Average Customer Review:
 ( 39 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 50 found the following review helpful:
a Broadway masterpieceOct 05, 2003
By Byron Kolln
WEST SIDE STORY is indeed one of the greatest Broadway musicals. Rarely has it been better-sung than on the glittering 1957 original cast album, now reissued on the Columbia Broadway Masterworks label.The young, vibrant cast was made up mostly of unknown actors, who all went on to make big names for themselves on the stage. The musical launched the career of triple-threat Chita Rivera, as the fiery Anita. Carol Lawrence (SARATOGA, SUBWAYS ARE FOR SLEEPING) played Maria whilst the role of Tony was essayed by a young Larry Kert (COMPANY, FOLLIES). The Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim score is simply gorgeous and includes "Maria", "One Hand One Heart", "Somewhere" and "The Jet Song". Chita Rivera adds her brassy belt to the showstopping "America"; Carol Lawrence's clarion soprano is perfectly showcased in "I Feel Pretty"; Larry Kert is the picture of youthful longing in "Something's Coming". Equally thrilling is the energetic "Quintet", which is a major highlight of the colorful score. Chita Rivera went on to star in the equally-successful London production, and went on to appear in both the Broadway and London companies of BYE BYE BIRDIE. Other lauded Broadway appearances came in BAJOUR and her Tony-winning roles in THE RINK and KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN. As of this review's writing, she's winning a whole new generation of fans in the 2003 revival of Maury Yeston's NINE. WEST SIDE STORY continues to be recognised as one of Broadway's landmark musicals. This new remastered edition of the peerless 1957 production is a must-have in every cast album collection.
24 of 24 found the following review helpful:
An Essential Original cast Album!Feb 04, 2004
By Mark Andrew Lawrence
"Theatre Reviewer"
Recorded just days after WEST SIDE STORY opened on Broadway this original cast disc is one of the best from the golden days of Goddard Lieberson at Columbia Records. He knew exactly how to translate a stage musical to records. The prologue needed more excitement so he added the sonds of the gang members and had the orchestra increase the tempo. Not every note would fit (the Lp was very long for its day: 57 minutes!) so some trims were made here and there but done with such skill that they are hardly noticed. On the other hand, the entire "Somewhere" Ballet is heard here. It was not used in the movie. Some people prefer the movie soundtrack for its beefier orchestrations. It too is a very fine recording of the score. But this is the first, the original. The way WEST SIDE STORY sounded when it premiered. Sony's reissue sounds sensational: crisp, and clear with every orchestral texture. The bonus tracks are a symphonic suite of dances that Bernstein extracted for concert performances.
21 of 21 found the following review helpful:
The most beautiful sound I ever heardMay 03, 2001
By Lee Ann,music lover
"music lover"
Although I have to admit to having had,and still having a mad crush on Richard Beymer(Tony), The OBC of West Side Story is far and above the movie recording.(Yes, I do know that it was dubbed). Larry Kert and Carol Lawrence are magical as Maria and Tony, and the rest of the cast is super,especially Chita Rivera as Anita.Many times over the years,when there was a Broadway funs raiser for PBS , you could count on Larry Kert to sing "Maria" as beautifully as when it was first recorded and performed over forty years ago. West Side Story has to represent the best example for using the ORIGINAL PERFORMERS(Sorry Richard!)instead of big Hollywood names. Bravo Bravo Bravo!
13 of 13 found the following review helpful:
Romeo and Juliet on the West SideAug 23, 2004
By NMdesapio
Although the idea of a modern ROMEO AND JULIET, set as a conflict between two gangs, one American and one Puerto Rican, is itself inspired, it is really Leonard Bernstein's score, enhanced by young Stephen Sondheim's lyrics, that makes WEST SIDE STORY special. In his excellent liner notes, Ken Mendelbaum suggests that the original 1957 cast of WEST SIDE STORY will never be surpassed, and listening to the original cast recording I am tempted to agree. What makes these singer-actors so ideal is the fact that their youthful vitality goes with voices that do full justice to Bernstein's brilliantly integrated and complex score, which, though sometimes "jazzy," is classically based and often operatic (the conflict in the score between jazz and opera represents the conflict in the story between violence and love). Larry Kert as Tony, for example, has a boyish yet wide-ranging tenor that deals effortlessly with the tricky rhythms of "Something's Coming" and the long lines of "Maria" (what a beautiful pianissimo at the close of this song!), "Tonight" (ditto), and the Bellini-esque "One Hand, One Heart." His sound is complemented by the perfect purity of Carol Lawrence's (Maria) soprano. As the been-around Anita, Chita Rivera (who became a star with this role) makes a strong impression in "(I Like to Be in) America" and "A Boy Like That," which is set against Maria's "aria," "I Have a Love," with potent results. Not only are the two "fight scenes" electrifying to hear, but the entire recording has a theatrical energy typical of all the cast albums produced for Columbia by Goddard Lieberson (GYPSY, starring Ethel Merman, is another that I'd highly recommend). And it is wonderful to have, as bonus tracks, Bernstein's own symphonic suite based on the show's dance music. This CD is a priority for any musical theatre-lover.
13 of 13 found the following review helpful:
 Probably the freshest recording ever of this great scoreSep 21, 2001
By Tommy Peter
This recording is as jolting, energetic, electric, beautiful, and
moving as the original Broadway production it records undoubtedly was. The orchestrations - partially by bernstein himself - are nervy, edgy, jazzy, and exciting one minute, and serenely lovely the next doing wonderful justice to one of the great musical scores written for Broadway. The lyrics - the first Stephen Sondheim wrote that made it to Broadway - may have flaws, but contain seeds of the emotion and wit that would come to the forefront of his later works. And can anyone ever top this cast?
Will anybody ever sing "Maria," "Tonight," and especially "Something's Coming" with the honest emotion and clear, pure voice of Larry Kert? And although it's often difficult to understand what she's saying, will anyone have quite as beautiful a voice or be, in some way, quite as touching as Carol Lawrence as Maria? Will anyone ever sing "America" with as much vivaciousness and comic timing and "A Boy Like That" with as much power as Chita Rivera did when she played Anita, the role that made her a star? Will there ever be a group of Jets and Sharks who are as good at mixing boyish innocence with hardened toughness? It's also very interesting to hear the stage versions of "America," "Somewhere," and "A Boy Like That/I Have A Love" and note the stage placements of "Cool," "Gee, Officer Krupke" and "I Feel Pretty" and compare them with the versions and placements in the movie version. GET THIS!!!! YOu may love the movie already, but you just might find yourself loving this even more.
See all 39 customer reviews on Amazon.com
|
based on 39 reviews
