On June 12, 1938 — 75 years ago today — a 19-year-old Leonard Bernstein gave his first performance as a composer-pianist in Brookline, Mass., performing his Music for the Dance Nos. 1 and 2 and Music for Two Pianos. This week's Showdown offers three pieces by a more mature Bernstein — music from some of his celebrated works for the musical theatre and ballet stage.
West Side Story's "Symphonic Dances," a Bernstein classic, led the race all morning and at noon we played it performed by the New York Philharmonic under the direction of Alan Gilbert.
