Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An outstanding 'classic' recording, 16 May 2005
So much has been said about West Side Story, which is universally regarded as one of the best recordings ever made, that it needs little in the way criticism. Suffice to say that there are a number of releases of the original soundtrack - of which this is clearly (pun intended) the best. The 2004 20-bit remastered and extended version is a failure and best avoided, with the energy, presence and detail of the original transfer sucked out of it.An all-time classic, still technically outstanding after more than 40 years, and a reference point in the history of recording technique.
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29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
ONE OF THE BEST MUSICALS OF ALL TIME..., 10 Nov 2002
Bernstein wrote himself into the annals of musical history with the score that he composed for West Side Story, a nineteen fifties version of Romeo and Juliet, and Stephen Sondheim did it justice with the terrific lyrics he wrote, which made the music soar even higher. This a musical that has entered the popular consciousness with good reason. Who hasn't heard the beauty and poetry of "Maria", the expectant poignancy of "Tonight", or the eternally hopeful "Somewhere" and not been touched, especially when sung, as they are here, by Jim Bryant and Marnie Nixon? There is also the upbeat "America" and "I Feel Pretty", which are ensemble songs geared to showcase Jerome Robbins' choreography to perfection. This is a magnificent CD that should be a part of any collection, as it contains music which would make angels weep.
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49 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Plenty of energy, but sadly lacking in precision., 21 Oct 2002
This soundtrack recording taken from the oscar winning film contains all the excitement, energy and flair that you would expect from a recording of a Bernstein score. However, it also contains some noticeably poor performances from those involved in it's production. Some members of the Jets and Sharks were clearly chosen for their ability to dance rather than for their polished singing. At the beginning of the 'Quintet', for example, the Sharks are hideously out of tune and not necessarily singing the correct words. Also, there is some shoddy playing from the woodwind in the 'Prologue'. Having said that, the percussion are very good, and the trumpets, absolutely outstanding with some gravity defying acrobatics in the 'Dance at the Gym'. Natalie Wood does, of course, shine as Maria and is competently supported throughout by Tony. It is worth buying this recording just for its moment in cinema history and the sheer enthusiasm of the artists involved. But, if you're looking for a tight and precise account of Bernstein's incredible score, then I would suggest a more recent recording would be for you.
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