Discography of West Side Story
West Side Story is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music composed by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Recordings of the musical include cast albums of the 1957 and 2009 Broadway productions and foreign productions sung in other languages, as well as live concert versions and studio albums.[1][2] The 1958 West End production never released a cast album, but many of its stars recorded excerpts of the work across several recordings.[3] Bernstein conducted the New York Philharmonic for a 1985 studio recording released by Deutsche Grammophon led by opera singers José Carreras and Kiri Te Kanawa. It won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 1986,[1] and a television documentary about the making of that album won the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary the same year.[4] The 2009 cast album won the same Grammy award in 2010.[5] A 2013 concert recording by the San Francisco Symphony was nominated for a Grammy Award.[6]
West Side Story was adapted into films released in 1961 and 2021, and soundtrack albums were released for both movies.[1][2][7] The musical's score has also been adapted by music arrangers and musical ensembles for albums over the decades.[1][2] Bernstein arranged music from the show into a suite titled Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, which has been recorded several times.[8][9] The 1961 jazz album Kenton's West Side Story, by Stan Kenton and the Stan Kenton Orchestra, won the 1962 Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.[10]
Recordings
Cast albums and live concert recordings
| Year | Album | Tony Maria Anita Riff Bernardo Consuela |
Conductor | Label | Notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | West Side Story, original Broadway cast | Larry Kert Carol Lawrence Chita Rivera Michael Callan Ken Leroy Reri Grist |
Max Goberman | Columbia Records | Broadway pit orchestra | [1][2] |
| 1968 | ウェストサイド物語 (English: West Side Story) |
Miyako Koshiro Mari Yashiogi Termi Fumizuki Youko Natsumi Junko Sasa Natsumi Saya |
Kazuaki Hashimoto | Express | Original Japanese Takarazuka cast | [11] |
| 1997 | West Side Story Hoogtepunten Uit De Nederlandse Versie (English: West Side Story Highlights from the Dutch Version) |
Petra Nielsen Karl Dyall Maria Rydberg Martin Stenmarck Richard Herrey Dan Malmer Per-Magnus Andersson |
Jan Radesjö | Gazell Music AB | Swedish cast | [12] |
| 1997 | West Side Story | Alena Antalová Jana Musilová Markéta Sedláčková Petr Gazdík Roman Vojtek |
Multisonic | Original Czech cast | [13] | |
| 2001 | West Side Story (Tennessee Repertory Theater and Nashville Symphony Orchestra concert cast) | Mike Eldred Betsi Morrison Marianne Cooke Robert Dean Michael San Giovanni Winter Gabriel |
Kenneth Schermerhorn Nashville Symphony Orchestra |
Naxos Records | [2] | |
| 2009 | West Side Story: The New Broadway Cast Album | Matt Cavenaugh Josefina Scaglione Karen Olivo Cody Green George Akram Danielle Polanco |
Patrick Vaccariello | Sony Music | Winner of the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2010. | [5] |
| 2013 | West Side Story (San Francisco Symphony concert recording) | Cheyenne Jackson Alexandra Silber Jessica Vosk Kevin Vortmann Kelly Markgraf Louise Marie Cornillez |
Michael Tilson Thomas San Francisco Symphony |
SFS Media | Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. | [1][6] |
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Tony Maria Anita Riff Bernardo Consuela |
Conductor / Orchestra | Label | Notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | West Side Story | Bruce Trent Lucille Graham Mary Thomas Joyce Berry George Chakiris |
Lawrence Leonard | Saga Records | Featuring the chorus and orchestra of the 1958 West End production, it did not feature the actors who played Maria, Anita, Tony, or Riff in the cast but did have some returning performers, such as Chakiris, and was led by the London production's conductor. It was later reissued in 1961 and 1966. In 2024 this recording was reissued by Stage Door Records in compilation with a separate 1959 excerpt recording of four songs from West Side Story with Don McKay (Tony) and Marlyn Watters (Maria) from the 1958 West End cast (see below); it was billed as the London Studio Recording. | [14][3][15][16][17] |
| 1985 | West Side Story | José Carreras Kiri Te Kanawa Tatiana Troyanos Kurt Ollmann Richard Harrell Stella Zambalis |
Leonard Bernstein New York Philharmonic |
Deutsche Grammophon | Marilyn Horne performed the song "Somewhere" and was credited as the "off-stage" voice. The recording won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album at the 28th Annual Grammy Awards in 1986. The making of this album was the subject of the 1985 BBC One television documentary Leonard Bernstein: The Making of West Side Story which aired on the Omnibus program. It was the winner of the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary at the 39th British Academy Film Awards in 1986 and also aired on television in Italy, where it won the Prix Italia. It was also nominated for an Emmy in the category "Outstanding Classical Program in the Performing Arts". | [1][4] |
| 1993 | West Side Story (Pickwick) | Michael Ball Barbara Bonney La Verne Williams Christopher Howard Michael Pearn Lee Gibson |
Barry Wordsworth | Pickwick Records | Recorded in London in 1993. | [18] |
| 1993 | West Side Story (Orbis) | Paul Manuel Tinuke Olafimihan Caroline O'Connor Nicholas Warnford Nick Ferranti |
John Owen Edwards National Symphony Orchestra |
Orbis Records; later re-released by TER/Jay Records | The first complete recording of the score. Recorded in 1993 in London, some of the performers on this recording reprised their roles from the 1984–1985 West End production at the Leicester Haymarket Theatre. Opera singer Sally Burgess is a performer on the recording in a minor role that she had portrayed early in her career in the West End. | [19] |
| 1995 | West Side Story Versione Italiana (English: West Side Story – Italian Version) |
Richard Parrinello | Nuova Carisch | Italian studio cast | [20] |
Film soundtracks
| Year | Album | Tony Maria Anita Riff Bernardo |
Conductor | Label | Notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | West Side Story (1961 soundtrack) | Richard Beymer Natalie Wood Rita Moreno Tucker Smith George Chakiris |
Johnny Green | Columbia Masterworks Records | Soundtrack for the 1961 film adaptation which was co-directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. While Beymer, Wood and Moreno were credited as the singers for Tony, Maria and Anita, their voices were dubbed by ghost singers Jimmy Bryant (Tony), Marni Nixon (Maria) and, in some numbers, Betty Wand (Anita). | [1][2] |
| 2021 | West Side Story (2021 soundtrack) | Ansel Elgort Rachel Zegler Ariana DeBose Mike Faist David Alvarez |
Gustavo Dudamel | Hollywood Records | Soundtrack for the 2021 film adaptation which was directed by Steven Spielberg. Rita Moreno sings "Somewhere". It includes a version of "La Borinqueña", the official Puerto Rican anthem, sung by Alvarez and the Sharks.[21] | [7] |
Excerpt recordings
| Year | Album | Principle performers | Label | Notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | The Sound of West Side Story | Sid Ramin and Irwin Kostal, conductors The Ramin-Kostal Orchestra The Honey Dreamers |
RCA Victor | This EP included four songs: "Maria", "Mambo", "Cool" and "Cool Fugue". It was led by Ramin and Kostal who were the original arrangers and orchestrators of the 1957 production. The Honey Dreamers were the vocalists. The manuscript for the score used is held in the Sid Ramin papers collection at the library of Columbia University. | [2][22][23] |
| 1959 | West Side Story | Don McKay, tenor Marlys Watters, soprano Lawrence Leonard, conductor |
His Master's Voice | Don McKay and Marlys Watters sing highlights from the roles of Tony and Maria. This EP of just four songs ("Maria", "Tonight", "One Hand, One Heart" and "I Feel Pretty") was made at the time that both performers were starring in those roles in the original West End production at Her Majesty's Theatre. It was later rereleased in 2024 in compilation with the 1959 London studio recording by Stage Door Records. | [3][24][17] |
| 1965 | West Side Story / Och Stoppa Världen – Jag Vill Stiga Av! (English: West Side Story / Stop the World – I Want to Get Off) |
Mats Olsson, conductor Towa Carson Lars Lönndahl Jan Malmsjö |
RCA Camden | Swedish language excerpts from both West Side Story and Stop the World – I Want to Get Off. Songs from West Side Story include "Something's Coming", "Maria", "Tonight", "America" (instrumental only), "One Hand, One Heart", "I Feel Pretty" and "Gee, Officer Krupke". Carson sings the part of Maria and Lönndahl the part of Tony with the exception of the song "Something's Coming" which is sung by Malmsjö. "Gee, Officer Krupke" was reworked to predominantly feature Malmsjö as a soloist. | [25] |
| 1966 | West Side Story / Porgy and Bess | Richard Müller-Lampertz, conductor Monika Dahlberg Peter Beil |
Philips Records | German language excerpts from both West Side Story and Porgy and Bess. Songs from West Side Story include "Gee, Officer Krupke", "Maria", "I Feel Pretty", "Something's Coming", "Tonight", "One Hand, One Heart", "Somewhere" and "America" | [26] |
| 1967 | West Side Story / Mary Poppins | Heinz Geese, conductor Wolfgang Kieling Peter Rubin Wolfgang Anheisser Ingeborg Hallstein Heinz Hoppe |
Polydor Limited | German language excerpts from both West Side Story and Mary Poppins. Songs from West Side Story include "Prologue", "Jet Song", "Maria", "I Feel Pretty, "Promenade", "Gee, Officer Krupke", "Jump", "Tonight, "Blues", "One Hand, One Heart", "Cool" and "America" | [27] |
| 1985 | Höhepunkte aus West Side Story: Bernstein On Broadway (English: Highlights of West Side Story: Bernstein on Broadway) | Deborah Sasson, soprano Peter Hofmann, tenor |
CBS Records | Marketed to a German audience; Michael Tilson Thomas conducted orchestras in Germany and California. Sasson sang the role of Maria and Hofmann sang Tony. | [28] |
| 1994 | Somewhere – The Songs of Sondheim and Bernstein | Marina Prior, soprano Melbourne Symphony Orchestra |
Sony Music Australia | This album is named for the song "Somewhere" and includes that song as well as several others from West Side Story along with other works by Bernstein and Sondheim. | [29] |
| 1994 | Lost in Boston, vol. 1 | Singers Judy Malloy, Richard Roland and Sal Viviano | Varèse Sarabande | This album contains the only recording of the song "Like Everybody Else"; written by Bernstein and Sondheim for West Side Story but which was cut from the show. | [2] |
| 1996 | A Simple Song: Blackwell Sings Bernstein | Harolyn Blackwell, soprano | RCA Victor | Blackwell performs songs by Bernstein including a medley of songs from West Side Story with Vanessa Williams as Anita to her Maria. Blackwell portrayed Consuela, was the understudy for Maria, and was the soloist who sang "Somewhere" in the 1980 Broadway revival of the musical. | [30][31][32] |
Jazz recordings
| Year | Album | Principle performers | Label | Notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | West Side Story (André Previn album) | Andre Previn, piano Shelly Manne, percussion Red Mitchell, bass |
Contemporary Records | Eight songs from the musical are performed in an arrangement for jazz trio by Previn. | [33] |
| 1960 | West Side Story (Cal Tjader album) | Cal Tjader, vibraphone Clare Fischer, piano, celeste and arranger |
Fantasy Records | Vibraphohnist Cal Tjader leads a large jazz ensemble in performances of songs from West Side Story in arrangements by Clare Fischer. The album was re-released in 2002 as Cal Tjader Plays Harold Arlen & West Side Story (double CD). | [34] |
| 1961 | Kenton's West Side Story | Stan Kenton and the Stan Kenton Orchestra | Capitol Records | Winner of the 1962 Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. Bernstein's music was adapted for Stan Kenton and his jazz ensemble by Johnny Richards. | [10] |
| 1962 | West Side Story (Oscar Peterson Trio album) | Oscar Peterson, piano Ray Brown, double bass Ed Thigpen, drums |
Verve Records | This jazz trio recording of the music used improvised arrangements created in the moment by the trio. | [35] |
| 1963 | West Side Story Bossa Nova | Bill Barron, tenor saxophone Willie Thomas, trumpet Kenny Barron, piano Steve Kuhn, piano Kenny Burrell, guitar Skeeter Best, guitar Henry Grimes, double bass Charlie Persip, drums José Soares, percussion |
Dauntless | Saxophonist Bill Barron leads a jazz ensemble in a bossa nova style arrangement of the score. | [36] |
| 1974 | West Side Story (Earl Hines album) | Earl Hines, piano | Black Lion Records | The album was recorded live at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1974. It featured Hines playing a medley of music from West Side Story, other music by Bernstein and selections from musical theatre works by other composers. | [37] |
| 1986 | Music from West Side Story | Dave Brubeck, piano Paul Desmond, alto saxophone Eugene Wright, double bass Joe Morello, drums |
Columbia Records | A compilation album, this record includes music from Brubeck's earlier album Bernstein Plays Brubeck Plays Bernstein (1961, Columbia Records), which devoted its Side B to the music of West Side Story as arranged and improvised by Brubeck and his ensemble. | [38] |
Symphonic Dances From West Side Story
| Year | Album | Principle performers | Label | Notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Bernstein Conducts: Symphonic Dances from West Side Story / Symphonic Suite from on the Waterfront | Leonard Bernstein, conductor New York Philharmonic |
Columbia Masterworks Records | First recording of Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story; an orchestral suite Bernstein crafted from his music for West Side Story. It has since been recorded by many orchestras. | [8][9][39][40] |
| 1972 | Symphonic Dances From West Side Story / Three Pieces For Blues Band And Orchestra | Seiji Ozawa, conductor Siegel–Schwall Band San Francisco Symphony |
Deutsche Grammophon | [41] | |
| 1982 | Symphonic Dances from West Side Story | Leonard Bernstein, conductor Los Angeles Philharmonic |
Deutsche Grammophon | [42] |
References
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h Knapp 2018, p. 308.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Simeone 2017, p. 167.
- ^ a b c Mordden 2016, p. 159.
- ^ a b "Flaherty Documentary Award in 1986". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Archived from the original on February 25, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- ^ a b Pender 2021, p. 609.
- ^ a b Serinus, Jason Victor (December 9, 2014). "San Francisco Symphony Snags 18th Grammy Nomination". SF Classical Voice.
- ^ a b Newman, Melinda (May 13, 2021). "Like the Stars It Launched, Hollywood Records Has Grown Up, Too". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
- ^ a b Oja 2014, p. 298.
- ^ a b North 2006, p. 135.
- ^ a b Sparke 2010, p. 138.
- ^ "Shiki Theatrical Company, Leonard Bernstein – West Side Story = ウェストサイド物語". Discogs. 1977. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
- ^ "Various – West Side Story". Discogs. 1997. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
- ^ "Various – West Side Story". Discogs. 1997. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
- ^ Ledbetter 1988, pp. 200–201.
- ^ Cox, Michael (August 1959). "Stage and Screen". The Gramophone: 107.
- ^ "SAGA September Releases". The Gramophone. September 1961. p. 27.
- ^ a b "West Side Story – London Studio Cast". castalbums.org. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
- ^ Lynch 1996, pp. 166–167.
- ^ Lynch 1996, pp. 167–168.
- ^ "Compagnia Della Rancia – West Side Story Versione Italiana". Discogs. 1995. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
- ^ Kuperinsky, Amy. "West Side Story review: There’s a place for Spielberg’s updated musical" Archived December 4, 2021, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Extended Play Disks, Ramin-Kostal Orch: "The Sound of 'West Side Story'" (RCA Victor)". Variety: 56. January 29, 1958.
- ^ "Sid Ramin papers" (PDF). Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library. p. 11. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
- ^ Seeley & Bunnett 1989, p. 232.
- ^ Wildbihler 1992, p. 247.
- ^ "Peter Beil, Monika Dahlberg, Lawrence Winters, Annabelle Bernard – West Side Story / Porgy & Bess". Discogs. 1966. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
- ^ "Various – West Side Story / Mary Poppins". Discogs. 12 November 2024. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
- ^ Lynch 1996, p. 166.
- ^ Atkinson, Knight & McPhee 1996, p. 190.
- ^ Olson 2015, p. 220-221.
- ^ Horowitz & Sondheim 2003, p. 235.
- ^ "An Oral History with Harolyn Blackwell". Opera America. September 30, 2022.
- ^ Berson 2024, pp. 183, 190.
- ^ Berson 2024, pp. 100, 190.
- ^ Swenson 1985, p. 161.
- ^ Cook & Morton 2008, p. 86.
- ^ Berson 2024, p. 188.
- ^ Storb & Fischer 1994, p. 228.
- ^ Leonard Bernstein: Symphonic Dances from West Side Story; William Russo: Three Pieces for Blues Band and Orchestra at Discogs (list of releases)
- ^ Gershwin – Bernstein – Rhapsody in Blue – West Side Story: Symphonic Dances – Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at Discogs
- ^ "Leonard Bernstein / William Russo, Siegel-Schwall Band, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra • Seiji Ozawa – Symphonic Dances from West Side Story / Three Pieces for Blues Band and Orchestra". Discogs. 1972. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
- ^ Simeone 2017, p. 168.
Bibliography
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- Berson, Misha (2024). Something's Coming, Something Good: West Side Story and the American Imagination. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781493083282.
- Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-103401-0.
- Horowitz, Mark Eden; Sondheim, Stephen (2003). Sondheim On Music: Minor Details and Major Decisions. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810844377.
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- Ledbetter, Steven, ed. (1988). Sennets & Tuckets: A Bernstein Celebration. Godine / Boston Symphony Orchestra.
- Lynch, Richard Chigley (1996). Broadway, Movie, TV, and Studio Cast Musicals On Record: A Discography of Recordings, 1985-1995. Greenwood Press. ISBN 9780313298554.
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- Pender, Rick (2021). The Stephen Sondheim Encyclopedia. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781538115879.
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