On the Road and Off the Record with Leonard Bernstein

An unkempt and redolent drunk greeted Charlie Harmon, a socially insecure gay job seeker, when the door opened for Charlie’s interview. It was Harmon’s first glimpse of a music icon and he was hired by the man to be his assistant. Little did he know that the next four years would be a time of turmoil, exhaustion, world travel, and frustration, all tempered by a wondrous journey into the world of classical music. His life would be filled with responsibility, trying to keep the celebrated conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein on a hectic schedule while dealing with the Maestro’s frailties and peccadillos.

Harmon was immediately ensconced in a frenetic world with little free time to get any rest. His regular duties were immense and, to top it off, there seemed to be some resentment towards Charlie by Harry Kraut, Bernstein’s long time manager, who seemed determined to make Charlie’s life miserable. Somehow he managed to juggle it all and find the time to chronicle his experiences in “On the Road and Off the Record with Leonard Bernstein,” written after Bernstein’s death in 1990.

Bernstein was in constant demand. He was constantly on the move, traveling from country to country as he conducted world famous orchestras, lectured exceptional musicians, organized top-level symposiums, and collaborated with other celebrated composers and musicians in his role as the most famous maestro in the world.

Bernstein traveled big with huge stacks of luggage, vast portfolios of music, and huge groups of people that needed to be coddled. There were deadlines to be met, transportation details to attend to, important meetings to be held, prestigious functions to be attended, important big-wigs to be indulged, and it was up to Charlie to make sure his undependable boss carried out all his obligations. That was his main job.

Other auxiliary duties included being the gatekeeper to Bernstein, his valet, music copyist and librarian and he had to pack twenty or thirty huge trunks of luggage every time a new location was in the offing. He was Bernstein’s pharmacist, sounding post, drinking partner, and companion, although he often had to stay up getting everything ready for another trip while Bernstein slept off another drunken night.

When I finished the book I was exhausted. It was threes weeks before I could even start this review. Before Charlie finished his term of employment, he was seeking professional help, suffering from a number of stress related ailments. But, oh, the places he’d been, the people he hobnobbed with, and the wonderful musical performances he experienced. His role as the Maestro’s personal savior makes Charlie Harmon a wonderful guide, introducing us to magical places and legendary celebrities. I’ll not be a namedropper, as was Bernstein, but rest assured you’ll thrill at the people you meet.

"Please look after my music"

The Maestro's last words to his long-time assistant Charlie Harmon. But in many ways, he wasn't the Maestro to "Charlito", he was LB as their relationship evolved over the four plus years that Harmon worked for him. Longer than any other assistant. Some of the Bernstein stories are iconic and oft told, but I learned a lot about the man and his attendants as Harmon traveled with him from Bloomington, Indiana to western Massachusetts, Vienna, Jerusalem, Tokyo and beyond in the early to mid 80s.

This is in many ways a testament to the music world - LB Aaron Copland, Harry Kraut, Gore Vidal... They're all gone. The Orient Express and the Concorde are gone. James Levine is no longer conducting the Met Opera. But the orchestras remain. Vienna Philharmonic, La Scala, Tanglewood. The Maestro's beloved New York Philharmonic still performs its annual concert for peace on New Years Eve.

"But I had betrayed LB's trust in me"
Harmon may have thought so once he quit working for Kraut some years after Bernstein died, but I don't think he did. Is Bernstein gone? I think he lives on in his music, and in the memories of those like Harmon who worked along side him, protecting the Maestro and his legacy from "Mississippi Mud"

While its fitting to read this as the centennial begins with the Maestro's 99th birthday, I wish I'd been more aware of the significance of November 14th and read this then.

A solid read, whether or not you're already familiar with Bernstein, Harmon's stories will teach you a lot about the man behind the Maestro, LB.

"Be curious, stay eager to learn. Ask all the questions you can think of. And then listen. Carefully, quietly, deeply."

A fascinating look at the private and public life of a musical genius. This book humanizes Leonard Bernstein and gives great insight into what made him and his music so important to generations.

As a long time fan of Leonard Bernstein's music I was excited to read this book. I loved the behind the scenes look into Bernstein's life. I really enjoyed this book.

Charlie Harmon with a degree in orchestral music from Carnegie-Mellon, finds himself at 31 acting as assistant to Leonard Bernstein, one of the towering figures in the field of music of the twentieth century. After a three-hour interview in which he learns of the upcoming schedule for 1982, he was reluctant to take the job since he felt he was a "low energy person" and the position required someone younger and more up to the demands. But his qualifications got him the job without having even met the maestro himself, and he is required to spend a number of weeks at the Jacobs School of Music at the University of Indiana. And thus began four years of the frenetic task of taking care of the personal needs of Maestro Bernstein but also getting somewhat of an education. It was great fun learning about LB -- his flamboyant, demanding nature but also his genius and flashes of warmth. At times it felt like he was almost a cliche of the temperamental divo, and Harmon left his role as personal assistant, and moved upstairs so to speak as personal archivist, a role he continued to occupy after Bernstein's death in 1990. Worth reading if you have interest in well known personalities of the arts.

Very enjoyable daily occurrences with LB. There are quite a few twists and happenings that are totally unexpected in Berstein's daily life. He was not the easiest person to work for, but we're glad to have a record of it!

Music fans curious about Bernstein behind the scenes will find lovely vignettes about the Maestro's life on and off the stage. If you are looking for a complete biography of Bernstein, this book is not it - it instead focuses on the years when the author worked as assistant to Bernstein. The photos and memorabilia are interesting to look at, and make Bernstein come to life. Those who only know him through his music will enjoy learning more about him behind the baton or the composition paper.
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a fascinating look into the late life of one of America's finest art music composers! This is definitely a book for adults only, with much language, drugs, and sexual content. But the intimate glimpses it gives us of "LB" as he sticks to his unbelievable schedule of teaching, conducting, writing, and premiering his own music is fascinating! Bravo, Mr. Harmon! I recommend this book for anyone pursuing a career in "classical" music today.

I enjoyed this inside look at the fabulously complex world of the great Leonard Bernstein, clearly a musical genius with all the baggage that apparently entails. Frustrating, hilarious, shocking, heartbreaking, it's well worth the read.

A series of vignettes written by one of Leonard Bernstein's assistants, this book was an interesting look into the chaotic life of a mercurial genius. Beginning from the moment the author, Charlie Harmon, sees a job ad requesting a personal assistant and ending with Bernstein's death and legacy, this book traces the ups and downs of the latter years of the musician's life.

As someone with only passing knowledge of Bernstein and his accomplishments, this book did a good job at bringing me up to speed and giving me a peek into what life as a musical elite would be like. This isn't a thorough biography of the composer, nor a deep exploration of his music, so I wouldn't recommend this book for people looking for either of these things. Nonetheless, it is a detailed look at the late years of the man's life: his mood swings, his drug use, his love for his family, his passion for his work, how rapidly he could fluctuate between kindness and cruelty, and what a hectic schedule and life he kept and spread to the people around him. Fans of Bernstein would certainly find this book a complementary read to their knowledge of the man.

Parts of the book got too dense for me in terms of name-dropping—it got difficult keeping straight who was who and which part of the world were they currently touring around (and to be fair, I suppose this may simply be an accurate representation of what a confusing whirlwind the author's job as a personal assistant was). I also would've like more about Bernstein's work process and how he made his art.

All in all, it was an interesting memoir that would resonate strongly with Bernstein fans and music aficionados. Not the easiest read at some bits, but it adds another dimension to the man.

My love of biographies, particularly those of celebrities and/or musicians, led me to this book. While I've certainly heard of the name Leonard Bernstein and that he was associated with music in iconic proportions, I knew next to nothing about him. Well, he's just the guy who wrote the music to the legendary musical "West Side Story" and is a world famous conductor of orchestras. Nicknamed "Maestro", Bernstein travelled the world on a brutal schedule instructing college students, conducting orchestras, writing new scores and making recordings.

In the early 1980s Charlie Harmon answered an ad under "M" for Musician in the Sunday New York Times seeking an assistant for a "world-class" musician. The skill set required was to read music, be available to travel, speak some European languages and be very organized. Prior to Harmon's hiring, Bernstein changed personal assistants like the blur of a revolving door.

I got exhausted just reading about all Charlie Harmon had to do in his role as personal assistant to Leonard Bernstein, a role he served during the last years of Bernstein's life. Presented with Bernstein's punishing schedule of work and travel, Harmon's duties included carefully packing up 20+ trunks and boarding them on planes all over the world. Very knowledgeable in orchestra music himself, Harmon was often called upon to prepare and "mark up" sheet music to Bernstein's specifications for various orchestras.

Bernstein's main residence was the imposing and impressive Dakota building, which had just seen the recent murder of Beatle John Lennon prior to Harmon coming on board. Another celebrity neighbor often encountered in the Dakota building was actress Lauren Bacall. During his role as personal assistant to Leonard Bernstein, Harmon would find himself rubbing elbows with many celebrities.

Harmon kept a diary throughout his years working for Bernstein from which he drew upon intricate details for this book. The writing is intelligent, authentic, knowledgeable and intimate. Just to offer a few glimpses into the private world of Bernstein, while pining for his deceased wife Felicia (whose apparition others could see while Bernstein did not), Bernstein was often found waking up with a male in his bed...prompting Harmon to go back to fetch a second cup of morning coffee. Bernstein smoked too much, relied on Dexedrines for energy and refused to eat at the same table with his cook.

Although after several grueling years working for Bernstein Harmon resigned as personal assistant, he continued to work for Bernstein in other very important capacities such as his archivist and editing Bernstein's scores after his death. Indeed, when Harmon last visited Bernstein at the Dakota the day before his death, "LB" said, "Please look after my music." And he did.

"A celebratory, intimate, and detailed look at the public and private life of Leonard Bernstein written by his former assistant. Foreword by Broadway legend Harold Prince.

Leonard Bernstein reeked of cheap cologne and obviously hadn't showered, shaved, or slept in a while. Was he drunk to boot? He greeted his new assistant with "What are you drinking?" Yes, he was drunk.

Charlie Harmon was hired to manage the day-to-day parts of Bernstein's life. There was one additional responsibility: make sure Bernstein met the deadline for an opera commission. But things kept getting in the way: the centenary of Igor Stravinsky, intestinal parasites picked up in Mexico, teaching all summer in Los Angeles, a baker's dozen of young men, plus depression, exhaustion, insomnia, and cut-throat games of anagrams. Did the opera get written?

For four years, Charlie saw Bernstein every day, as his social director, gatekeeper, valet, music copyist, and itinerant orchestra librarian. He packed (and unpacked) Bernstein's umpteen pieces of luggage, got the Maestro to his concerts, kept him occupied changing planes in Zurich, Anchorage, Tokyo, or Madrid, and learned how to make small talk with mayors, ambassadors, a chancellor, a queen, and a Hollywood legend or two. How could anyone absorb all those people and places? Because there was music: late-night piano duets, or the Maestro's command to accompany an audition, or, by the way, the greatest orchestras in the world. Charlie did it, and this is what it was like, told for the first time."

For my brother!

Knowing about Leonard Bernstein and his accomplishments, and having an appreciation for his body of work I decided to get this book from Net Galley.. I was glad I did. I was also glad I did not read any reviews prior to the reading of this book as it may have influenced me in some way. I will say that I thought it was impartial a reporting as possible for someone working so closely with their subject. I found the inside stories fascinating and helped shape a greater understanding of the legend. The writing was good and holds one's interest. I found the book very entertaining and informative.

On the Road and Off the Record with Leonard Berstein by Charlie Harmon is a wonderfully enjoyable book. Such a biography - what a life! It was quite enjoyable to get a brief glimpse into a complicate yet amazingly talented man. Passion - music - conduction - wild character, great to read. Thanks to #netgalley #ontheroadandofftherecordwithleonardbernstein #imagine

Leonard Bernstein's assistant Charlie Harmon has written this book about his life and the life of Leonard Bernstein. This is a behind the scenes look at the life of a star. This book mainly covers the latter years of Leonard Bernstein's life. You will read about Charlie Harmon from the moment he saw a help wanted add up until after Bernstein's death and a little after. If you like non-fiction, if you like memoirs, and if you are a fan of Leonard Bernstein this is a very interesting book.

For fans of Bernstein, or those who enjoy reading about the day to day lives of artists, this book will be a must-read. Bernstein's long-term assistant gives an irresistible backstage insight into life with the great master. Thanks NetGalley!

Fascinating insider story of a period in the life of the great Leonard Bernstein. Definitely no literary masterpiece this, indeed it is pretty turgid in places, but the story is fascinating and well worth hanging on in there. Hard to believe the author was willing to put up with Bernstein for so long. What a diva he comes across as - no surprise, I suppose, but still quite shocking that he should be so indulged by so many for so long, genius notwithstanding.
Well done the publisher for ignoring the lack of quality of the writing and getting this story out into the world.

I love Leonard Bernstein's music - but didn't know a lot about his life. After reading this I find I know a lot more about one particular part of his life (as expected) and can add him to the list of Difficult Male Geniuses. I still love the music, but the man behind it is... trickier.

There's a lot of inside classical music stuff here - so probably one for the classical music aficionados rather than the casual fan (I am definitely the latter!).

I loved this intimate account of Leonard Bernstein. It lifts the curtain on some of his magic--and fury--and provides a window into some of the circus-like mania that went into the genius of Bernstein. I loved that Harmon didn't hold back on eviscerating Bernstein's awful manager. This is a fun and gossipy book but also a really solid introduction to Bernstein. It somewhat reminded me of the memoir "Mornings with Mailer," written by Norman Mailer's last assistant.