Collection of Twentieth-century Books from the Personal Library of Maestro Leonard Bernstein. All volumes of a Jewish-related theme: History, Zionism, Jewish thought and religion, etc. In Hebrew, Yiddish, German, French and (mostly) English

Provenance: Sotheby’s New York, December 1997: Property from the Estate of Leonard Bernstein. Leonard Bernstein (1918-90) was the first conductor born and educated in the United States to receive universal acclaim. He was one of the most influential figures in the history of American classical music, championing the works of American composers and inspiring the careers of a generation of American musicians. Bernstein was also a highly respected composer and had a formidable piano technique. He is perhaps best known for his long relationship with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1947, Bernstein conducted in Palestine for the first time, beginning a life-long association with the State of Israel. In 1957, he conducted the inaugural concert of the Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv and subsequently made many recordings there. In 1967 he conducted a concert on Mt. Scopus to commemorate the reunification of Jerusalem. During the 1970s, Bernstein recorded most of his own symphonic music with the Israel Philharmonic. (Source: Wikipedia). The books offered here reflect the close identification Bernstein maintained with his Jewish heritage.