Symphonic Dances from West Side Story for two pianos and percussion

[sanfranjeff]

I'm wondering if anyone can help me locate some music.  I'm looking for the Symphonic Dances from Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story arranged for two pianos AND PERCUSSION.  I have music for a version for two pianos WITHOUT percussion.  But I have recordings of versions WITH percussion---and I think it's much better, much more fun with the percussion parts.  I've not been able to find music for the piano/percussion version----but it HAS to be out there somewhere.  Anyone know anything about this?

I have the 2-piano arrangement done by John Musto, published by (I think) Boosey.  It's very good, but I really miss the percussion.

I have a recording of Katia & Marielle Labeque playing an arrangement for two pianos & percussion.   The arrangement appears to be by Irwin Kostal (one of Bernstein's regular arrangers).

I also have a recording of Güher & Süher Pekinel, pianos and Peter Sadlo & Stefan Gagelmann, percussion.  The arrangement is by Paul McKibbins and Robert Philipps.  It *may* be the same arrangement as the Labeque sisters, credits notwithstanding.  (I haven't done a back-to-back comparison... but the two versions are quite similar.)

Anyone have any information about this?  Any help would be MOST appreciated.

Thanks!
---Jeffrey

[retrouvailles]

I've contemplated this same thing, actually. Have you tried contacting the pianists themselves? I've heard these two versions (oddly enough played by two sets of sisters) and they do indeed sound similar. The Musto version is still my favorite, though, for I think it has the best piano writing, despite the lack of percussion. Maybe if all else fails you can write your own parts for percussion by listening to the original version for orchestra and renting a score of it? That could be a fun project.

[sanfranjeff]

Thanks for your reply.  Great minds think alike—I've already written to the pianists (or the only contact I could find for them) to ask—but so far no response.

I agree with you, I like the piano writing in the Musto arrangement a lot.  (I wrote to him too... figured he ought to know something about it.)  But boy the percussion makes a huge difference in the overall impact of the arrangement.  I got an orchestra score from the library, so if push comes to shove I will write out or cobble together percussion parts—but it's such a pain to do that.  I'm hoping for a path of lesser resistance!

[thomasina]

Just to make things even more interesting, you should be aware that there are three different arrangements by Irwin Kostal of music from West Side Story:
1. Arrangement of Bernstein's orchestral suite Symphonic Dances from West Side Story for two pianos and percussion (24:55), dates from pre-1988
2. Arrangement of additional Songs from West Side Story (and billed as such) for two pianos without percussion (23:24), made around the same time (as with version 1, made with Bernstein's endorsement following a request from the Labèques)
3. A much longer suite for two pianos and percussion, billed simply as West Side Story in the Labèques' 2011 recording of it (43:15)

I haven't studied the three versions in depth, but it appears that version 3 might be a slightly reworked amalgamation of the material from versions 1 and 2. For example, although version 3 is for two pianos and percussion there are several movements with no or very little percussion and these correspond with songs heard only in version 2.

It seems likely that the arrangements haven't been published; it's a pity you've not been able to get a response from the artists.