Tap to OpenOur speaker for March 2026 was William Henry Curry, conductor of the Durham Symphony. He talked about the romantic lives of two of his favorite composers, Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein. After meeting, he sent this message:

'One thing that I ran out of time to do was to distribute a list of essential pieces by Bernstein and Copland to hear. Could you E-mail the participants this list?

As I may have mentioned, the personal life of a great composer is usually fascinating,  but what they will be best remembered for is the quality of their priceless music.'

Here are some of their musical masterpieces.

Leonard Bernstein

Mass. His magnum opus. 

An excerpt: " God Said"

Bernstein: Mass. Gospel-Sermon "God Said" Gintaras Rinkevičius, Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra

West Side Story

Symphonic Dances from “West Side Story”

Bernstein - Symphonic Dances From West Side Story (w/score)

Candide

Finale - “Make our Garden Grow”

Candide has traveled the world looking for decency, honor and truth. And is disappointed. And then he finds out, as Voltaire counsels in his novella Candide “Grow your garden. Cultivate your garden. THAT is what you have influence over. Not the world. Cultivate yourself, your community, your loved ones. Make THEM Grow!”

Bernstein: Candide - ‘Make our Garden Grow’ - BBC Proms

Trouble in Tahiti

Several titles for this excerpt! Including “Island Magic” “What a Movie” and Title song

Trouble in Tahiti - Scene 6 (“What a Movie! ... Island Magic”)

“To What You Said,” from Songfest

The lyrics come from Walt Whitman, perhaps his only gay poem. The end of the poem includes the title of my LECTURE! To What You Said

Tom Cothran helped pick the poems that were in Songfest.

Songfest: 3 Solos: IV. To What You Said

Aaron Copland

Appalachian Spring

Appalachian Spring

Lincoln Portrait

My favorite recording of my favorite American piece. “Moses” as Lincoln!

Aaron Copland: Lincoln Portrait

Fanfare for the Common Man

Fanfare for the Common Man

Suite from the opera “The Tender Land”

THIS recording is Copland’s greatest achievement conducting his own works. The attribution to Copland and the Boston Symphony is in the comments bar.

Aaron Copland: The Tender Land Suite (w. Score)

Grovers Corners from the movie “Our Town”

Music for Movies: IV. Grovers Corners (From “Our Town”)

Music for Movies: IV. Grovers Corners (From “Our Town”)