Leonard Bernstein to Marc Blitzstein, July 20, 1962
excerpt: "Am here Bay of Naples, en route to Monte Carlo & Spain, I think of you, S & V, being Jewish your Arabic [maid?]. I hope all continues to be as joyful as before."
Burton Bernstein to Leonard Bernstein, August 30, 1979
excerpt: " it was your 61st birthday five days ago congratulate you on that signal event "
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Shirley Bernstein, October 3, 1985
excerpt: "1915 years later--and it's yours!" From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, December 12, 1933
excerpt: "Added to your pride in me: I am almost positive that I am to do my concerto with Sevitzky's Young musicians' orchestra. From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, December 29, 1933
excerpt: "I have created quite a stir with the piano, and am even giving musicales." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, July 21, 1934
excerpt: "Would you please advise me by immediate mail whether to play modern, alternate or classical program." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, July 2, 1934
excerpt: "I am having a wonderful time here in Atlantic City." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, October 11, 1937
excerpt: "I cannot tell you often enough how great a debt I owe to you for the fine foundation and musical (and extra-musical) inspiration you gave me..." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, August 1937
excerpt: "I'm having a splendid time here at camp..." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, May 21, 1938
excerpt: "I wish you'd come down to Princeton on Friday the 27th. Walter P__ and I are having a program at 4...and Roy Harris is being performer that night." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, 1938
excerpt: "Alex North says your much too good for so menial a job as is open at Bennington." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, October 1938
excerpt: "I'll try to reach Blitzstein before I call you to get the dope from him. But what makes you think he controls the fee?" From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, 1938
excerpt: "...be sure to learn a lot about counterpoint first. No one can beat Piston at that...I saw M. Blitzstein...so why not write him directly and say you're the pianist I mentioned..." From: Correspondence Series
Dimitri Mitropoulos to Leonard Bernstein, October 18, 1938
excerpt: " thank you so much for your always so kind thoughts to me "
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, August 1938
excerpt: "...I met at least one new and talented composer in London, Benjamin Britten...working at top speed on a new cowboy ballet for the Ballet Caravan outfit." From: Correspondence Series
Burton Bernstein to Leonard Bernstein, August 30, 1938
excerpt: "Dear Dopey...Congratulations on your birthday"
Marc Blitzstein to Leonard Bernstein, June 20, 1939
excerpt: "Yaddo is exactly as I left it eight years ago, which is a little frightening, but reassuring too."
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, 1939
excerpt: "...you arouse a long dead messianic complex in me. Do you mind being saved?...I see the beginning and end of the first movement but not the middle." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, October 18, 1939
excerpt: "I'm tickled that they are taking such good care of you at Curtis." From: Correspondence Series
Burton Bernstein to Leonard Bernstein, November 6, 1939
excerpt: "I was playing football the other day, and I took a big tackle and I hurt my knee."
Dimitri Mitropoulos to Leonard Bernstein, February 18, 1939
excerpt: "...I am very happy to here that you are working hard sorry to see that you neglect your piano "
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, October 15, 1939
excerpt: "I'm being swallowed up by the Great American Continent." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, 1939
excerpt: "Will you listen in to the broadcasts and tell me what's wrong with them?/Benjamin Britten arrives to-night!" From: Correspondence Series
Dimitri Mitropoulos to Leonard Bernstein, January 9, 1940
excerpt: "Please kindly call me this evening "
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, January 1940
excerpt: "Watch out for Mice & Men in Philadelphia. You're probably the only one alive who will hear the background music I wrote. 40 minutes of it." From: Correspondence Series
Betty Comden to Leonard Bernstein, February 29, 1940
excerpt: " recording postponed "
Leonard Bernstein to David Diamond, October 11, 1940
The David Diamond Collection
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, September 19, 1940
excerpt: "...what have you decided to do about the winter?" From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, 1940
excerpt: "I plan to see Koussie before I go and will talk to him about you." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, 1940
excerpt: "...I am writing a Piano Sonata..." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Serge Koussevitzky to Leonard Bernstein, October 31, 1940
excerpt: "If you want my advice, pay a great deal of attention to every remark made by Mr. Reiner. He is, as you know, a master technician and holds the best European traditions of musical art." From: Correspo... more
Letter from Serge Koussevitzky to Leonard Bernstein, September 5, 1940
excerpt: "Nothing could have made me happier than to know that your work this summer has really given you beauty and strength and a better understanding of the gifts with which nature has endowed you." From: Co... more
Verna Fine to The Bernstein Family. October 16, 1990
excerpt: "Let me add my small voice of sorrow to the multitude of messages that must be pouring in from around the world I met Lenny in the fall of 1940 when I started dating Irving Irving turned to me and said... more
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, July 1, 1940
excerpt: "Copland tells me that Kouss. is expecting one of his students to conduct Randall Thompson's Symphony no.2 the very first week, and that he has mentioned my name as the first possibility." From: Corres... more
Dimitri Mitropoulos to Leonard Bernstein, March 9, 1940
excerpt: "Use my name us[sic] you like "
William Howard Schuman to Leonard Bernstein, October 1941
excerpt: " busy erecting a monument to Dr. Wesselhoeft Next week I'm in Boston starting Tuesday "
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, April 1941
excerpt: "You would like the Britten--you old romanticist you. But I agree. It's definitely got something--and the second movement orchestration is phenomenal...I tried to get you a job playing the piano part... more
Serge Koussevitzky to Mrs. Edward Bok, September 21, 1941
excerpt: " he is very anxious to be of service to his country, and suggests the U.S.O ."
Mrs. Edward Bok to Serge Koussevitzky, September 25, 1941
excerpt: " see if something can be done "
Aubrey Williams to Serge Koussevitzky, August 26, 1941
excerpt: "I am calling his merit to the attention of those states where we maintain symphony orchestras"
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, October 20, 1942
excerpt: "...in a rushed moment. Will write very soon" From: Correspondence Series
Serge Koussevitzky to Horace Johnson, November 9, 1941
excerpt: "May I recommend Leonard Bernstein"
Leonard Bernstein to Mildred Spiegel Zucker, December 5, 1941
The Mildred Spiegel Zucker Collection
William Howard Schuman to Leonard Bernstein, 1941
excerpt: "I felt that you acted ahead of your present achievements when we met last summer count on me to tell you what I really think."
William Howard Schuman to Leonard Bernstein, July 21, 1941
excerpt: " you seem to have discovered the difference between conceit and egotism. The latter is essential beginning of great success "
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Olga Koussevitzky, December 5, 1941
excerpt: "Leonard Bernstein announces the opening of his studio for the teaching of piano and musical analysis..." From: Correspondence Series
William Howard Schuman to Leonard Bernstein, 1941
excerpt: "I've suggested you as assistant music critic for the newspaper PM if you hear from Henry Simon their critic..."
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Sam Bernstein, September 22, 1941
excerpt: "Jamie grows more beautiful every day...She is really remarkably advanced for two weeks old..." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, January 10, 1941
excerpt: "Last Saturday I lost one of my best friends -- Alfred Eisner." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, October 25, 1941
excerpt: "Finished the Sonata! Played the world premiere in B.A. Slonimsky was there. Musicians said nice things." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, 1941
excerpt: "Heinshimer says Koss is doing Quiet City this week...If true, please tell him that there is a terrible mistake in the printed score at No. 7..." From: Correspondence Series
Dimitri Mitropoulos to Leonard Bernstein, November 25, 1941
excerpt: " glad you are going to play the concerto of Chavez in Boston "
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Olga Koussevitzky, October 7, 1941
excerpt: "The doctor who deferred me (in case Dr. K. is serious about writing him)..." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Jennie Bernstein to Leonard Bernstein, July 11, 1942
excerpt: "I'm sure you'll really enjoy it [at Tanglewood]" From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, 1942
excerpt: "Hurrah for you!" From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, 1942
excerpt: "We [Camargo Guanieri and I] are playing a Birthday Piece (on Cuban Themes) at Town Hall together on Dec. 9th. It's not written yet, but then..." From: Correspondence Series
Serge Koussevitzky to whom it may concern, 1942
excerpt: "I can recommend Leonard Bernstein for a position as conductor"
Dimitri Mitropoulos to Leonard Bernstein, November 1, 1945
excerpt: " first New York performance was in 1942 by me "
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, April 1, 1942
excerpt: "Considering one day vacation with you starting tomorrow..." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, 1942
excerpt: "I'm writing a ballet -- very frothy one -- for the Monte Carlo people." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Andre (?), September 3, 1942
excerpt: "In twenty years I have not met a young musician with more natural ability and real flair. His fort, as you know is conducting. I have heard Koussevitzky repeatedly say the most enthusiastic things o... more
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, September 14, 1943
excerpt: "It's all too wonderful!...I keep wondering what you will think of the score for North Star...I even had my first chance at a bang-up battle sequence....Of course I was jealous when I read Piston and T... more
"Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, February 13, 1943"
excerpt: "The blow has fallen, they are not letting me go back to NY for the concert I got myself into this jam so I might as well take it like a man I've suggested that you play the Sonata instead of me."
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, February 17, 1943
excerpt: "A thousand thanks for everything and best of luck" From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, September 4, 1943
excerpt: "Marvelous news just finishing my last ten thousand notes will be coming home end of this month..." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, March 6, 1943
excerpt: "I did omit to get the Post (which criticized my wit, favorably, but made no mention of the performance)." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Serge Koussevitzky, August 1943
excerpt: "Thursday night I was deferred for all time from the army...[the doctor] assured me, 'nothing can interfere with your career.'" From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, September 13, 1943
excerpt: "This publicity business is really getting fantastic. Every N.Y. paper had it on Thurs.,...I've just taken a fine apartment in Carnegie Hall." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, March 21, 1943
excerpt: "Here's more: I'm really getting to like this idea--" From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, February 23, 1943
excerpt: "For the record" [with Town Hall program] From: Correspondence Series
Burton Bernstein to Leonard Bernstein, 1943
excerpt: "Enclosing is Dick Tracy which I will send you every Sunday"
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Serge Koussevitzky, 1943
excerpt: "Don't you think it might be a wonderful idea to have Jenny Tourel to sing the Soprano Solo in my Symphony?" From: Correspondence Series
"Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, April 11, 1943"
excerpt: "I'm beginning to lose contact with your every thought. I have a sense of you having had a great triumph out of the Bowles opus, followed by a kind of let-down which is natural enough "
Dimitri Mitropoulos to Leonard Bernstein, December 27, 1943
excerpt: " heard your recent successes and I feel very happy and proud about it "
Burton Bernstein to Leonard Bernstein, 1943
excerpt: "Enclosing is Dick Tracy which I will send you every Sunday"
Letter from Serge Koussevitzky to Leonard Bernstein, March 4, 1944
excerpt: "It has been more than a joy for me to have you conduct your Symphony with my orchestra..." From: Correspondence Series
Renée Longy to Leonard Bernstein, January 30, 1944
excerpt: "Watch opening "
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, August 4, 1944
excerpt: "There's a Steinway here, and nobody's home all day, so I've been working on the show." From: Correspondence Series
"Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, May 20, 1944"
excerpt: "I think I solved the Our Town problem. It repeats the waltz as you like, and removes entirely the ""ties that bind"" section I'll never forget that face of yours in Reubens."
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, July 18, 1944
excerpt: "Having wonderful time. We are wind & sunburned & almost there." From: Correspondence Series
"Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, October 9, 1944"
excerpt: "Martha Graham is supposedly doing a ballet of mine that week-end! No one has seen any public announcement of the event I go by on faith."
Letter from Aaron Copland to Leonard Bernstein, January 28, 1944
excerpt: "Confidentially awaiting wonderful report regarding Jerry's doing Mimo vitally concerned"
Letter from Sam Bernstein to Leonard Bernstein, April 22, 1944
excerpt: "Your happy life will brighten up my own life." From: Correspondence Series
Gail Kelvin to Serge Koussevitzky, October 25, 1944
excerpt: "I have just spoken with your Secretary concerning this extremely unfortunate mistake I am writing to ask you please to reconsider."
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, August 4, 1944
excerpt: "The performance [of `Fancy Free'] was awful -- no rehearsal time to speak of -- but everyone liked it." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, 1944
excerpt: "We are leaving for Chicago July 1,..." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, August 18, 1944
excerpt: "I think we should call a halt on the AYO affair, by saying that my dates have been filled. Don't give Schatz the reasons you gave me -- just say I'm busy." From: Correspondence Series
Adolph Green and Betty Comden to Leonard Bernstein, February 19, 1944
excerpt: "Your project receiving our careful consideration "
David Diamond to Leonard Bernstein, February 15, 1944
excerpt: "Although Barbara doesn't seem very happy just now "
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, September 3, 1944
excerpt: "...hold option on apartment until I get back..." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Serge Koussevitzky, December 4, 1944
excerpt: "...what a great honor and joy it was to conduct your magnificent orchestra...I would like to invite you...to be my guests at a performance of 'On the Town'..." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, August 24, 1944
excerpt: "Everything fine and tired and gay" From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Serge Koussevitzky to Leonard Bernstein, December 8, 1944
excerpt: "Cannot possibly come to performance Thursday 14th...but would gladly attend opening night Wednesday..." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, August 9, 1944
excerpt: "...I have a concert in the [Hollywood] Bowl Aug. 26? Rodzinsky cancelled a date (God again); and Oscar Levant is soloist." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, August 1, 1944
excerpt: "Arrived safely staying with friends..." From: Correspondence Series
Letter from Leonard Bernstein to Helen Coates, October 31, 1945
excerpt: "I can't speak a word, but I'm happy" From: Correspondence Series
Helen Coates to Leonard Bernstein, December 6, 1945
excerpt: "You're all set for Cincinnati on Jan. 26 and 27 I hope the rehearsals are going wonderfully "
Helen Coates to Irving Fine, January 12, 1945
The Irving Fine Collection
Letter from Serge Koussevitzky to Leonard Bernstein, December 1945
excerpt: "To Lenushka from S.K." From: Correspondence Series
David Oppenheim to Leonard Bernstein, July 7, 1945
excerpt: "By God I'm home Submit itinerary immediately"