West Side Story SYmph. Dances Piano Solo
Transcript of West Side Story SYmph. Dances Piano Solo
Symphonic Dances from
WEST SIDE STORY
Notes on the Symphonic Dances.
West Side Story opened on Broadway in September, 1957 to glorious critical and public acclaim. It became a major artisticlandmark and proof of a new kind of operatic synthesis that fused complex vocal and instrumental ensembles, ballet,classical and jazz styles, with powerful and ancient tragic themes (love versus hate) played out by streetgangs in urban New York. The Symphonic Dances are a concert suite of nine connected movements that recall the dramatic events and their inspired music.The order of the material is based more on "feel" than on the plot sequence of the show, and the whole thing manages to be both"serious" and "popular." As arranger Sid Ramin wrote (1992), "This suite brings the music of Broadway into the concert hall,orchestrating with symphonic character the music every theater-goer loves." This is a standalone musical work in its own right.
1. Prolog (Allegro moderato): The growing rivalry between two teenage gangs, the Jets and the Sharks.
2. Somewhere (Adagio): In a dream ballet, the two gangs are united in friendship.
3. Scherzo (Vivace e leggiero): In the same dream, the gangs break away from the city walls, suddenly finding themselves in a playful world of space, air and sun.
4. Mambo (Meno presto): In the real world again, the competitive dance at the gym between the two gangs.
5. Cha-cha (Andantino con grazia): The star-crossed lovers, Tony and Maria, see each other for the first time. They dance together.
6. Meeting Scene (Meno mosso): Music accompanies their first words spoken to one another.
7. Cool Fugue (Allegretto): An elaborate dance sequence; Riff leads the Jets in harnessing their impulsive hostility, figuratively "cooling their jets."
8. Rumble (Molto allegro): Climactic gang battle; the two gang leaders, Riff and Bernardo, are killed.
9. Finale (Adagio): Maria’s I have a Love develops into a procession that recalls the vision of Somewhere.
Notes on the piano transcription.
The songs from West Side Story are among the most re-interpreted art music of the twentieth century, and a quick internetsearch turns up dozens of recordings in print (Josh Bell (violin); Richie Cole (sax); Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck, AndrØ Previn(jazz piano); the Falla guitar trio; Buddy Rich and Stan Kenton (big bands); and many more out of print). A few classical pianistshave made West Side Story albums (John Bayless’ arrangements; the Labeque duo). John Musto made a two-piano arrangementof the Symphonic Dances for the Murray Dranoff two-piano competition (Florida, 1998; Boosey & Hawkes, M-051-26166-6, 2001).The only solo transcription appears to be by the eclectic Swiss pianist, Dag Achatz, at the personal behest of Leonard Bernstein. It is not published in score, but is available on CD (BIS #352, 1994). Unlike Liszt’s opera transcriptions (which tend to be virtuosicvehicles) or the "free" fantasy-transformations of Godowsky or Rachmaninoff or Earl Wild, both the Musto and Achatz follow the symphonic score, and are more like sparse pen-and-ink architectural drawings than sprawling impressionist canvases. After all, the Symphonic Dances are already a free metamorphosis of the Broadway show, and are carefully wrought. I recommend that students and lovers of this music consult those scores and recordings. This arrangement follows them pretty closely, as well as the orchestral score and particularly Bernstein’s own recording of it. Mary Farbood helped immensely in drafting big sections. It was made for the 2002 Van Cliburn competition for outstanding amateur pianists in Fort Worth, Texas.
The up-to-date version may be found at: http://www.mike-hawley.com/scores/bernstein/wss.pdf I have indicated fingerings and pedallings ("u.c."= una corda, "m.p."=middle pedal) in a few key places, and have labelled some of the instrumental voicings to keep their character in mind. Most tempo and expression marks come from the orchestral score. I have laid out the score in a compact format, to contain phrases and sections within line and page breaks. Pianistically, this arrangement is not a "finger breaker," but the minimalist lines lend themselves to very graceful expression and help to render a handsome and emotionally rich concert suite. Knowing the lyrics by heart, and knowing what it takes to to get a symphony orchestra to dance, will help bring this music to life. It is my sincere hope that lovers of piano literature will find here an enjoyable, fresh perspective on Bernstein’s wonderful West Side Story.
Michael [email protected]
Cambridge, MassachusettsJune 1, 2002
1
Leonard Bernsteinarranged by: Michael Hawley
www.mike-hawley.com/scores/bernstein/wss.pdf1 Allegro Moderato ( q . = 128)
Symphonic Dances from WEST SIDE STORY
Prolog. (the growing rivalry between the Sharks and the Jets)
[pizz. and muted brass]
2
p
mp
p
2
16 [solo sax]
with a jazz feel
1+1
2
2
finger snaps
p
mp 2
29 smoothly
[strings]
2 2 2 2
2 2 2
LH
40 joyously
roughly
[solo trombones]
sfz
[bassoon + trumpet]
2
2
p
switch to LH 2
( )
53let fade
smoothly
loco
2 2 2 2
2 2
LH
65
[tutti]
f
2 2
[oboe]
ff
76
p
[sax]
[cello + horns] ten.
2
[piano+xylo+flute]
2
88
ten.
G.P.
2 2 2 2 2 2 2
pp subito
1
97
[strings+winds]
2 2 2 2 2 2 2
[piano+xylo]
f [piano+harp]
106
2 2 2 2 22
2
pp
f
sfz
116
q . = q
[tutti]
molto
G.P. G.P. 2 2 2 2
2
ff
sfz
fff
(l’istesso tempo)Scherzando e misterioso
129 [pno+xylo+picc]
LH
[harp+cello+flute] [winds]
f
143[flute]
[piano]
7
154
[winds]
f
164f
[strings]
mf
ff
174[trombones]
5 4
ff
3
3
3
[+horns]
[+winds+strings]
(two bars)
etc.
2
185
3
3
[piano+xylo]
p
f
p
196
[cello+bass]
f f
206
dim. molto
G.P.
ff
[bass+low winds]
f
p
216
[tutti]
3
3
5
226
Furioso
ff
132
235
135
2
fff
loco
243
[police whistle!]
[tutti]
[piano+strings]
mf marcato
253
Adagio (e=72)
[harp+vibr]
2
(harmonic)
p
2
(release)
ppp
3
2 Adagio (e=72)
264
( ) ( )
[violin+harp]
Somewhere. (in a dream ballet, the two gangs are united in friendship)
ten.
pp
[horn+oboe]
3
3
p
[solo strings]
[piano]
277 [tutti]
[strings]
f
3
p
4 3 3
3 3 3 3 3
mp
mf
1
2 1 3(-3)
286
a tempo
ppp
LH
2
2
LH
LH 2
1
3
pp
1-2-1
LH
35
pp espr.
[piano+harp]
[clar+strings]
[tutti]
293
rall.
33
3
5
5
f
ff
a tempo
302ppp
[flute]
[eng.horn]
(m.p. )
[piano+harp+pizz]
etc.
309
Andante con moto(twice as fast: e = q )
ppp
pp
mp
[NO una corda]
fff subito
mf
4
3poco accel.
319
poco piu mosso (q = 96) Agitato (q = 120)
accel. di piu
Scherzo. (in the same dream, the gangs break away from the city walls suddenly finding themselves in a playful world of space, air and sun)
[celeste+strings]
p espr. mf pp
u.c.
[oboe+trumpets]
p mf [strings]
mp mf
f p
accel. ( q = 132)
329
accel al....
Vivace e leggiero (q = 172)
31
31
4
2
31
53
mf
grazioso
mp
p
pp[flute+oboe]
[strings]
2
5
338
[pizz]
p
2
5 3
mf
4
pp
mf
348
f sub.
pp
finger snaps
f sub.
pp
pp
360
pp
ppp
mf f
371
finger snaps
[pizz]
pp
55
3
molto
5 4
377
p
G.P.
ff
sfz
mf
f
5
4Meno presto (q = 132)
385[tutti]
Mambo. (in the real world again, the competitive dance at the gym between the two gangs)
ff
sfz
393
etc.
ff
f
403
ff
f
f
413
421
Mam-bo![SHOUT]
[strings]
ff
[+piano]
428
mf
f
437
Mam-bo![SHOUT]
ff
fff
444
2 3
mf
f
ff
5
sfz
6
453[piano+winds+strings]
f
[pizz.]
ff
sfz
461
f
[brass+xylo] [pizz.]
[pizz.]
RH
3 1
3 2
4 3
[piano]
532
21
3
465
sfz
fff
f
[piano+ winds+strings]
3
ff
sfz
2 4
5sfz
531
21
4
479
[trombones]
sfz
489
498
sfz
505
fff
tutta forza!
515
molto rall.
pp
7
5 Andantino con grazia (q = 100)
526Cha-Cha. (The star-crossed lovers, Tony and Maria, see each other for the first time. They dance.)
[pizz.]
[+vibr]
[pizz+flute+piano]light and dry.
[bass Clar.]
[pizz.]
p
LH
[+Vibr]
LH
2
5
4 23
534
5 4 23
p
2 1 3
542
dolce
[winds+high strings]
[oboe solo]
mf
[vibr+harp+celeste]3 1 3 2 ...
3 1 ...
subito
[low strings]
mf espr.
f
p
p dim. molto.
[four violins]
6 Meno mosso (q = 72)
551
sempre rubato poco rall. a tempo rit. a tempo
Meeting Scene. (Music accompanies their first words spoken to one another.)
[celeste+vln solo]
mfz
pp
f
[vibr+vln solo]
pp
dolce
4 mp
4
pp
ppp
mp
pp
7 Allegretto (q = 160) (Swing)
accel. molto561
Stringendo un poco
Cool Fugue. (An elaborate dance sequence in which Riff leads the Jets in harnessing their impulsive hostility, figuratively "cooling their jets.")
sfz
mf
[pizz]
mf [piano+bass clar.]
p
568
sfz
sfz
p
[harp+flute]
[pizz]
pp
mfmp
575 3
3
3
p
mf
mp
pp
[note: an extra strain from the song is inserted; you may prefer to cut to m.596]
8
583
3
p
mfmp
591
... 3
mf
3
p
mf
mp
pp
p
3 pp
601
FUGUE
[+bongo]
sfz
sfz
pp
[trumpet]
pp
pp
f
615 cresc.
3
sfz
3
mf
p
sfz
cresc.
622
3
3
ff
f
mf
sfz
p
mf
pp
630
3
3
3
3
sfz
pp
sfz
637
3
p
sfz
p
645
p
3
3
3
sfz
sfz
f
652
3
3
9
657
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
662
[tutti]
ff
673
[pizz.]
ff
fff
fz
679
ff
684
3
3
3 3
691
[harp+flute]p
[tutti]
molto
pp
pp
mf
mp
699 ff
mf
ff
3
3
[flute+vibr]
pp
mf
707
3
[piano]
p
pp
715
[vibr. + piano] finger snaps
10
8 Molto Allegro e = e (q . = 144)
722
Rumble. (Climactic gang battle; the two gang leaders, Riff and Bernardo, are killed.)
[tutti] 2
2 45
1 2
[xylo]
[piano + strings]
marcato
ff
ff
[xylo]
732
[piano + strings]
[horns]
ff
mp
743
[muted trmp] mf
f
f[brass]
(m.p.)
[winds]
mp
f [trombones]
mf [brass]
753
f
mf
f
mf
optional cut to m.800 ...
f
[piano]
ff
f
762
[solo+pizz]
ff
ffz
ffz
ffz
ffz
ffz
ffz
ffz
pp sempre stacc.
775
[reeds]
cresc.
cresc. poco a poco
cresc.
mf
784
[winds]
[piano+winds]
f[strings] sfz
793
2
... from m.769
800
fppmolto
sffz
[tutti] lunga
[piano solo]
ff cresc. molto.
fff
11
Cadenza (same tempo)Cadenza (same tempo)807
meno rall. Lento
[flute]
p
[flute]
mp p mf mf mp pp
8 Adagio (e = 80)
8192
Finale. (Maria's "I Have A Love" develops into a procession, which recalls the vision of "Somewhere.")
3
u.c.
mp
pp dolcissimo
u.c.
3
[strings]
p4 35
1
etc.
5
3 24
1
(hold)
54 321
1/2 pp
[strings]
delicate, clear pedal & half pedal
ten.
gently rolled
ppp
[viola]
mp
3
831[winds]
mf
ten.
mp
3
[1/3 bass pizz.]
[strings]
[oboe solo]
mp
f
[pedal as before]
f espressivo
3
3
Meno (e = 72)
843pp
[muted brass]
[piano+timp+strings]
pp
850
poco rit. Ancora meno mosso (e = 60)
[oboe]
[flute]
3
31 ----- 2
hold
35
1 lunga
p
ppp
ppp
[pizz]
12