{{Italic title}} '''''For New York (Variations on Themes of Leonard Bernstein)''''' (originally titled '''''To Lenny! To Lenny!''''') is a one-movement orchestral composition by the American composer John Williams. Written as a tribute to fellow composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, the piece premiered on the last day of Bernstein's 70th birthday gala at Tanglewood on August 28, 1988.<ref name="NYT1">{{cite web |last=Rockwell |first=John |authorlink=John Rockwell |title=Review/Music; Finale for Bernstein's Birthday Gala |work=The New York Times |date=August 30, 1988 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/30/arts/review-music-finale-for-bernstein-s-birthday-gala.html |accessdate=January 30, 2015}}</ref> The premiere was performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Williams,<ref name="NYT1" /> who was then conductor of its sister orchestra, the Boston Pops.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rockwell |first=John |authorlink=John Rockwell |title=Birthday Party for a 70-Year-Old Prodigy |work=The New York Times |date=August 26, 1988 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/26/arts/birthday-party-for-a-70-year-old-prodigy.html |accessdate=January 30, 2015}}</ref> Music critic John Rockwell of ''The New York Times'' described the work as "feathery and flashy."<ref name="NYT1" />
==Composition== ''For New York'' utilizes themes from Bernstein's musicals ''On the Town'' and ''West Side Story'' ("New York, New York" and "America", respectively), though the climax also contains subtle references to "Happy Birthday to You".<ref>{{cite web |last=Stevenson |first=Joseph |title=For New York, variations on themes of Leonard Bernstein for orchestra |work=AllMusic |url=http://www.allmusic.com/composition/for-new-york-variations-on-themes-of-leonard-bernstein-for-orchestra-mc0002492137 |accessdate=January 30, 2015}}</ref> A performance of the piece lasts approximately three minutes.
==Discography== A recording of ''For New York'' was released January 15, 2002 on a compilation album by Sony Classical Records. The album also featured Williams' 1996 and 2002 Olympic themes, the NBC Nightly News theme ''The Mission'', the six part ''American Journey'', and various other celebratory works and fanfares for orchestra.<ref>{{cite web |first=Christian |last=Clemmensen |title=John Williams: American Journey |url=http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/american_journey.html |publisher=Filmtracks.com |accessdate=January 30, 2015}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
{{John Williams}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Compositions by John Williams Category:1988 compositions Category:Compositions for symphony orchestra Category:20th-century classical music Category:Music of New York City Category:Leonard Bernstein Category:Composer tributes (classical music) Category:Variations