Is WEST SIDE STORY overlooked as a Sondheim musical?

I've always wondered, are West Side Story and Gypsy overlooked as Sondheim musicals? Sondheim didn't write the music, only the lyrics, and they sound completely different when compared to shows like Sweeney Todd, Company, Into the Woods, Bounce, etc.

I would actually have never guessed that he did work on the music if I didn't know any better.

So, what do ya think?

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I think for the non theater-going public, West Side Story is actually one of the only musicals they associate with Sondheim. Possibly because of the movie (a lot of schools will show at least part of the movie when they teach Romeo and Juliet).

Also, remember that some of the lyrics are written by Bernstein.

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west side story is my absolute favorite.
so, i am biased. however, i never really associate the two either some to think of it.
loveeee wss!

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How would WSS have turned out if Sondheim had done the music as well?

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*points to signature*

The music is just so perfect, I honestly can't imagine anyone improving on it. Sure, Sondheim's a genius, but so is Bernstein, IMO, particularly moreso when it simply comes down to the music.

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He also didn't write 100 percent of the lyrics.

Sorry, it's no contest.

Bernstein was a FAR superior composer to Sondheim. And his lyrics were almost as good if not more clever than Sondheim, because they had the cleverness of Sondheim but more heart.

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GYPSY is a better example of Sondheim's lyrics.

Updated On: 2/17/07 at 04:12 PM

I overlooked the post about the movie...now I do agree that the changing of those two songs were a smart choice in the movie, and adding the guys in to America, but...of course I wasn't privileged enough to see it, but from hearing the OBC, playing the actual score twice and knowing the entire script and stage directions...the movie I don't think reaches the ultimate level that the original production did.

First off, some of the dubbing--if they were going to dub Tony, you'd think they would get someone great, but whoever the guy is pales in comparison to Larry Kert. I get eargasms listen to Larry's "Maria" on the OBC...movie guy, not so much. Probably having to try to conform to the actor's voices on part of the dubbers hindered their singing quality, as I think almost every song sounds better on the OBC. And it is weird watching Rita Moreno seem to be screaming out the words to A Boy Like That but hearing the voice pull back from it.

I certainly understand that it wouldn't make sense to have the ballet in the movie, but it serves a great part in the production. Again, the flow of the music, perfectly going from Somewhere to the music of the Rumble-gah!

But, especially for Bernstein, one of the worst aspects of the movie was the alteration of the score. There's a very interesting story in Keith Garebian's "The making of West Side Story:

"One of the most prized elements of the Broadway show--Leonard Bernstein's score--was turned into a blaring, sometimes grotesque distortion"

Johnny Green, good friend of Lenny's, altered and created the music score. Then he threw a huge party for Lenny, where he would play the soundtrack for the first time. Before the start of the music, he went into a whole schpeel(sp?) about how Lenny was the greatest American composer of this or any other age (true). He called Lenny up to stand beside him as the music started:

"Then the music started, and the score sounded grotesque. The notes seemed to be stretched out inordinately and at an unbearably high pitch. Bernstein screamed: 'Stop that goddamned machine. Whoever gave you the right to play it like that?"

Green later went to Bernstein to explain that a lot of the way the score was changed came from Wise, "but Bernstein declared: 'You have betrayed my trust. You have betrayed me."

Very soon after, Lenny wrote him a note of immense apology and great dignity, and a pair of cufflinks, with both their initials on it aww. One more important note from the book:

"However, this formal and touching apology and demonstration of affection did not alter Bernstein's low opinion of the movie--an opinion supported by Laurents and Sondheim as well."

Turn that goddamn machine off--haha, I love it. Umm so yeah original creators of the show were not pleased with the movie.

"Bernstein was a FAR superior composer to Sondheim. And his lyrics were almost as good if not more clever than Sondheim, because they had the cleverness of Sondheim but more heart. "

I definitely agree that he was a far superior composer(of music) than Sondheim, but...I don't think I can be taken seriously for all that I champion Bernstein for if I agreed about lyrics. I believe Candide was the only show Bernstein actually wrote lyrics for (or is given credit for writing lyrics for)...unless, did he write lyrics for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? Anyway, I can't say they are superior based on one show, and even at that one show...they can't compare to some of Sondheim's genius, against the form, but for the form, etc lyrics. That's where I feel Sondheim's true genius lies, and Bernstein's in the music.

"True theatre people know, remember and aknowledge it's Sondheim's lyrics. Other's don't care. It's Bernstein's show in most everyone's eyes."

Well...no I think in most everyone's eyes it's that musical with gangs, Puerto Ricans, or Romeo and Juliet. I would doubt too many non-true theatre people even know who Bernstein is. I remember and acknowledge that Sondheim wrote most of the lyrics, but it's still certainly Bernstein's show in my eyes. (Okay, so I might be just a TAD biased )

BTW, while I'm going on my usual Bernstein-is-genius rant, I'll just quickly throw in that Monday I attended a concert at the NY historical society entitled "The Brilliance of Bernstein" (how appropriate)...in addition to singing his songs, though with only a piano (hrmph), they showed clips of him and his life and major events, etc. It was such a wonderful concert, I was so happy to go.

Okay done with my Bernstein worshipping...for like 5 minutes?

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I would doubt too many non-true theatre people even know who Bernstein is


I wouldn't agree, remember Bernstein is a HUGE classical composer too.

And if you haven't heard his lyrics for his Mass, I suggest you take a look, I believe they are all his except for a few by Stephen Schwartz and one line that was a gift from Paul Simon.

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If you're over 40, you know who Leonard Bernstein was. Believe it or not, his name was a household word back in the 60s and 70s. As for now, I couldn't say. It's difficult to know what exactly, if anything, the average kid is aware of. A smug, collective ignorance seems to be the tone of the times.

I think that West Side Story is overlooked by the general public because of his minimal contribution in perspective to hise collaborators (ie. Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, Jerome Robbins Peter Gennaro)

Also if you listen to the score it just doesnt sound like Sondheim. The interesting rhythms are such an indicator of Bernestein, so many people who know little about theatere have no clue he was involved.