The Joy of Music Leonard Bernstein, with a foreword by Tim Page Amadeus Press, Pompton Plains, New Jersey, 2004 There seems to be a yearning for earlier times abroad in the land. I fall prey to it myself, by wanting to bring back the tradition that forged the artistry of the likes of Melchior and Traubel, Caruso, Gigli, and then an entire crop of great singers whose work we know through the preservations of early television programs, when high art lived comfortably with vaudeville and comedy, not to mention great orchestras, conductors, soloists, recitalists. Those days are over, but their lessons are not lost to us. With this book we can drink in the spirit and inspiration of the great Leonard Bernstein, who brought high art to the masses in lectures, writing, performance with energy, passion and articulate discourse. In this book we have television scripts for the Omnibus series, larded with musical examples and full of plain talk about high art, just in time. We really need it. If ever our schools are to prosper we must restore the musical culture that was once the right of every school kid, to its rightful place: in chorus, band, and orchestra. To understand the power of music we have a great resource in the writings of a man who shaped our American cultural scene as composer, conductor and thinker for so many years. And if you are longing for better times, I suggest you start here, by reading Bernstein at his best. All his passion, joy and intimate knowledge of our great art springs from the page as freshly as if he were in the room. Thank you Amadeus for returning us to the kind of roots that really matter. Your continued vision is a contribution to American life. RP Back to Top