Leonard Bernstein’s Mass - I feel redeemed.
For almost thirty years, I’ve been a big fan of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass. I’ve always thought it was wonderful energizing, exciting, and moving piece. However, it was categorized as musical kitsch and schlock. It was disdained because of its mix of wildly divergent musical styles and its focus on issues and concerns of the late 60’s and early 70’s.
But, during New York City’s current celebration of Bernstein’s 90th birthday, the Mass has been performed twice and it’s been a hit. The NY Times classical music critic, Anthony Tommassini, loved the performance in Washington Heights.
This paragraph is a nice summation:
A lingering criticism of “Mass” is that with his brash mixing of pop and classical styles, Bernstein came across as just too hip. But the evocations are expertly done. And today such blending of styles is commonplace. Young composers, who disdain categories, borrow from any style they care to. And why not?
Bernstein sweated the details in composing this score. “A Simple Song” is as alluring a tune as he ever wrote. The sublime chorale “Almighty Father,” with its hauntingly wide-spaced harmonies, had the audience at the United Palace Theater, full of restless families, utterly hushed and attentive. “The Word of the Lord” is an artful transfer of a Pete Seeger-type folk song into an orchestral setting.
I would have loved to have been there - my favorite young baritone, Jubilant Sykes sang the lead role of the celebrant. It certainly has been an incredible year for musical and theatre performances in New York city.
Hello. I am 
You and I share a taste for music the masses tend to disdain. I’ll have to see if I can pick up a copy of that so I can hear what you are talking about.