I've had this on my shelf at home for quite awhile. I've enjoyed Bernstein's West Side Story music. Ahead of Bradley Cooper's biopic film Maestro, coming out later this year, I thought it is time to sample his Young People's Concerts. From 1958 to 1972 Bernstein led 53 televised concerts to teach young people about musical concepts. I've found there is a YouTube playlist with the episodes, so I'll have to check those out next. The book samples fifteen of Bernstein's lessons. There are pictures added and printed music to illustrate the concepts. The video recordings will be helpful because I am not familiar with every musical example he sites, and my sight reading skills are not great. For those who cannot read music, the videos rather than the book would be the way to absorb the lessons. Some pop culture references from the '60s are dated, but mostly it is all still relevant. The second chapter, based on the second concert, which asks "What Makes Music American?" needs a more modern assessment. Chapter ten, based on concert 21, which explores "What is a Melody?" is also not completely successful at defining it as distinct from a tune. Bernstein shows his classical music harshness in judging those who prefer pop/rock/jazz tunes. Still the book got me excited for thinking more deeply about music.
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