fantastic band director to have introduced you to such fantastic music and to guide you to a splendid performance.

[@Shibshankar_Roy]

Greatest 20 min in human existence

[@belmon38]

The emotions experienced with this music are beyond this world. Conductor, musicians, even the composer is secondary. The score is a treasure of the universe.

[@davidsolomon8203]

Bernstein is a national treasure: As conductor, he has few peers; as a musician and composer, he has a few peers, but as an expositor of great music, he is peerless!!!

[@jwh6185]

He mentored many and gave joy to all. God bless.

[@SymphonyBrahms]

Bernstein was one of the greatest conductors in the world. There were people who didn't like him, just as there were people who didn't like Stokowski, Solti, and Karajan, three other great conductors. There are always old grumpy people who can't recognize genius.

[@sharpsvilleBill]

Bernstein was a great American icon and treasure...

[@TheRichNewnes]

This piece is on the edge between tonality and atonality. There is this unrelenting tension that never resolves until the very end as it moves, apparently, from one key to another, constantly morphing, always building, but never satisfying or releasing the tension. It is an important landmark in the musical history of the mid to late 19th century. Just brilliant.

[@robertmcmanus636]

@@jcudal32 Or an itchy stinking sore on your back that you can't reach...

[@garethwilkinson3456]

Totally tonal, but pushing it. I adore.

[@pekolucky]

Where language ends, music begins.

[@threethrushes]

Where music ends, my dishwasher begins.

[@annamariamanfredi6624]

Ogni volta che l'ascolto mi fa impazzire...Un finale d'opera più bello non fu mai scritto.

[@william-michaelcostello7776]

I remember the rehearsals and recording sessions. Why they did these recordings at the WGBH studios and not at Symphony Hall , I will never know. Members of the orch. had tears in they‘re eyes . It‘s good to see old friends and teachers again. Most are dead now.

[@gregstewart6429]

Wow...you were there...I just love this piece of music(i feeel bad saying piece lol) and it absolutely delivers with the chromatic riff at the end. Well that's what energizes me.

[@antoniolopes5488]

which year?

[@william-michaelcostello7776]

Antonio Lopes 1973-1974 I believe. He was teaching at Harvard. He performed it at Symphony Hall and then went to the WGBH studios.

[@antoniolopes5488]

@@william-michaelcostello7776 thanks

[@skang7353]

Thank you for sharing this story.

[@philipofsparta1355]

Wow! Bernstein should've been given an Oscar for this :)

[@adriankalil2715]

Unquestionably one of the best orchestral pieces from an opera and one of my favorites of all time. I thank my college roommate (Mark @ PLU) for introducing me to this superb classic. I also heard Carlo Curly once play this on the Wanamaker organ in Philadelphia, circa. about 1976. He made it sound as if it were a full orchestra. RIP Carlo. Also, Marco Filiberti used this theme in his outstanding film DAVID'S BIRTHDAY and keeps the melody and theme throughout, including the ending. Not everyone who has chosen to utilize a classical piece does it honor. He does. God love you all.

[@yooperlooper]

Bernstein didn't just conduct the music, he became the music. It's such a pleasure watching him. I wish I could have seen him conduct in person - but then I would only have seen his backside and not all the emotion he wears on his face and body when conducting. So awesome!!

[@classicalmusicanalysis]

+yooperlooper your comment has made me happy!

[@loge10]

This is ecstasy-and Bernstein's involvement is as intense - and as sexual - as I've ever seen. Just check out 17:50. It's Bernstein reaching a sexual climax...

[@philippinedonna-bichard6869]

yooperloope

[@paulybarr]

Well...I love the harp as an orchestral instrument, but the reason it is so prominent in this performance is that it is hugely over- miked. No harp sounds that prominent and icily crystalline without having a microphone practically hanging from the top of the instrument, but that sort of spot- miking was common in the seventies, particularly in American recordings.

[@plekkchand]

@@gedarplayer9218Right. We don't need to have the emotions acted/spelled out in front of us.

[@VÍCTORRUIZ-t8w]

I cry every time I listen this prelude, this was the favorite piece of clasic music of Salvador Dalí....

[@lynnderks2011]

I first heard the Prelude und Liebestod back in 1976; it was required listening for a Music Appreciation class. I was mesmerized! I couldn't get enough. I listened to a recording at least 5 times in a row. It has remained my favorite orchestral piece to this day.

[@op.1112]

I have never listened to anything close to this performance of the Prelude and Liebstod like this one. Marvelous interpretation.

[@nikosvault]

Kleiber?

[@paul-thestupid1761]

This beautiful piece has a special place in my cold heart...

[@midmay2009]

Why cold?? True this music is a bit melancholic and instigate lots of sadness but there is a way out of this cave...

[@BlueMeeple]

It cannot be that cold if it has place for this beauty, don't worry!

[@mariateresaemotionalmusings]

Breathtakingly beautiful. So much pure emotion is infused into every note. Music heals🎼🎵🎶❤🙏

[@gildasanchez47]

Maravillosa música , maravilloso Director . No está perdida la humanidad con estas creaciones !

[@agustinamoximix4344]

It's incredible, amazing. Indescriptible. I just love the way Bernstein performes music. Wagner...such a big genius!!!

[@therightmusic7639]

Bernstein was such a great conductor. Excellent interpretation, bravi!!!

[@danielabestoso6100]

Che dire.....è una musica celestiale

[@schneisi]

Never say Lenny could not conduct Wagner, even if im a Karajan guy this is so amazing and elegant , i always loved both.

[@oleflogger6828]

Lennie had an enormous ego. Pace was not one of his strong points. He has had too many exaggerated pauses and tempo changes for my taste. And, I'm from Brooklyn, NY. You'd think I'd just adore the guy. His TV shows for kids were very, very special, however.

[@user-ic5xu4jh6z]

@@oleflogger6828 but its not an subjektive opinion, it should be played in the will of composers. We are not allowed to fresh it up. I havent read the partitura but i do if i have the time. only whats written there is important and conductors MUST do their best to interpret it closely to that.

[@alex_evstyugov]

@@user-ic5xu4jh6z take the sheet music, input it into a notation software of your liking, and press play. You can't get any closer to the written score that that. And what it'll get you is the exact opposite of music. I dare you to listen to it for a full 20 minutes. I dare you to listen to it for even just one. As a composer, I want my music to be played by musicians, not robots. Just like if I were a playwright, I would want my lines to be delivered by actors, not by Alexa and Siri. Every note of mine that you play, I want you to put your whole soul into it. I expect you to filter it through yourself. Music is _never_ made by the composer. Never, ever, ever. Music is _always_ made by whoever is actually making it. If you don't know how to make music, no composer will be able to help you. The score isn't the place to teach you music lessons. If you really think that true musicianship involves only playing what's on the page and not adding anything of your own, then you do not know the first thing about music. You are not a musician. You are not human. And Bernstein of all people would never want you anywhere near his scores.

[@bridges874]

Arturo Toscanini

[@paolababbini6743]

. Ll

[@GracielaRamirez-uq6vc]

Música maravillosa y el Director espléndido!!

[@albertosasa6713]

Mai il genio umano dell'arte si è spinto più in alto e più lontano

[@manuelbarragon2738]

Não me emociono facilmente, mas uma vez na Aula Magna da UL ao assistir a execução desta extraordinária peça , as lagrimas caíram pela minha cara, dado o dramatismo da mesma. Que grande foi Wagner.

[@petermelian1346]

Musique sublime et majestueuse que fait venir les larmes aux yeux. Bravo Richard Wagner ! Les Muses ont versés sur toi toutes les chârmes du Paradis. p.s.- Excellente interprétation par Bernstein et orchestre Boston Symphony.

[@estherszalay5921]

Breathtakingly gorgeous! Thank you

[@FrancisAsin-Gioro]

I just love this piece awfully!

[@deanshort9011]

Absolutely beautiful piece composed by Wagner! The orchestra is so adept in their individual contribution which makes for such a great delivery with all parts coming together. I have never witnessed a more spectacular effort than this one provided by the Conductor Leonard Bernstein. One can see that he anticipates the next notes and his expression through his face and hands is nothing short of magnificent. I truly enjoyed this! One can even see that through is arduous exertion he is actually perspiring, amazing work!

[@markmeehan1988]

i shed a few tears at the end of this bravo

[@rsclosson]

In my sophomore music harmony and theory class years ago, we had a bonus question on one of our exams worth 10 points. We were asked to analyze the first 16 measures of the prelude. Needless to say, I didn't get the 10 points and I'm still uncrossing my eyes. However, I LOVE listening to the piece. To say the Wagner is hard to analyze is the understatement of all times; at least for me.

[@martinpitt1973]

absolut wundervoll dirigiert! Top!

[@michaeljeran4941]

Wunderbar!

[@shuyuan901]

It is most touching of all

[@NoaMichaels]

i think one of the best parts of this recording is watching bernstein’s movement and facial expressions as he feels the music throughout the piece.

[@Albusvesper]

Absolutely adore his conducting!

[@rr7firefly]

What else do you adore? Could you list your top 5?

[@AALavdas]

A wonderful performance!!

[@masoudrz1075]

mr wagner god bless you.

[@wakan2a]

When music overwhelmed a fantastic conductor…

[@joseluismorenogalvez949]

What a performance by maestro Bernstein just astonishing.

[@cascanicoff5763]

Absolutely magical, ethereal, pure dream. Great piece and great rendition, a master playing a master.

[@josevalente1874]

WAGNER, BSO e BERNSTEIN dissolvem-se na música e conduzem-nos a um estado emocional impossível de exprimir por palavras

[@davidmansfield5832]

Impossible to express indeed but wood we be without it

[@ivofraga8039]

Uma completa aula de expressão corporal e de interpretação dos sentimentos e das emoçõesl.

[@albiomarquez3790]

just sublime

[@cristineperes2113]

Coisa mais linda! Emocionante!!

[@juhis_oksanen]

The greatest outcome of the art of music and probably even the greatest outcome of human mind generally.

[@RigorMortis76]

TUTTO IMMENSAMENTE SPLENDIDO! al minuto 16.45 brividi della dinamica....

[@user-ic5xu4jh6z]

Wonderful, great!! What a feeling to sing with this video! Super tempo, most bad singers will hate it😁 because you need perfect legato to match it well! Thanks for uploading!

[@eb6050]

This is The Sublime

[@Felix73able]

utterly magnificent, the accelerando poco a poco around minute 7'30 is epic. Really incredible fluidity, and as others have commented, such clarity and precision despite the enormous gestures. I think with Kleiber, the greatest magician

[@nickneedham6992]

beautiful! anyone else wish they had a time machine?

[@threethrushes]

Yes. But to go far, far into the future, say 27,000 years' time - spend a few years on Earth, and report back.

[@Anna-lk6ug]

Esecuzione da brividi👏👏👏👏👏❤️

[@MrOliverTube]

genius work

[@Rang76er]

If you don’t start getting chills by 12:41, you better check your pulse.

[@KK-qi4xb]

Sorry, no chills, no pulse, but my son's name is Tristan........

[@alsenwulf]

Ein wirklich einmaliger Dirigent. Die Spannung über so lange Zeit zu halten - trotzdem das Orchester wirkt wie ein gefühlloser Klotz - das ist wirklich Kunst vom Feinsten.

[@Skylark_Jones]

You only have to watch Bernstein's face to see how much he feels this sublime music... And as I listen, the question "To be or not to be?" from Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' popped into my head.

[@warparty3743]

"I fear the opera will be banned - unless the whole thing is parodied in a bad performance - only mediocre performances can save me! Perfectly good ones will be bound to drive people mad, - I cannot imagine it otherwise." Richard Wagner to Mathilde Wesendonck

[@DaviSilva-oc7iv]

Lyrics German Mild und leise wie er lächelt, wie das Auge hold er öffnet -seht ihr's, Freunde? Seht ihr's nicht? Immer lichter wie er leuchtet, stern-umstrahlet hoch sich hebt? Seht ihr's nicht? ertrinken, versinken, - unbewusst, - höchste Lust! English Softly and gently how he smiles, how his eyes fondly open -do you see, friends? do you not see? how he shines ever brighter. Star-haloed rising higher Do you not see? [...and ends...] to drown, to founder - unconscious - utmost bliss!

[@AndreJorgeOliveira1]

Wonderful rendition

[@jordipanadesribera6890]

Una història d’amor immortal basada en una Música en majúscules.

[@tintinsnowyful]

I love Solti's performance of this, but I've always felt the tempos were slightly under-played. Bernstein's tempos feel exactly right. And the climax is positively cosmic.

[@Mauerseglerin]

Großartig ❤

[@giuseppecattaneo4369]

superlativo, commovente

[@tomlin1312]

最後彷彿現出春光! 伯恩斯坦應該是詮釋樂曲的第一把交椅,再加上波士頓這個老樂團的頂尖組合,絕對有收藏價值吧!

[@jeansimon326]

Musical ecstasy _ thank you all for your brilliance.

[@antoniboleslawowicz8095]

It’s too bad that Bernstein did not make more recordings with the BSO during this particular time. This one, though done in a tv studio rather than in Symphony Hall, shows an unusual rapport between conductor and orchestra. It is one of the great realizations of Wagner.

[@errobdjv2980]

Schopenhauer was right. In music all the feelings back to its pure state, albeit momentary, this piece is example.

[@arthurschopenhauer2026]

You get points just for mentioning S.!

[@loge10]

@@arthurschopenhauer2026 Is that really you, Arthur??????

[@marcospeedo5412]

Why it is special? Wagner put love behind the music notes on the score, Bernstein read that love and reveal it onto the orchestra playing. It is the big difference with some others routine conductors...

[@valpurves45]

Moving in the extreme. Heavenly

[@jenrose4177]

Amazing

[@KrzysztofTomecki]

Po polsku: wielki ukłon dla Bernsteina, cudownie poprowadził. Szacunek orkiestrze. Serce dla kompozytora.... Moje poruszył

[@gladissemensato2061]

I am reading Nietzsche. Now i understand...Make me cry... amazing!

[@bigfootpegrande]

Music that makes dancing the hair on my arms...

[@notes2120]

Maravilloso Bernstein

[@bigchefkoch1]

08.31 always gives me goose bumps

[@freddyfreeson2870]

I get them goosebumps every time yea.

[@jessicali8594]

8:30

[@franmoreiracascante932]

Cómo describir lo que sucede en este video? El éxtasis de estos acordes es de lo más sublime alguna vez escrito para una orquesta y en la música en general. Bernstein, un genio. La música de Wagner sin parangón. Sin buscar palabrerías, trascendente.

[@peace232]

Thank You! 👑

[@joseplluis9868]

Sentiment a tope!

[@liviagrimaldi1537]

meraviglia assoluta

[@beethovenini8127]

great actor!

[@dennismiddlebrooks7027]

I noticed that the musicians were not giving Bernstein so much as a glance as he went into his usual orgasmic histrionics on the conductor's stand. The VPO did not care for him at all. They knew this music by heart, and they knew Bernstein was an unabashed ham as a conductor. One time he fell off the stand after one of his leaps, and the musicians played on. No one noticed except for the audience.

[@sayantandutta7284]

This one is from the great Harvard lecture.

[@charleslawrenceperkins9808]

The definitive 'Prelude and Liebestod', though, is the one done by The Minnesota Orchestra under Stanislaw Skrowaczewski in1976 on the Vox label; 'Cool Hand Stan' and the Minnesotans take it so far beyond over-the-top you'll think they cut a Faustian Bargain to do it.

[@amielschotz4982]

As superb a performance as you will hear in a lifetime. But why oh why do the managers of KZbin not make it compulsory to name the orchestra? I find it omitted in many many great performances. Sometimes a viewer tells us in a comment, but why……………..

[@shuyuan901]

Spirit lives

[@ferociousgumby]

I get off on watching his face. Just this magnificent leonine presence. No one has equalled him.

[@ronaldbeield7946]

Of course I always prefer the Liebestod to be performed with the vocal which can really enhance the entirety of the opera and take it to a higher dimmension, but absent that this stands out as the premier orchestration capturing the essence of Wagner's vision.

[@clemmteetonball11]

I can hear this in the finale to West Side Story.

[@sirleonine]

Sheer genius...

[@albertoaguiardacruz7047]

O ANTÍDOTO PARA ESSA PSEUDO MÚSICA, É A ÓPERA AIDA DE VERDI. DE QUEM WAGNER E OS WAGNERIANOS TINHAM INVEJA. OUÇAM E VEJAM AIDA, COM SUAS LINDAS ÁRIAS, DUETOS E TERCETOS, MÚSICA DE BALÉ, MARCHA EMPOLGANTE E CENÁRIOS FASCINANTES. CHEGA DESSA DOENÇA CHAMADA WAGNERISMO.

[@markdavidsonjewell]

YES.

[@loewesandberg5033]

Wagner's music is so sentimental that Bernstein didn't need to read notes in order to express feelings.

[@RModillo]

I didn't know the BSO switched to black tie in the 70s. Possibly during Seiji's turtleneck-and-bead phase?

[@plekkchand]

At least the composer was capitalized in the title, not just the conductor.