West Side Story: How Music Creates Tension

How the music of West Side Story builds social tension.
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West Side Story is a love story centered around a conflict between the Sharks, and the second generation American Jets. Leonard Bernstein's music, with Stephen Sondheim's lyrics, builds a musical full of famous songs, including Maria, America, I Feel Pretty, Tonight, and Somewhere. However, at a deeper level, the music is structured to emphasise division and hierarchy.

This video looks at how this is reflected in the music. It focuses particularly on The Dance at the Gym Sequence, the Mambo, America, the characters Anita and Maria, the Taunting Scene, and the Finale.

Sources:
Raymond Knapp (2005). West Side Story' in The American Formation of National Identity.

CD Picks:
- Original Cast Recording
https://www.amazon.co.uk/West-Side-Story-Original-Broadway/dp/B0042AEU9Q/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1515679336&sr=1-2&keywords=west+side+story+original

- Symphonic Dances
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bernstein-Overture-Symphonic-Waterfront-2004-07-27/dp/B01MQ5VBSY/ref=sr_1_14?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1515679315&sr=1-14&keywords=west+side+story+dances

- Best Orchestral Performance
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bernstein-West-Side-Story-Leonard/dp/B000009ON5/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1515679402&sr=1-1&keywords=west+side+story+kiri
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