August 25, 2018 marks 100 years since composer Leonard Bernstein's birth. Known for many projects, including his composition of award-winning scores, the composer/conductor/educator/polymath is celebrated by Google with 45 seconds of the score to West Side Story, specifically the part where we first meet one of the gangs in the story- it's the famous finger-snapping part.
During the Google Doodle you first see the head and hands of an animated Leonard Bernstein, holding a conductor's baton as the music begins, then the images change into various scenes of his life from childhood on.
A particularly unexpected twist is when the music staff is upended and suddenly looks like the Empire State Building.This seems to be a reference to Bernstein's affiliation with New York City (He was once the Director of the New York Philharmonic.), as well as being a nod to the opening credit sequence of the film version of West Side Story which is set in the same city.
Learn more about Leonard Bernstein from the following resources:
- Watch the animated Google Doodle here: https://youtu.be/O8fQyb6tkdk
- Google explains its doodles for Bernstein here: https://www.google.com/doodles/leonard-bernsteins-100th-birthday
- Find news for a 2-year round of celebratory events at Leonard Bernstein's official website by clicking here: https://leonardbernstein.com/at100
- There is an ongoing Memories project wherein you submit your memories of the composer: https://leonardbernstein.com/memories
- Here is an article as to Bernstein's relevance today. (It is linked by the composer's official website.): https://www.citybeat.com/arts-culture/classical-music/article/20991561/why-leonard-bernstein-still-matters
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