On the centenary of his birth, a concise panorama of the life and work of this fascinating and controversial musician

Bernstein is one of the most recognizable and successful musicians of the 20th century. Over five decades of his career he led many of the world's best orchestras, and composed musicals as well known as West Side Story.

After thirty years of study, Paul R. Laird describes Bernstein's work as a conductor, composer, informative and critic, and analyzes his main compositions, without leaving aside the impact his complicated personal life had on his work.