Four Dances from "West Side Story"
Leonard Bernstein (trans. Ian Polster)
General Info
Year: 1957 / 1980
Duration: c. 9:00
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts - $130.00 | Score Only - $25.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Percussion, including:
- Claves
- Cowbell
- Drum Set
- Glockenspiel
- Maracas
- Marimba
- Tambourine
- Temple Blocks
- Timbales
- Vibraphone
- Wood Block
- Xylophone
Players shouting and snapping fingers
Errata
In Parts:
- Flute II, m.1, "and" of beat 1: The C6 eighth note and the dotted half note tied to it should be an E6 (tie to preceding E).
Program Notes
West Side Story was Bernstein's greatest popular success. Characterized as an America Romeo and Juliet, the work is noted for its "extraordinary dance sequences, melodic characterization, musical continuity, cohesive plot construction, and excellent orchestration." With a romantic setting against a background of social and racial and ethnic strife, Bernstein's music reflects the countless emotions which permeate Stephen Sondheim's lyrics. From a basic mood of studied nonchalance and defiance by the juvenile set, the music at times becomes devout and tender or, in contrasting sections, dynamic in intensity.
- Program Note from Program Notes for Band
The dances in this medley are Scherzo, Mambo, Cha-cha, and Cool (Fugue).
- Program Note from publisher
Media
(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)
State Ratings
- Maryland: VI
- Minnesota: I
- Mississippi: I-A
- South Carolina: VI
- Virginia: VI
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Rockford (Ill.) Wind Ensemble (Ken Goodman, conductor) - 23 April 2023
- California State Polytechnic University Humboldt (Arcata) Wind Ensemble (Paul Cummings, conductor) - 25 February 2023
- Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts (Murfreesboro) Wind Ensemble (Denny Hawkins, conductor) – 11 June 2022
- La Sierra University (Riverside, Calif.) Wind Ensemble (Giovanni Santos, conductor) – 15 May 2022
- University of Portland (Ore.) Wind Symphony (Patrick Murphy, conductor) - 20 November 2021
- Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah) Symphonic Band (Kirt Saville, conductor) - 24 February 2021
- Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Corey Seapy, conductor) – 20 November 2019
- Washington and Lee University (Lexington, Va.) Wind Ensemble (Christopher Dobbins, conductor) – 4 November 2019
- Lakeshore Symphonic Band (Cedarburg, Wisc.) (Michael Zens, conductor) – 18 March 2019
- Middle Tennessee State University (Murfreesboro) Symphonic Band (Denny Hawkins, conductor) - 4 December 2018
- Virginia Tech (Blacksburg) Wind Ensemble (Juan José Navarro, conductor) – 3 December 2018
- Ouachita Baptist University (Arkadelphia, Ark.) Wind Ensemble (Craig V. Hamilton, conductor) – 12 November 2018
- Lawrence University (Appleton, Wisc.) Symphonic Band (Matthew Arau, conductor) – 9 November 2018
- Houghton College (Caneadea, N.Y.) Wind Ensemble (Tim McGarvey, conductor) – 2 November 2018
- Virginia Tech (Blacksburg) Wind Ensemble (Jonathan Caldwell, conductor) – 26 October 2018
- Prairie Wind Ensemble (East Peoria, Ill.) (Jim Tallman, conductor) – 21 October 2018
- University of Nebraska (Lincoln) Symphonic Band (Anthony Falcone, conductor) – 9 October 2018
- Henderson State University (Arkadelphia, Ark.) Wind Ensemble (Steven M. Knight, conductor) – 7 October 2018
- Cleveland State University (Ohio) Wind Ensemble (Birch Browning, conductor) – 4 October 2018
- State University of New York, Fredonia, All College Band (Carrie Pawelski, conductor) – 3 October 2018
- Kennesaw (Ga.) State University Wind Ensemble (David Kehler, conductor) – 13 September 2018
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)
- 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)
- 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
- Bernstein, L.; Polster, I. (1980). Four Dances from West Side Story [score]. Leonard Bernstein Music: [United States]
- Smith, Norman E. (2002). ‘’Program Notes for Band.’’ Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 63.