Bernstein, Leonard. (1918–1990)

"Is Wasserman Discerning of Inner Motive?" - AUTOGRAPH ESSAY MANUSCRIPT

Autograph manuscript, 3 pp, signed "Leonard Bernstein" at the head of the first and third pages, with the date Feb. 4, 1935. Lined paper, hole punches along left edge and corrections in an uknown hand. A remarkable short essay from the 16-year old composer and conductor, regarding Jakob Water's 1915 novel "The Goose Man." The esay begins "It is one thing for a writer to conceive of his plot arising naturally from human subjects; it is quite another thing to force motive for the plot. Let us take two authors as subject matter; shall we say, Hardy and Wasserman? Two different types are hard to find, estranged as they are in tongue, habit, environment. It is reasonable to expect that in either author's book the motives and action must coincide. Yet we can sense a difference..."

Bernstein attended as a pupil the Garrison and Boston Latin schools and then went to Harvard University, where he graduated in 1939. (11904)

Autograph Letter Classical Music