I've loved and adored Leonard Bernstein's MASS ever since I saw the first presentation on PBS back in the early 70s. It is a wonderful piece of music and theatre.
However, for years I had an image in my mind of Bernstein composing this work, having been commissioned--no, that's too commercial a word--having been implored by Jacqueline Kennedy to compose an opus that was worthy of the opening of the Kennedy Center in D.C.. I imagined Bernstein struggling through his long held grief as he feverishly penned notes of music to paper, working long into the night, a framed photograph of the fallen president atop the piano, working, working, working though his tears until the piece was perfect and complete...
And then I learned that Bernstein pretty much lifted all the music from his aborted musical A PRAY BY BLECHT, which was to be a collaboration with Sondheim.
I wonder how Stephen Schwartz reacted when he learned where the music came from?
