Highlights from "West Side Story"

Leonard Bernstein

General Info

Year: 1955 / 1963
Duration: c. 4:45
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: G. Schirmer
Cost: Score and Parts - Out of print.

For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
D-flat Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II-III
E-flat Horn or Alto I-II-III-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II, including:

Bass Drum
Castanets
Claves
Crash Cymbals
Snare Drum
Tambourine

Errata

None discovered thus far.

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

Media

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State Ratings

West Virginia: III

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Oak Ridge (Tenn.) Community Band/Wind Ensemble (Dale Pendley, conductor) - 15 April 2018
Lone Star Symphonic Band (Katy, Texas) (Bob Bryant, conductor) – 28 February 2016
Milpitas (Calif.) Community Concert Band (Jeff Yaeger, conductor) – 2 June 2017
Rockford (Ill.) Christian Fellowship Band (George Strombeck, conductor) - 22 March 2015
Christian Fellowship Band (Rockford, Ill.) (Richard Hammond, conductor) - 28 September 2014
Okawville (Ill.) High School Band - 2012
San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Wind Orchestra (William V. Johnson, conductor) - 27 January 2007

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

Bernstein, L.; Sondheim, S.; Ingram, T. (1963). Highlights from West Side Story [score]. G. Schirmer: New York.
Smith, Norman E. (2002). ‘’Program Notes for Band.’’ Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 63.