CBS Music

CBS Music
by Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein in 1977
Composed1976

CBS Music is a 1976 composition by Leonard Bernstein. It was written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the CBS television network. The notes of the piece (C, B♭ and E♭) spell out 'CBS' with the E♭ pronounced 'S' in German. The score of CBS Music was subsequently withdrawn by Bernstein, and he reused parts of it in his piece Halil: Nocturne.

It was orchestrated by Sid Ramin and arranged by Jack Gottlieb.

The first and last movements of the CBS Music were premiered on CBS TV on 1 April 1978 during the 50th-anniversary celebrations of the channel. It was recorded by Marin Alsop with the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra in a 2018 recording for Naxos Records.

Movements

There are five movements:

  1. Fanfare and Titles
  2. Quiet Music
  3. Blues
  4. Waltz
  5. Chorale

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Paul R. Laird; Hsun Lin (31 July 2019). Historical Dictionary of Leonard Bernstein. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 60. ISBN 978-1-5381-1345-5.
  2. ↑ Bernstein, Leonard (2013-10-29). The Leonard Bernstein Letters. Yale University Press. p. 774. ISBN 978-0-300-18654-3.
  3. ↑ Fairman, Richard (28 December 2018). "Leonard Bernstein: orchestral pieces — affectionate vignettes". Financial Times. Retrieved 28 February 2024.