[Slate] The Tumultuous Life and Love of a Progressive Music Maestro

Director and Lead Bradley Cooper's 'Maestro Bernstein'
Composed Musicals with Help from Actress Wife Early in Marriage
Found New Drive in Same-Sex Partner After Hitting Limits, Completed 'Missa'
Progressive Figure Amid US Cold War... Conscious of Public Scrutiny Due to Opposition
Conveys Political Humiliation Through Wife Relationship and Music Without Listing It

Leonard Bernstein (1918?1990) began composing 'Mass' in the summer of 1969. In 1966, he was commissioned by Jacqueline Kennedy to compose music for the opening performance of the Kennedy Center. Bernstein focused on two main themes: one was a critique of the moral and political issues of war, and the other was a fusion of ecumenical humanism and erotic liberation of humanity, as showcased in works like 'Hair' and 'Gospel.'

The film 'Maestro Bernstein,' directed by and starring Bradley Cooper, depicts this defining moment. Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) appears in the living room where his family is gathered and unfolds his score. "Everyone, I have an important announcement. I've finally completed 'Mass.'" Amidst the applause and cheers, his wife Felicia Bernstein (Carey Mulligan) abruptly stands up and walks out into the yard. She climbs onto the diving board of the swimming pool and jumps into the water. Bernstein watches her with a hint of displeasure.

The reason Felicia turns away is clear. In the early days of their marriage, she actively exchanged ideas with her husband, inspiring him. For example, while watching the musical 'Dancing in New York,' she jumped onto the stage and danced along. It was also Felicia who urged him to compose musicals. "Why are you quitting this? It's so good." "It's light music." "Light? What do you mean?" "I mean, I'm supposed to be the first great American conductor." "Is that a dream?" "I have many dreams."

In fact, Bernstein wrote musicals with the help of his actress wife. Through their interaction, they pre-experienced the development of the audience's intellect and aesthetic sensitivity. They also nurtured a desire for new forms of musical and performing arts expression. This is evident in his 1954 essay 'What Happened to the Great American Symphony?' He emphasized that the sanctified musical form was either dead or dying, but predicted that something new would take its place. He proposed fusing conventional American art forms?such as ballet and modern dance, musical dialogue, and operatic recitative?with musical sequences, counterpoint, and orchestration. "The resulting musical drama would include elements of musicals, operettas, and operas, yet belong to none of these."

In 'Maestro Bernstein,' Felicia seems insufficient to satisfy Bernstein's yearning for new expressive forms. This is revealed in Bernstein's confession, and Felicia herself recognizes her limitations. "I don't know why I feel so down." "You're tired. You'll feel better after you sleep." "'Summer sang briefly inside me and then stopped.' ? Edna St. Vincent Millay's poem." "If the summer inside stops singing, all songs stop. If all songs stop, composing is over."

Bernstein found new energy from a same-sex lover, and the resulting work was 'Mass.' It mainly criticizes the glorification of poverty to justify robbery, animal extinction, imperialism, population explosion, religion reduced to sitting in church once a week, and the imposition of religious faith on others. In his view, the crisis in America at the time was multifaceted. The public was so caught up in trends and greedy consumption that they refused to see their country's problems clearly, even viewing the Vietnam War?which produced innocent victims?without criticism.

This awareness was also reflected in contemporary cultural currents, such as Philip K. Dick's 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?', Barry Melzberg's 'Beyond Apollo,' and Thomas Pynchon's 'Gravity's Rainbow.' However, Bernstein's composition was somewhat dull. Barry Sells, a political science professor at Rider University, criticized 'Mass' in his book 'Leonard Bernstein' as "a piece composed of clich?d sentimentalism."

"It introduced special rhythmic areas and musical techniques and achieved remarkable success as a musical. (Omitted) However, it failed to fully realize the tragic dimension and was insufficient to awaken the voice of conscience demanded by Daniel Berrigan, Noam Chomsky, and Hannah Arendt. What was missing was the expression or direct implication of the era's greatest fears, and if that had been present, the work's depth and meaning would have been sufficient. It failed to properly represent the aspects of the crisis that inspired it."

Bernstein was a progressive who experienced ups and downs in accordance with the American zeitgeist during the Cold War. He was blacklisted by the U.S. State Department in 1950 and, fearing persecution, resigned from the New York Philharmonic baton the following year. He was also monitored by the Nixon administration for visiting anti-Vietnam War activist Berrigan. Perhaps because of this, he was often conscious of public opinion and was not entirely honest with his family. Cooper points to his homosexuality as a prime example. Bernstein made efforts to hide the truth from his daughter Jamie Bernstein. "No matter what happened, no matter what anyone said, it was all jealousy blinding people to slander Dad. Jealousy. No matter what I do, they’re jealous." "So the rumors are false?" "They’re false."

'Maestro Bernstein' does not list any of the political humiliations he endured. Instead, it metaphorically represents them through his relationship with Felicia and his music. Bernstein separated from his wife in 1976 to live with his same-sex lover. The following year, he returned to care for Felicia, who was battling cancer. When she passed away in June 1978, he was left a man with profound sorrow. Cooper placed Mahler's symphony during this emotional reunion. Bernstein was more entranced conducting Mahler's works than any other composer. Mahler created a spell that moved the heart by pushing music to its limits, aiming to point out the declining belief in Enlightenment and progressive values in his generation.

Within that, Bernstein saw a long narrative foretelling the disasters and fears that engulfed Europe in the early 20th century. He also perceived a flow that seemed eternal. Thanks to this, he could convey the tragic vision that he could not fully embed in his compositions to the orchestra and audience?alongside his love for his wife.