Bernstein's West Side Story reaches 50 in 2007(July 2006) 26 September 2007 marks the 50th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story, a work that has transcended the boundaries of its genre to become an iconic presence in American cultural life. Generations of theatergoers and film audiences have been captivated by its vibrant score; its story transcends time and place. Its tender ballads and pulsating dances are instantly recognizable to listeners around the world.
In West Side Story, Leonard Bernstein and his collaborators – librettist Arthur Laurents, lyricist Stephen Sondheim, and director-choreographer Jerome Robbins, whose idea it was to update Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to a contemporary urban setting – merged the literary and the topical, the sophisticated and the vernacular, into a seamless and indelible whole. While West Side Story cannot be performed in its entirety as a concert work, there are excellent ways to incorporate its music into your programming. Frequently Asked Questions Q: May I perform the entire West Side Story in concert? A: The answer is no. The authors of West Side Story decided as a matter of policy not to permit concert performances of the entire show. The only way to present the music in concert is to perform the works listed below. With two vocal suites, a set of symphonic dances, and songs that may be performed as stand-alone works (a maximum of two per program), the options are ideally suited to orchestral programming. Q: My orchestra is performing one of the concert suites from West Side Story. However, we would like to change the order of the movements to reflect their sequence in the show. We would also like to delete one of the numbers. Would that be possible? A: The individual movements from suites may not be rearranged or deleted. Either of the concert suites may be replaced by a single song from West Side Story. Q: Is it OK to perform the vocal suites from West Side Story with staging, having the singers enact the relevant scenes? A: Again, the answer is no. One may either present the entire theatrical work (licensing details below) or present the concert works, but hybrid performances are not permitted. Q: How can we obtain photographs from the West Side Story movie for our program book? A: They are available through www.mgmstills.com. Q: I would like to arrange music from West Side Story for my ensemble. How do I obtain permission? A: Arrangements are approved on a case-by-case basis. Please contact licensing@leonardbernstein.com. West Side Story: Orchestral Works Please find below details of the available selections with orchestra from West Side Story for concert performance. Symphonic Dances from West Side Story (1960) 23’ for orchestra 2.picc.2.corA.Ebcl.asax.2.bcl.2.dbn—4.3.3.1—timp.perc(4)—harp—pft—strings FP: 13 February 1961 New York Philharmonic conducted by Lukas Foss This suite contains non-vocal arrangements of music from West Side Story as follows: Prologue; Somewhere; Scherzo; Mambo; Cha-Cha; Meeting Scene; Cool Fugue; Rumble; Finale. Also available in a version for two pianos, arranged by John Musto Recommended recordings: New York Philharmonic/Bernstein – Sony Classical: ML 5661; MS 6251; MG 32174 M-060-10761-0 Study Score (in Bernstein Orchestral Anthology Volume 1) West Side Story – Concert Suite 1 (arr. 1992) 20’ for soprano and tenor soloists and orchestra 2.1(=corA).3(III=bcl).1—2.3.2.0-timp.perc(2)—elec.guitar—pft(=cel)—strings(vln:1-7, vlc:1-4,db) Concert Suite 1 emphasizes the love story between Maria and Tony. It contains arrangements for soprano, tenor, and orchestra of the following numbers: Maria; One Hand, One Heart; Somewhere; Balcony Scene. West Side Story – Concert Suite 2 (arr. 1992) 15’ for vocal soloists (S,3M,T,2Bar), chorus and orchestra 3(=picc).1.4(II=Ebcl,III=bcl,IV=asax).tsax.ssax(=bsax).1—2.3.2.0—timp.perc(4)—spanish guitar(=elec.guitar)—pft(=cel)—strings(vln:1-7,vlc:1-4,db) West Side Story’s ensemble numbers are spotlighted in this suite. It contains arrangements for soprano, three mezzo-sopranos, tenor, and two baritones and orchestra of I Feel Pretty; Jet Song; America; Tonight Quintet. Orchestral pairings Orchestral works based on Romeo and Juliet form natural pairings with music from West Side Story. Here are a few suggestions: Berlioz: Romeo and Juliet, H 79 (1839) – 100’ Delius: A Village Romeo and Juliet (1900-01) Suite – 10’ / The Walk to the Paradise Garden – 8’ / Waltz – 8’ Diamond: Music to Shakepeare’s Romeo and Juliet, H 79 (1947) – 18’ Hagen: Romeo and Juliet, concerto for flute, cello, and orchestra (2005) – 28’ Kabalevsky: Romeo and Juliet, suite from the incidental music (1956) – 35’ Prokofieff: Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64 (1935-36) – 130’ Suite No. 1, Op. 64b – 24’ / Suite No. 2, Op. 64c – 30’ / Suite No. 3, Op. 101 – 20’ Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture (1869) – 19’ > News Search |
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