b'PROGRAM NOTESLEONARD BERNSTEINSymphony Dances from West Side StoryCOMPOSER: Born August 25, 1918, Lawrence, MA;died October 14, 1990, New York City, NYWORK COMPOSED: The musical West Side Story was written in 1957. Bernstein, along with orchestrators and colleagues Sid Ramin andIrwin Kostal, made a suite of central themes from the score in 1961.The Symphonic Dances are dedicated To Sid Ramin, in friendship. WORLD PREMIERE: Lukas Foss led the New York Philharmonicon February 13, 1961.INSTRUMENTATION: 3 flutes (one doubling piccolo), 2 oboes,English horn, 3 clarinets, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bongos, bass drum, chimes, congas, 3 cowbells, cymbals, drum kit, finger cymbals, glockenspiel, gourds, guiro, maracas, police whistle, 3 snare drums, tenor drum, tambourine, tam-tam, timbales, tom-toms, triangle, vibraphone, woodblock, xylophone, celesta, piano, harp, and stringsESTIMATED DURATION: 22 minutesR omeo and Juliets tale of tragic love transcends time and place; it retains its emotional intensity whether performed in Shakespearean costume or modern dress, with words in English, German, or Japanese. In fact, Shakespeares story is itself an adaptation, taken from the Greek myth of star-crossed lovers Pyramus and Thisbe. In 1957, Leonard Bernsteins West Side Story transformed Shakespeares Verona into the gang-infested streets of New York City, and the young lovers into Tony and Maria, members of warring gangs of whites and Puerto Ricans. Bernsteins groundbreaking musical, conceived with choreographer Jerome Robbins, fundamentally changed the nature of musical theater. Since its premiere, West Side Story has become synonymous with Bernsteins vibrant, energetic style.The nine movements of the Symphonic Dances were assembled in 1961 and follow the basic outline of the musical. The Prologue introduces the Jets and Sharks and their constant gang war, which is broken up by a piercing blast from a policemans whistle. This segues into a tender dream sequence, set to the music of Somewhere, in which the two gangs cease their warfare and become friends. In the Scherzo, this dream world continues as the gang members escape the stifling atmosphere of the city to enjoy fresh air and sunshine. This dream is abruptly snuffed out in the exhilaratingly ominous Mambo, in which the Jets and Sharks continue their rivalry through an exciting and violent dance of one-upmanship. The heat and energy of the Mambo dissolve into an intimate Cha-Cha, when Tony and Maria first speak to one another. Tonys gang, the Jets, then take the stage to demonstrate their unshakeable Cool. The Sharks confront the Jets in a climactic Rumble, in which the leaders of both gangs are killed. Tonys funeral procession, set to the music of Somewhere, brings the Symphonic Dances to its affecting conclusion.srsymphony.org2025-2026 Season 17'