WEST SIDE STORY: Symphonic Dance Suite – Expanded Film Version – Johnny Green

Since there was so much dance music in the film of West Side Story, actually more than in the stage version, Johnny Green proposed recording an album of just the symphonic score and dances after the recording sessions for the film. Green recorded several tracks for the proposed album, usually on the days the film recording sessions allowed for additional recording time. One of the early takes of the "Mambo" was slightly faster, rougher and more dissonant than the one used in the film, but Jerome Robbins did not like this version and it was re-recorded as used in the film. Also the music of the finale was recorded in a different abridged arrangement specifically for use on the soundtrack album, incorporating the shooting of Tony to the final scene, but this was discarded as the LP running time was already considered very long for an album of the period. This music was to be used as the finale on Green’s Symphonic Suite album which was also abandoned. In 1961, a few months before the release of the film, Leonard Bernstein’s own "Symphonic Dances" from West Side Story premiered at a New York Philharmonic concert conducted by Lucas Foss, a Bernstein protege. It was later recorded by Columbia with Bernstein himself conducting, the first time he had ever conducted any of his music for WEST SIDE STORY. The work was put together by Irwin Kostal and Sid Ramin from the film’s expanded orchestrations but, per Bernstein’s instructions, adhered to the order of the numbers in the Broadway version. The work’s duration was about 20 minutes, half the time of Green’s proposed arrangement but Green’s included some underscore music and the Overture & End Title music repositioned and incorporated into the suite. Based on Saul Chaplin’s recollection and some other sources, I have put together a proximity of Johnny Green’s 40 minute expanded Symphonic Dance Suite from WSS from private tapes and from existing soundtrack materials. I hope you find it an interesting alternative to Bernstein’s concert hall version.

WEST SIDE STORY: Symphonic Dances Suite
Expanded Film Version Arranged & Conducted by JOHNNY GREEN
Orchestration: Irwin Kostal & Sid Ramin
Additional Orchestration: Robert Russell Bennett
320 kbps MP3:
https://www.sendspace.com/file/1bq9kp

The tracks are programmed to play through without pause:
1. PROLOGUE
2. DANCE AT THE GYM: BLUES
3. DANCE AT THE GYM: PROMENADE
4. DANCE AT THE GYM: MAMBO – Alternate Unused Version (Uan Rasey, trumpet solo)
5. DANCE AT THE GYM: PAS DE DEUX
6. DANCE AT THE GYM: JUMP
7. SCHERZO
8. TONIGHT
9. I FEEL PRETTY
10. MARIA
11. QUINTET
12. THE RUMBLE
13. COOL
14. SOMEWHERE
15. I HAVE A LOVE
16. FINALE

Thank you, steviefromalaska for another truly unique posting of classic music from Broadway.

Thank you! This is really good! I would have loved to hear "America" on this album but other than that it’s very well done. great share!

Ooh, terrific — thank you!

Thank you!!! You are doing some very interesting things.

Thanks for the research and collection work! Instrumentals from Bernstein are interesting enough, but mix in a "fresh" perspective of a colleague, and that’s a nice new spin

Magnificent. Thank you sincerely!

Thank you =)

Thanks 😉

Dear Stevie….Everytime I read that you have posted something,my heart almost stops.This time I almost had a heart attack,lol!

THANKS A TON!!!!

Thanks by tonnes!!

Thanks!!

WOW!!! This is amazing!!!

Thank you share!

Amazing!

Thank you.

Thank you!

Thanks 🙂

This is amazing !! Thanks

Thanks Stevie 🙂

Wow Thanks

AMAZING! Thanks for sharing. And here’s hoping to get many more unique treasures like this in the future…

Thank you!!!!!

Could someone re-up this please? Thank you!

I second that request for a reup! 😀 Pretty-please?

Could someone re-up this please? Thank you!

Here is an updated link to this file. The initial post has also been updated.
https://www.sendspace.com/file/1bq9kp

how very cool. thanks

Thank you

Thakn you very much!!

I loved this recordings, therefore I had to design my own cover, that I wsih to share. Feel free to use it if you’d like. Regards

Wonderful job, as always! Green (and Ramin and Kostal, of course) did a magnificent job re-arranging this score for the wide screen.

Thank you again!
Bocoi

Any chance of another re-up? Many thanks!

Any chance of another re-up? Many thanks!

Here is an updated link to this file. The initial post has also been updated.
https://www.sendspace.com/file/1bq9kp

Much obliged!

Thanks, much appreciated!

Thank you! This is really interesting!

May we please have a reup Steve?