Cool

Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein (arr. Paul Murtha)

This article is a stub. If you can help add information to it, please join the WRP and visit the FAQ (left sidebar) for information.

Subtitle: From West Side Story

General Info

Year: 1957 / 2018
Duration: c. 2:55
Difficulty: II+ (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Orchestra
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $55.00   |   Score Only (print) - $7.50

Instrumentation (Flexible)

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

This is by far the jazziest tune from Bernstein's West Side Story, and it's nothing short of iconic in its appeal and longevity. Combining a medium swing style with angular riffs and a cocky attitude, here is a great-sounding flexible version for small bands and bands with incomplete instrumentation.

- Program Note from publisher

Cool is a song from the 1957 musical West Side Story. Leonard Bernstein composed the music and Stephen Sondheim wrote the lyrics. This song is known for its fugal treatment of a jazz figure, described by one writer as "possibly the most complex instrumental music heard on Broadway to date".

- Program Note from Wikipedia

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

• Cool (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Murtha) (1957/2018)
• West Side Story (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Sweeney) (1957/2015)

All Wind Works

• Almighty Father (arr. Hunsberger) (1971/1974)
• America (arr. Vinson) (1963/2018)
• America from "West Side Story" (arr. Brown)
• A Bernstein Tribute (adapt. Grundman) (1991)
• Candide Suite (arr. Grundman) (1956/1993)
• Cool (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Murtha) (1957/2018)
• Dance Suite (1990)
• Danzón (arr. Bocook) (1944/1990)
• Danzón (arr. Krance) (1944)
• Divertimento (arr. Grundman) (1980/1984)
  • BSO Forever, The
• Fanfare for the 25th Anniversary of the High School of the Arts (orch. Ramin)
• Fanfare for the Inauguration of John F. Kennedy (orch. Ramin) (1961/1995)
• Fanfare from "Dance Suite"
• Four Dances from "West Side Story" (tr. Polster) (1957/1980)
• Gee, Officer Krupke (arr. Murtha) (1957/2015)
• Glitter and Be Gay (arr. Frenkel) (1956/)
• Glitter and be Gay from "Candide" (tr. Davis)
• Highlights from "West Side Story" (arr. Ingram) (1963)
• I Hate Music! (arr. Nowlin) (1943/)
• Make Our Garden Grow (arr. Kreines) (1956/2017)
• Make Our Garden Grow (arr. John Gibson) (1956/)
• Mambo from "West Side Story" (arr. Sweeney) (1957/2013?)
• Maria (arr. Murtha) (1957/2003)
• Maria from "West Side Story" (arr. McCoy) (1957)
• Meditation No. 2 (arr. Hunsberger) (1971/1973)
• A Musical Toast (tr. Grundman) (1982)
• Overture to "Candide" (trans. Beeler)
• Overture to "Candide" (tr. Grundman) (1955/1986)
• Overture to "Candide" (arr. Howell) (1955/2020)
• Overture to "Candide" (tr. Hunsberger) (1955/)
• Prelude, Fugue and Riffs (1974/1991)
• Presto Barbaro from "On the Waterfront" (arr. Erickson)
• Prologue from "West Side Story" (arr. Gilmore) (1962)
• Selections from "Wonderful Town" (arr. Saurer) (1953)
• Shivaree (1970)
• A Simple Song (arr. Sweeney) (1971/2010)
• Slava! (tr. Grundman) (1977)
• Slava! (arr. Linden) (1977/2011)
• Slava! (tr. Longfield) (1977/)
• Somewhere (arr. Brown) (1957/2012)
• Somewhere from "West Side Story" (arr. Bocook)
• Suite from "MASS" (arr. Sweeney) (1971/2009 )
• Suite from "On the Town" (arr. Higgins) (1944)
• Suite from "West Side Story" (arr. Davis)
• Symphonic Dance Music from "West Side Story" (arr. Polster) (1980)
• Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story" (arr. Leon) (1967/2007)
• Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story" (tr. Lavender) (1967/2008)
• Symphonic Suite from "On the Waterfront" (arr. Bocook) (1954/2011)
• Symphony No. 1 (tr. Bencriscutto) (1942/1952)
  • Profanation from "Symphony No. 1"
  • Lamentation from "Symphony No. 1"
• Symphony No. 1 (tr. Lebrias) (1942/2023)
• Three Dance Episodes from "On The Town" (arr. Lavender) (1944/2016)
• Three Dance Episodes from "On The Town" (tr. Stith) (1944/1972)
• West Side Story: Highlights (tr. Ingram)
• West Side Story: Medley (arr. Bocook) (1957/1991)
• West Side Story: Selection (arr. Duthoit) (1957/1959)
• West Side Story (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Sweeney) (1957/2015)
• West Side Story (arr. Norris)
• A White House Cantata (tr. Nowlin) (1997/)
• Wrong Note Rag (arr. Ricketts) (1953/2005)

Resources

• Cool (West Side Story song), Wikipedia Accessed 20 July 2020
• Perusal score