West Side Story (2021 soundtrack)

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West Side Story (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
Various artists
ReleasedDecember 3, 2021
Recorded2019–2021
Studio
Genre
LabelHollywood
Producer
Singles from West Side Story (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
  1. "Balcony Scene (Tonight)"
    Released: December 1, 2021

West Side Story is the soundtrack album to Steven Spielberg's 2021 film adaptation of the musical of the same name, produced by 20th Century Studios and Amblin Entertainment. The album features music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, with vocals from the film's ensemble cast including Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist and Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the 1961 film adaptation and plays Valentina (a reworked version of the character Doc) in this film.

The soundtrack was released digitally in Dolby Atmos by Hollywood Records on December 3, 2021 and subsequently released on physical CD on December 10, the same day the film was released in theaters.[1][2]

Background[edit]

Composer David Newman arranged and adapted Bernstein's original score for the film, incorporating a number of alterations originally made to Bernstein's Broadway score by Johnny Green for the 1961 film (e.g., interpolation of the "Cool" fugue motif into the "Prologue" and the extended trumpet solo in "Mambo"). Gustavo Dudamel conducted the New York Philharmonic during the film's recording sessions in 2019, with additional recording by the Los Angeles Philharmonic done during the COVID-19 pandemic the following year.[3] Jeanine Tesori served as vocal coach, while frequent Spielberg collaborator John Williams served as music consultant.[4][3] The film's version of "Tonight", sung by Rachel Zegler and Ansel Elgort, was released as a digital download single on December 1, 2021.[5][6]

Alongside the soundtrack, "re-imagined" pop covers were also produced, including "Another Day in America" by Kali Uchis and Ozuna, which was released as a single on November 26 by Interscope Records.[7]

Reception[edit]

Like the film, the soundtrack received acclaim from critics and was nominated for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Performer(s)Length
1."Prologue"Leonard BernsteinOrchestra5:54
2."La Borinqueña (Sharks Version)"
1:06
3."Jet Song"
2:11
4."Something's Coming"
  • Bernstein
  • Sondheim
Ansel Elgort2:30
5."The Dance at the Gym: Blues, Promenade"BernsteinOrchestra2:11
6."The Dance at the Gym: Mambo"BernsteinOrchestra3:19
7."The Dance at the Gym: Cha-Cha, Meeting Scene, Jump"BernsteinOrchestra3:28
8."Maria"
  • Bernstein
  • Sondheim
Elgort3:05
9."Balcony Scene (Tonight)"
  • Bernstein
  • Sondheim
5:24
10."Transition to Scherzo / Scherzo"BernsteinOrchestra2:14
11."America"
  • Bernstein
  • Sondheim
4:57
12."Gee, Officer Krupke"
  • Bernstein
  • Sondheim
4:20
13."One Hand, One Heart"
  • Bernstein
  • Sondheim
  • Elgort
  • Zegler
3:45
14."Cool"
  • Bernstein
  • Sondheim
  • Elgort
  • Faist
4:03
15."Tonight Quintet"
  • Bernstein
  • Sondheim
  • Faist
  • Alvarez
  • DeBose
  • Elgort
  • Zegler
  • Jets
  • Sharks
3:28
16."The Rumble"BernsteinOrchestra3:10
17."I Feel Pretty"
  • Bernstein
  • Sondheim
  • Zegler
  • Ilda Mason
  • Isabelle
  • Andréa Burns
  • Tanairi Sade Vazquez
  • Yassmin Alers
  • Jamila Velazquez
  • Annelise Cepero
2:58
18."Somewhere"
  • Bernstein
  • Sondheim
Rita Moreno3:10
19."A Boy like That / I Have a Love"
  • Bernstein
  • Sondheim
  • DeBose
  • Zegler
5:25
20."Finale"BernsteinOrchestra3:36
21."End Credits"BernsteinOrchestra9:03
Total length:79:00

Source:[8]

Personnel[edit]

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for West Side Story
Chart (2021–2022) Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[9] 40
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[10] 45
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[11] 31
US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard)[12] 10
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[13] 38

References[edit]

  1. ^ Newman, Melinda (May 13, 2021). "Like the Stars It Launched, Hollywood Records Has Grown Up, Too". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  2. ^ "The West Side Story Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Set for Digital & Dolby Atmos Music Release on December 3". Business Wire. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Bouzereau, Laurent (2021). West Side Story the Making of the Steven Spielberg Film. Abrams, Incorporated. ISBN 9781419750632.
  4. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (May 24, 2019). "Jeanine Tesori and Gustavo Dudamel Join Music Staff of Spielberg-Helmed West Side Story Movie". Playbill. New York City: Playbill, Inc.
  5. ^ "Balcony Scene (Tonight) - from "West Side Story"/Soundtrack Version". Spotify. December 2021.
  6. ^ "First Track from 'West Side Story' Soundtrack Released | Film Music Reporter".
  7. ^ "Kali Uchis and Ozuna join forces on new song "Another Day in America"".
  8. ^ "West Side Story (2021) Press Kit" (PDF).
  9. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2022-02-21/p/4" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  10. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums [2022/02/16 公開]". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  11. ^ "soundtrack Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  12. ^ "soundtrack Chart History (Soundtrack Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  13. ^ "soundtrack Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
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