The Worst Episodes of New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts

Every episode of New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts!

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From 1958 through 1973, renowned conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra thrilled audiences with wonderful concert experiences presented in a sparkling music-with-commentary format: the Young People's Concerts.

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  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 1 - What Does Music Mean?
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #1 - What Does Music Mean?

    S1:E1

    Leonard Bernstein told the television audience at the start of the first Young People's Concert: "No matter what stories people tell you about what music means, forget them. Stories are not what music means. Music is never about things. Music just is. It's a lot of beautiful notes and sounds put together so well that we get pleasure out of hearing them. So when we ask, 'What does it mean; what does this piece of music mean?' we're asking a hard question. Let's do our best to answer it." During the course of this first program the New York Philharmonic performs portions of Rossini's William Tell Overture, Beethoven's Sixth Symphony, and Ravel's La Valse.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 2 - What is American Music?
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    #2 - What is American Music?

    S1:E2

    From Carnegie Hall, Bernstein discusses the origins and characteristics of American music. After an extended excerpt from George Gershwin's An American in Paris and a discussion of nationalistic and folk music, excerpts from compositions by American composers Edward MacDowell, William Schuman, Virgil Thomson, and others are performed. In closing Aaron Copland conducts parts of his own Third Symphony.

    Director:Charles S. Dubin
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 3 - What is Orchestration?
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #3 - What is Orchestration?

    S1:E3

    After brief introductory remarks, Bernstein conducts the finale of Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio espagnol and then explains what a composer must know in order to orchestrate music successfully. He compares the flute to the trumpet, and the clarinet to the viola, with examples from Debussy and Gershwin. After asking the audience to sing two notes in a variety of ways, he contrasts the families of instruments that compose an orchestra, using excerpts from Prokofiev, Hindemith, Mozart and others to illustrate, and ends with Ravel's Bolero.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 4 - What Makes Music Symphonic?
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    #4 - What Makes Music Symphonic?

    S1:E4

    Using the examples of Mozart's Jupiter Symphony and Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony, Bernstein demonstrates the techniques of repetition and variation int he development of symphonic music. After conducting part of Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, he asks the audience to sing "Frére Jacques," demonstrating the uses of sequence and imitation in symphonic composition. The final movement of Brahm's Second Symphony is then analyzed and played.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 5 - What is Classical Music?
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    #5 - What is Classical Music?

    S1:E5

    Bernstein conducts Handel's Water Music and cites it as an indisputable example of classical music. "Exact" is the word that best defines classical music, Bernstein says, and he demonstrates with musical illustrations from Bach's Fourth Brandenburg Concerto, Mozart's Concerto No. 21 in C Major and The Marriage of Figaro, and Haydn's Symphony No. 102. The decline of classical music at the end of the eighteenth century is tied to Beethoven's innovations and the Romantic movement, and Bernstein conducts Beethoven's Egmont Overture.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 6 - Humor in Music
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    #6 - Humor in Music

    S1:E6

    Using excerpts from Shostakovich, Mahler, Haydn and others Bernstein demonstrates how a "serious" composition can take an unexpected humorous turn. Prokofiev's Classical Symphony is played in its entirety.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  7. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 7 - What is a Concerto?
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    #7 - What is a Concerto?

    S1:E7

    Leonard Bernstein discusses the development of the concerto form from Bach to Bartok. Bernstein conducts examples of early concertos-Bach's Fifth Brandenburg Concerto and Vivaldi's Concerto in C Major. From the classical period, he conducts Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante and, finally, the fourth and fifth movements of Bartok's neo-classical Concerto for Orchestra.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 8 - Who is Gustav Mahler?
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    #8 - Who is Gustav Mahler?

    S1:E8

    Leonard Bernstein celebrates Mahler's centennial by conducting excerpts from the composer's Fourth Symphony in G and discussing his career as a composer and conductor. Soprano Reri Grist joins the orchestra in a performance of the last movement of the Fourth Symphony. William Lewis sings "Youth" and Helen Raab sings from "The Farewell," both from Mahler's The Song of the Earth (Das Lied von der Erde).

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 9 - Young Performers No. 1
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    #9 - Young Performers No. 1

    S1:E9

    Daniel Domb; Kenneth Schermerhorn; Barry Finclair; Stefan B. Mengelberg; Alexandra Wager

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 10 - Unusual Instruments of Present, Past, and Future
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    #10 - Unusual Instruments of Present, Past, and Future

    S1:E10

    New York Pro Musica; Noah Greenberg; Vladimir Ussachevsky; Anita Darian

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 11 - The Second Hurricane
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    #11 - The Second Hurricane

    S1:E11

    The High School of Music & Art

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 12 - Overtures and Preludes
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    #12 - Overtures and Preludes

    S1:E12

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 13 - Aaron Copland Birthday Party
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    #13 - Aaron Copland Birthday Party

    S1:E13

    Aaron Copland; William Warfield

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 14 - Young Performers No. 2
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    #14 - Young Performers No. 2

    S1:E14

    Lynn Harrell; Elyakum Shapirra; Jung-Ja Kim; Russell Stanger; Veronica Tyler; Gregory Millar; Henry Chapin

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 15 - Folk Music in the Concert Hall
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    #15 - Folk Music in the Concert Hall

    S1:E15

    Bernstein discusses folk music and its influence on orchestral music, and conducts excerpts from Mozart, Chavez and Ives, and "Songs of the Auvergne" sung by Marni Nixon.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 16 - What is Impressionism?
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    #16 - What is Impressionism?

    S1:E16

    Bernstein focuses on impressionism in music, discussing the methods and styles of Debussy and Ravel. He conducts three movements from La Mer and the final dance of Daphnis et Chloe.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 17 - The Road to Paris
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    #17 - The Road to Paris

    S1:E17

    Zara Nelsova

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 18 - Happy Birthday, Igor Stravinsky
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    #18 - Happy Birthday, Igor Stravinsky

    S1:E18

    Bernstein sketches a brief history of Stravinsky's musical career, noting changes of style and shifts of direction. The whole of Petrouchka is played and each scene is analyzed.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 19 - Young Performers No. 3
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    #19 - Young Performers No. 3

    S1:E19

    Seiji Ozawa; Gary Karr; Maurice Peress; John Canarina; Ruth & Naomi Segal; Paula Robison; Paul Green; Tony Cirone; David Hopper

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 20 - The Sound of a Hall
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    #20 - The Sound of a Hall

    S1:E20

    John Corigliano, Sr.; Frank Gullino; Joseph Bernstein; William Dembinsky

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 42 - Young Performers No. 9
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    #21 - Young Performers No. 9

    S1:E42

    Lawrence Foster; Alois Springer; Martin and Steven Vann; Helen Quach, Michael DeTemple

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 27 - Jazz in the Concert Hall
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #22 - Jazz in the Concert Hall

    S1:E27

    Bernstein discusses the blending of jazz and symphonic music, with performances and readings to illustrate. The program ends with Larry Austin's Improvisations for Orchestra and Jazz Soloists.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 28 - What is Sonata Form?
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #23 - What is Sonata Form?

    S1:E28

    Bernstein describes the three-part sonata form, and exemplifies it by singing the Beatle's "And I Love Her." Veronica Tyler sings Micaela's aria from Bizet's Carmen and Bernstein conducts the Philharmonic in the first movement of Mozart's Jupiter Symphony.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 29 - Farewell to Nationalism
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #24 - Farewell to Nationalism

    S1:E29

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts Season 1 Episode 32 - Musical Atoms: A Study of Intervals
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #25 - Musical Atoms: A Study of Intervals

    S1:E32

    Bernstein explains musical intervals and discusses their relationship to harmony, melody and inversion. After analysis, the first movement of Symphony No. 4 in E-flat Major by Brahms is performed. The discussion continues, focusing on major and minor seconds.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Worst Episodes Summary

"What Does Music Mean?" is the worst rated episode of "New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts". It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 1/18/1958. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "What is American Music?".