he music Leonard Bernstein draws from a symphony orchestra is generally praised, but his acrobatic style of conducting often has been damned as “shadow-boxing,” “dancing,” and “clownish.” He was once called a “musical Dick Tracy” by critic Virgil Thomson. He has never used a baton. Waving both arms at once, and sometimes clenching his fists, he reaches, jabs, punches, points, even seems to pray. Sometimes he pantomimes the motions of the violinists and horn players. Often, standing in one spot, he simply bounces up and down. When conducting singers, Bernstein unconsciously roars out every word right along with them; that’s why microphones are never placed close to him. As the
