LEONARD BERNSTEIN (1918-1992) American composer and conductor whose works frequently reflected American themes. Important and very rare autograph musical score signed, 13 3/4" x 18", [n.p., August, 1963], the original opening orchestration page of Bernstein's "Kaddish: Symphony No. 3 " written in his own hand, and the only one he ever made. At left margin, Bernstein notes which staves should be used for scoring various parts of his orchestra, including flute, piccolo, oboe, trumpets, percussion instruments, vibraphones, harp or piano, and so on, with vocal, speaker and chorus parts with blank staves between to allow Bernstein to orchestrate those parts more easily. He notes at bottom: "Leave a solid bottom margin! 1 1/2" or so". At top the great composer pens a note to fellow composer Phillip Lambro who was responsible for preparing printed sheets of orchestration paper using this handwritten example as a model. Bernstein writes: "Dear Lambro: Thank you for your suggestion. Something like this should do it, I imagine. Of course, the extra staves will necessitate a larger page (I don't think the staves should be any closer together than this). 500 sheets will more than suffice. I'm afraid they can't be transparencies, since I'll be scoring mostly on tour, in a wild hurry, at airports & hotels, & whenever possible; & those sheets will be unmanageable. I'll try to score it as legibly as possible, in pencil (given the speed), omitting all vocal & chorus parts, which can be inserted during the final ink copying job, taken from the 'short' score, which I am now completing. Many thanks - Leonard Bernstein ". Lambro did as requested, preparing five hundred orchestration sheets per Bernstein's wishes, with blank spaces appropriately. Interestingly, our consignor, Maestro Phillip Lambro, notes that Bernstein neglected to include the Alto Flute on this page. He initially blamed Lambro until he realized it was his error - Lambro then told him he would frame this orchestration page to protect his integrity! It is in his Kaddish, Symphony No. 3, perhaps more than in any other of his compositions that Bernstein brings together his Jewish spiritual roots and his lifelong concern for the plight of a floundering humanity. Never completely satisfied with this intensely personal cri de coeur, which he dedicated to the memory of John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated as it was being completed, the composer constantly reworked the piece for 14 years. Light toning and two very small paper adhesions in a blank area (easily removed), else very good. $10,000-15,000