Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story, studio-takes. (1a)

Initially I found, that eight videos were adequate to represent the recording of the WSS-musical, but this is the first of six videos, that have been requested to complete the whole session. Total playing time will now be: 1 hr.10 min. All these extra videos have a suffix of one or two letters to their number.
Carl Vendler

[@5botball]

Carreras’s face was beaming with joy in the beginning. Little did he know what was to come......counting.

[@DavidTheRoss]

Something’s coming, nothing good

[@clevelandbrown5709]

@@DavidTheRoss lol

[@jojober1980]

Yeah......

[@corra7]

Not a good idea! Leave the original alone!

[@Alfakkin]

Poor man 😅

[@starwarsjunkie7777]

Man, playing under Bernstein's baton would make me so self-conscious of my playing because he demands perfection.

[@lornadryden5650]

I grew up listening to this album and I know every word to every song

[@valerieverdi2730]

Bernstein introduced me to classical music when I was 4yrs old: Peter and the Wolf. I've been a fan of his ever since. What a talent!

[@rachelkingsley668]

Peter and the Wolf is by Benjamin Britten

[@valerieverdi2730]

@@rachelkingsley668 I know.. But I had Bernstein directing it on an album.

[@tomporter6182]

​@@rachelkingsley668 Prokofiev not Britten

[@dianeprigge595]

I loved him doing that piece too when I was a youngster!

[@pbwbrian53]

Many of us codgers were lucky enough to see a number of Bernstein’s Sunday afternoon shows on CBS of great Classical music programs.

[@robertagunn9193]

I taught English in a secure NYS Division for Youth facility for boys in the 1980s. We read Romeo & Juliet and West Side Story. My students viewed the full documentary on this recording. It was magical. The students, who were participating in an arts program with actors and musicians absolutely loved watching Leonard and the performers create this masterpiece. They particularly enjoyed experiencing the creative tension among the players.

[@MultiDianeD]

Still my favorite soundtrack of all!

[@elisem8084]

Was an employee at music manufacturing n distribution. Deutche Gramaphone was one of the labels we handled.

[@mona2242]

Thank you for posting this exceptional rehearsal.

[@scottstambler4007]

I re-watch these about once a year and I thank you!

[@JayRev_Music]

this writing….truly otherworldly composition. language of music at its finest. maestro, maestro, you are a god, sir!

[@lifemusic1980]

This is priceless footage! Thank you for sharing. 😊

[@maryamhabibian8495]

Thank you for posting this masterpiece. It is a joy to watch the legend , LBernstein, conducting these amazing musicians and singers and expecting perfection.

[@charlesfuentes3695]

Before there was Williams, Zimmer, Elfman, Shaefer...There was the Legend, Leonard Bernstein. He's up there with the Great Composers, Bethoven, Chopin, Mozart... R.I.P. Let's see how Spielberg's version going to hold up to this "true" motion picture classic. GL, Steven. 👏

[@jadezee6316]

you....are out of your mind

[@stephanies.9786]

I mean, he was a very talented conductor. I don't know if that puts him up there with the original creators of much of the classical musicians you mentioned. But hey, you do you.

[@malp1]

It's fascinating that documentary cameras were there to record the creation of this project, as I'm sure the producers of the doc had no idea it was going to turn into a debacle

[@BonoEtMalo]

Bernstein, you were amazing..

[@scottstambler4007]

I've revisited these recordings so many times, but never thanked you. THANK YOU

[@elisem8084]

I was there in the listening booth not this session but for "America" . What a gift.

[@WoodswomanWrites]

Wow, what an experience!

[@susanklein7448]

Wow how fortunate -- mind sharing in what capacity?

[@flashflame4952]

Who do you know that was part of the Studios at RCA?

[@elisem8084]

I didnt know anyone at RCA studios. I knew exec at the label Deutche Gramaphone who released this recording when it was done

[@flashflame4952]

@@elisem8084 Thanks for the reply.

[@hebneh]

I'm amused at the appearance of the various members of the Jets, some of whom are considerably older than teenagers.

[@coreycox2345]

Right...but they have the two tall guys.

[@187lockedown]

Grew up listening to this version of the soundtrack. the energy felt amazing then as it does seeing behind the scenes!

[@camomile988]

This is thrilling!! All professionals are doing their best to complete Bernstein 's composition. Bernstein is a genious composer.

[@trumpetdudeman07]

wow...i know from experience how hard some recording sessions can be, but i bet LB made it a little more enjoyable. Always a pleasure to watch the master at work. great vids :)

[@malisas]

"gotta get that gutsy feeling" AH, I love it! So, like, 20th century. haha

[@clskmstg]

Thank you! We have the prime set of how the master wanted it.

[@Awsomeadmiral]

That man is a genius.

[@RafikMankariosDrumStudio]

This is absolutely intense and wonderful!

[@duyagetme]

thank you for posting this....it's wonderful!

[@icantthinkofaname5628]

See you guys on another 10 years later.

[@clicks59]

These are the professionals of professional musicians.. no nutting up here tolerated. (Except for Bernstein)

[@MrCappon1111]

Cool! Just incredible. Who is the drummer? That is as difficult as it can be for a drummer, following a classical director plus soloing.

[@danielaamandola3576]

È incredibile come un compositore possa dare suono e voce a ciò che è nella sua mente e a farlo in questo modo.

[@bren730]

Excellent.

[@rozgnatt1]

My friend Steve Bogardus (then and now) is on 3:11 - so young then as now, Dear Steve!

[@lovebanditrecords2]

amazing

[@phillipruland4886]

Astonishing

[@lilmilyo]

Kurt Ollmann teaches Voice at UW Milwaukee where I study Music Education...

[@mikekev58]

Damn, wasn’t Lenny a genius! And very cool, too!

[@jojober1980]

This was 👍 great

[@flowerlullaby]

Kurt Ollman!?!? MY voice teacher?? Oh I'll have to ask him!!!!!

[@avajie]

Alexa Croft I’m curious if he still teaches, and where!

[@neweraofthechambermusic3699]

If you have asked him about the work with Bernstein, please write here!

[@isabellerozycki2936]

Exquisite!

[@buddman1955]

The drummer who appears at around 8:09 - 8:19 is Nick Cerrato.

[@lucyfoster4082]

Thanks, I was about to ask.

[@johnny2303]

why do camera guys leave out the basses?

[@mellogarrett]

Mr. Wise has got some chops!

[@toodlepip990]

this is fab :-)

[@johnmohanmusic]

The great Wilmer Wise is playing 1st Trumpet.

[@Santos.Sarmento]

Considering that some people are interested in more information about this memorable reunion between Leonard Bernstein, Kiri Te Kanawa, José Carreras and Tatiana Troyanos, in addition to simply watching it as mere banal entertainment like any other rubbish on KZbin and there is no mention of it in any part of the video, these rehearsals took place in NY, in 1984, as a Deutsch Gramophone project.

[@paxmaac1]

@dtripp76 Wilmer Wise is playing 1st trumpet, dunno who the other 2 guys are.

[@rolandtruc9391]

On n'a rien fait de mieux!!!

[@chezrafael3700]

En qué año bse hizo esta grabacion!!

[@JoshuaMazur]

"Oh... GOD!!! I'm so EXCITED!!!" LMAO

[@amandawhiteley6737]

Oh so good! Fab amazing performers. COOOOOL!! ❤❤❤

[@wormswithteeth]

Half of those songs he mentioned are in his Symphonic Dances for West Side Story! 😂

[@MrCleverest]

@fountainchain126 even though I completely disagree, I did not see that as arrogant. At this point of his career, because of his prolific conducting and the immense impact he made in the music world I would say that he earned it.

[@GamerDad1987]

There is NO comparison between Mamma Mia and West Side story. Period.

[@craigresnianky6909]

Both suck ass.

[@countalucard4226]

@@craigresnianky6909 WSS?

[@smurf902]

Who ever made that comparison?

[@dr.philmcbill3931]

I don’t think anyone was comparing them.

[@sonicmuse]

I love Murray from Stranger Things kickin’ it on the drum kit! 😂

[@sireofzelda]

@flowerlullaby Well, what was the verdict?

[@Reveller120]

7:02 is that Billy Mitchell?

[@nmitchell076]

@mwp2paris Bernstein was certainly a great of this genre, but I think if you're looking for the man who birthed american musical theatre, you gotta go back at least to Gershwin, if not earlier

[@silvertone953]

what was the missing cue at 7:20 that got lenny flapping? can't hear what's absent.

[@Wotan993]

It may have been the intonation, that's what I'd think if a conductor made that gesture to me

[@ritabustamante8447]

What privilege work with him.

[@sireofzelda]

@flowerlullaby That's awesome!

[@samdajellybeenie14]

I swear Bernstein could see into the future when he says (at 3:20) "Yesterday's promises are retracted...just like the Republican party."

[@choirsinger1237]

Now a year later, truer than ever!! How about his Mass, which I am currently singing- "Half of the people are stoned and the other half are waiting for the next election!" Oh my....

[@mga2899]

Trump--"But if they start a rumble, We'll rumble 'em right. We're gonna hand 'em a surprise. Tonight."Heh heh.

[@dr.philmcbill3931]

This comment didn’t age well. How is Bidenomics treating you?

[@samdajellybeenie14]

@@dr.philmcbill3931 Great, considering the alternative which would be a recession. Unless you're a millionaire it's not like Trump ever did anything for you economically lmao.

[@arnoldstollar5375]

Great

[@primabuterafan]

Good God Wilmer Wise is so damn good

[@ChefMimsy]

Kills me to see him conducting with a cigarette in his mouth. Must have driven the wind players nuts- not to mention the non-smoking others. I suppose that we've changed public attitudes about smoking inside buildings even since this was recorded in the 80s, I believe. I have this recording in my collection and it's helped change my attitude about opera. Still don't like listening to opera unless I'm there and it's live complete w/ costumes and orchestra- then I like it. I'm learning.

[@pianoman551000]

People have replaced their ubiquitous cigarettes with cell phones. Both are an addiction. One destroys the lungs and heart and the other have turned people into robotic non-thinking androids.

[@samuelseager6785]

@@pianoman551000 Did you use your cell phone to make that reply?

[@pianoman551000]

@@samuelseager6785 One does not need a cell phone to make a KZbin reply. I don't have a "smart" phone and my life is fine without it. Now, go help your mom with the household chores.

[@samuelseager6785]

@@pianoman551000 Yes sir. 😔

[@lucyfoster4082]

I think it’s him that it killed.

[@36tharmoredinfantry]

Yea baby, the orchestra is virtually the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Sam Levitan personnel manager.... great players

[@vittoriostoraro]

True, great artists like Bernstein are extinct.

[@Nigelrathbone1]

"We're going to restore bar 110. Promises retracted, just like the Republican Party". Hilarious comment.

[@suzannefarrington4143]

Anyone get that Disney reference? “Out of the way, assassin!”

[@nattergalenstudiet6040]

WOW

[@kcmt01]

Wilmer Wise on trumpet.

[@flowerlullaby]

@sireofzelda oh yeah. haha forgot about this. yep it is him!!!!! :D

[@josephnelson2486]

🎹🎼👏

[@lmordro]

What was this recording for?

[@timtimhum]

It was a recording for Deutsche Grammophon which was filmed by the BBC in New York in 1984. I was on the sound crew and spent the whole time in the studio to the left of Leonard Bernstein keeping an eye on what was going on. It was my first trip to the USA and as good if not better than all my other trips there.

[@sallyreno6296]

wow

[@vannigio6234]

uah! ✨✨✨🐻✨✨✨

[@dtripp76]

Any idea who the drummer or trumpet player are?

[@JuanCarlitoMendoza]

Daniel Tripp drummer is Nicholas Cerrato. He was my professor and was the timpanist on Cats. Great musician and person!

[@guitarmy039]

The guy playing third trumpet looks like George Lucas. Gotta love Wilmer Wise.

[@countalucard4226]

What year was this production?

[@timtimhum]

1984

[@justjulesvlogs]

6;20 bare slap af 😂

[@DjG4meRUS]

8:09 - 8:19 So Cool boy!!

[@silvanosalvucci]

We love Carreras

[@lisanoele7996]

I like the movie voices better

[@schlockading]

Isn't the whole reason they sing "Cool" in the musical because Riff was killed in the knife fight? (i.e. why is the same guy singing it?)

[@coreycox2345]

I had not noticed that.

[@MaestraWashu]

"Cool" comes before the knife fight in the original musical. The movie switched the places of serious song "Cool" and humorous song "Gee Officer Krupke" because the filmmakers wanted the overall tone to get progressively darker as the movie went on.

[@guilhermesobrinho1329]

who is the cool boy baritone?

[@jorgedavid3443]

Guil Sobrinho Kurt Ollmann

[@guilhermesobrinho1329]

Jorge David Thanks)

[@guilhermesobrinho1329]

Jorge David He is amazing!!!

[@NDSANDCO]

Keep learning .... still a lot to do ....

[@Artemisiainspain]

Thats some trumpet he has tgere

[@teddymason6069]

Trumpet player's name?

[@neweraofthechambermusic3699]

Wilmer Wise, this great man has gone few years ago...

[@teddymason6069]

@@neweraofthechambermusic3699 thank you!

[@tonythetomato1]

This is possibly the hardest musical to perform, and I'm doing it at the highschool level, which is a lot tougher considering this is like grade 7 music

[@patspriggs]

G.E.N.I.U.S.

[@OctPSfever]

I bet ppl around him had to inhale his heavy smoke all the time

[@jacobflaschen]

"This is Cool, C-double O-L." Thanks, Mr. Bernstein, I forgot how to spell that word. What would I do without you?

[@ilikzim]

at 8:00 looks like A-Rab is playing the violin

[@diverandy1]

Wilmer Wise

[@pinkydogbear]

I nam confusing>}}?

[@bozotheclown935]

How could anyone listen to this? Bernstein... take in limited doses.

[@nikitsi48]

A french genius with the trumpet is Maurice André. Have a great holiday everybody. xoxo Niki

[@deborahchildress3635]

Absolutely correct about Maurice André!

[@vxla]

Wilmer Wise is playing 1st here

[@rosanawan]

How about MAMMA MIA!

[@virgil.alonso]

8:35 george lucas on trumpet

[@jamesgleason9004]

"Just like the Republican party" LOL!

[@GLORYNEVADASMITH]

" Tonight ( Nov. 3rd, 2020 ) " , Remix " Tonight Quintet and Chorus " - West Side Story - words and music by Stephen Sondheim & Leonard Bernstein . ( Biden , Kamala , Obama , Hillary , The DNC , MSM Et Al. ) Joe Biden's going to have his day , tonight The Neoliberal's are going to have their way , tonight Donald Trump is gonna stumble , fair fight But if he calls a recount , we'll recount him so right We're going to hand him a surprise , Tonight We're going to cut him down to size , Tonight We ' said ' ok , no mail-in ballot stuffing , no tricks But just in case He Wins It , We're ready to Fix It , Tonight ! We're getting to rock it tonight , we're going to jazz it for the Inaugural ball Trump's going to get it , tonight , the more he'll turn it on , the harder he'll fall Well He began it ! Well He began it ! And we're the ones to stop Him once and for all , Tonight ! ( CNN , MSNBC & MSM ) News Media going to get their kicks , tonight They'll get to say their favorite riffs , tonight The people are broke and tired , poor sheep Don't matter if they're tired , as long as they believe us , Tonight ! ( Kamala & MSM ) Tonight , tonight , won't be just any night Tonight there will be no morning star Tonight ,tonight , Deep State comes out tonight And for us , stars will stop where they are Today , the minutes seem like hours The hours go so slowly , And still the sky is light Oh , moon grow bright And make this endless day , 'endless night' ( Biden , Kamala , Obama , MSM & DNC ) Joe Biden's coming out on top tonight We're going to make The Donald Flop tonight That Deplorable MAGA punk , will go down And when he's hollered uncle , we'll tear up Georgetown We own that Black vote boy, right We're gonna flatten him good, right 2 , 7 , 0 , 2 , 7 , 0 I'll bet we'll have us a ball, tonight We're gonna rock it tonight, we're going to jazz it tonight We're gonna fix it tonight ( Kamala , Biden , Obama , MSM & The Neoliberal / Neoconservative league of ubiquity ) Today the minutes seem like hours The hours go so slowly And still the sky is light ( We'll stop Him once and for all ! We'll stop Him once and for all ! ) Joe Biden's gonna rule this day The Neoliberal's always get their way So now moon grow bright And make this endless day , 'endless night' We're gonna win it tonight , TONIGHT !

[@the0val]

@@GLORYNEVADASMITH yoooo the dedication! Thanks!

[@GLORYNEVADASMITH]

@@the0val " West Side Story " When you're a Cop, You're a Cop all the way From your first Busted skull To your last full days pay . If you're a Cop, When the shit hits the fan, You got bangers around, You're a Klan kinda man . You're never alone, You're never unprotected. You only fight for your own- When empathy's expected, Humanity gets disrespected! Then you are set With a capital $, Which you'll never forget Your the first to get paid When you're a Cop, You stay A Cop ! When you're a Cop, You're the top Dog around , You're the gold-medal kid With the heavyweight crown! When you're a Cop, You swing at the littlest thing. Little boy, you're a man; Little man, you're a king! The Cops are in gear, Our Steroids are a tickin' ! The Blacks'll steer clear, They know ev'ry Civilian could be Our next victim . Here come the Cops Like a bat out of hell- Someone gets in our way, Someone gets sent to hell ! Here come the Cops , Little world, step aside, Better go Quarantine , Better run, better hide! We're drawin' the line, So keep your opinions hidden! We're hangin' a sign Says "Freedom is Forbidden," And we ain't kiddin'! Here come the Cops- Yeah! And we're gonna beat Every last Fuckin' mutt On the whole Fuckin' street! On the whole-! Ever-! Mother-! Lovin'-! Street!

[@mjackstewart]

I never liked this recording. I thought it was stilted and Carreras was terribly miscast.

[@googleuser1197]

I read somewhere that Bernstein did not want Carreras for the role and had chosen Jerry Hadley but was overruled by the record label because they thought having Carreras on the recording would sell more records. He was completely wrong for that role.

[@kathrynvandenberk6657]

I agree with your comment. Operatic voices are not appropriate for these roles. This is street music.