# West Side Story Score



## emilio_n (May 5, 2021)

I am just watching this wonderful video and I am wondering if the score of West Side Story is available somewhere.


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## musicalweather (May 5, 2021)

Fascinating. Thanks for posting. Bernstein in rehearsal is mesmerizing. It seems there was some blood, sweat, and tears, even for him.


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## Gene Pool (May 5, 2021)

Theodore Front Musical Literature - West Side Story : Based On A Conception Of Jerome Robbins.


West Side Story : Based On A Conception Of Jerome Robbins.




www.tfront.com





https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/west-side-story-full-score-sheet-music/4076666


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## mikeh-375 (May 6, 2021)

...I've got the hardback version with Bernstein' initials embossed on the front cover, it cost £74.50. It's a real treat to sit back with nice headphones, put on the CD from the above 'Making of' sessions and follow the score from start to finish. The only downside is Carreras.


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## emilio_n (May 6, 2021)

mikeh-375 said:


> ...I've got the hardback version with Bernstein' initials embossed on the front cover, it cost £74.50. It's a real treat to sit back with nice headphones, put on the CD from the above 'Making of' sessions and follow the score from start to finish. The only downside is Carreras.


I am ordering right now. 
Carreras is not bad, but don't fit with this style...


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## mikeh-375 (May 6, 2021)

emilio_n said:


> I am ordering right now.
> Carreras is not bad, but don't fit with this style...


yes, that's my view too. I'm only just ok with Kiri Te Kanawa. But the band...oh yes.


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## re-peat (May 6, 2021)

In 2014, Michael Tilson Thomas *re-recorded* the entire musical with The San Francisco Orchestra. Alexandra Silber and Cheyenee Jackson in the lead roles.

Much better, in my view, than Bernstein’s ghastly, embarrassingly miscast remake with Te Kanawa and Carreras. It’s beyond my understanding what possessed the man to ruin his own work like that, robbing the piece of all its freshness, soul and power. (This and his Elgar recordings with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, also on Deutsche Grammophon, are, in my opinion, the worst things he's ever done.)





If you don't care much for the entire musical but are interested in the Symphonic Dances drawn from it, there's a pretty good recent recording (which also includes the "Candide Overture", "Fancy Free" and the suite from "On The Waterfront") by the Tonkünstler Orchestra conducted by Yutaka Sado, released on *the orchestra's label.*)



_


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## mikeh-375 (May 6, 2021)

^^^Thanks for that. The leads sound fantastic, just the right weight of voice imv, so much better than the Bernstein cast. Sold.


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## Markrs (May 6, 2021)

re-peat said:


> In 2014, Michael Tilson Thomas *re-recorded* the entire musical with The San Francisco Orchestra. Alexandra Silber and Cheyenee Jackson in the lead roles.
> 
> Much better, in my view, than Bernstein’s ghastly, embarrassingly miscast remake with Te Kanawa and Carreras. It’s beyond my understanding what possessed the man to ruin his own work like that, robbing the piece of all its freshness, soul and power. (This and his Elgar recordings with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, also on Deutsche Grammophon, are, in my opinion, the worst things he's ever done.)
> 
> ...



Thank you for the links, love the sound of the Tilson Thomas version. Wasn't a fan of the more operatic version by Bernstein. 

My first version was not the original cast recording but a much later one (can't remember the much about it as I have long since lost the CD), and whilst I like the original cast recording, I preferred the first one I heard. For me the Tilson Thomas version sounds much closer to that. I will be giving this version a full listen too.

I plan on also getting the score to study as well as I love west side story and it would be amazing to have a better understanding of the music.


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## stigc56 (May 6, 2021)

I like the sound of Carerras much more. It’s obvious that he came short in the rhytmic department. But she - Silber - is nice.


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## rudi (May 6, 2021)

mikeh-375 said:


> yes, that's my view too. I'm only just ok with Kiri Te Kanawa. But the band...oh yes.


Same here - great singers but not a match-made-in-heaven IMVHO!

And then there is this:


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## rudi (May 6, 2021)

re-peat said:


> In 2014, Michael Tilson Thomas *re-recorded* the entire musical with The San Francisco Orchestra. Alexandra Silber and Cheyenee Jackson in the lead roles.
> 
> ...


Thanks for that - I wasn't aware of that particular recording. Great stuff!!!


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## Gene Pool (May 7, 2021)

Get out your score and enjoy:


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