The
Deutsche Grammophon
label has made an unusual decision regarding soundtrack album releases connected with the film
Maestro
, starring
Bradley Cooper
as conductor
Leonard Bernstein
and based on episodes from
Bernstein
's marriage. Instead of the usual single album, with musical selections and perhaps a few bits of dialogue, there are two separate albums. This one,
Maestro: Music by Leonard Bernstein
, is a soundtrack album in the literal sense of the term, with a good deal of dialogue excerpted directly from the movie and music used as it relates to specific scenes.
's decision is basically a good one, for
's career as a musician is nothing if not complex, perhaps more complex than that of any other 20th century musician. The multiple perspectives on the music are welcome, and there is much to recommend this release.
Yannick Nezet-Seguin
was a good choice for conductor on the project, and he effectively shapes the
London Symphony Orchestra
into a fair facsimile of
's heated, some would say overheated, style. The dialogue will appeal to those who have seen the film and want to relive it, and this is, after all, one of the primary reasons people buy soundtrack albums. Those who want just music made by
himself can choose the second album in
's pair,
Maestro: The Very Best of Leonard Bernstein
, instead or in addition to this release. The present album is unusually closely linked to the film itself, and that is a good thing as long as listeners know what they're getting into. ~ James Manheim