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Orchestrating "West Side Story"

New York Philharmonic

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Leonard Bernstein's life-long friend and collaborator Sid Ramin talked with the composer's daughter, Jamie, about orchestrating West Side Story both for the Broadway show and the film version.

Prior to the New York Philharmonic's concert of the complete score -- performed live while the newly re-mastered film is shown -- Ramin talked about orchestrating in New York vs Los Angeles or Broadway vs the movies; scoring in ink or Irv Kostal; Lenny, Jerry (Jerome Robbins) and "Officer Krupke;" and growing up and working with Lenny.

20 Comments

@stevehinnenkamp5625 2 years ago

Oh, please, more! Learned so much how music gets transformed from the piano to the pit.
Jamie is astute with her questions with Sid, whose talent over-rides his humility. An inspiration, a valuable learning document to be shared. Thank you, JAMIE❤

@tomkent4656 4 years ago (edited)

Fascinating stuff, but let's not forget that Sid also wrote the hit "Music to Watch Girls By". RIP.

@FreakieFan 4 years ago

His comments about Lenny and the way he wrote fills was really funny and wholesome.
Great story.

@DHedwig 11 years ago

And, by the way, I'd like to make an offer on those two "Bom-Boms!"

@leslieackerman4189 7 years ago

Jamie Bernstein gets more beautiful with age💓

@EdwardBreen-zy2eg 1 year ago

Wonderful interview, thankyou.

@DHedwig 11 years ago

This is truly priceless! A genuine, sincere and insightful interview.

@josephcuriale2293 6 years ago

Sid Ramin is a genius! He is much too humble but his humility certainly gives insight into the high quality of man he is. His orchestrations are works of art; masterpieces of beauty, heart and intelligence. And for those who are unaware, he can swing hard! His theme for the Patty Duke Show is classic! Again, perfection in every way. Perhaps perfection was all he knew... Sid Ramin is a blessing to the world.

@heterosectional 10 years ago

MORE INTERVIEWS LIKE THIS, please. :)

@socratesthe2nd514 4 years ago

A very informative interview all about West Side Story. Thank you very much for this.

@Kujalamuse 13 years ago

This just gave me a great big SMILE!! I had the pleasure of meeting Sid Ramin about 15 years ago when he dropped in on a Hollywood Bowl Orchestra rehearsal where we performed the Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. What a treat! And I used to work for his composer-son, Ron, back in the 80's and 90's on various TV shows; also a major talent! Thanks for posting this wonderful interview.

@heterosectional 10 years ago

Thanks so very, very much for this interview! Until now, I thought Sid Ramin orchestrated only pop music in the 50s. Such marvelous detail!!!

@FreakieFan 4 years ago

Mr. Ramin was 92 years old in this clip? What?
I would've expected him to be in his 70's.

@carolworthey2067 5 years ago

What a delight! Great questions and insightful and often amusing answers! Thank you for this gem!

@adriennealbert 11 years ago

Beautiful, touching, and insightful! Sid Ramin is one of most genuine, nicest, and most talented people on this planet. He and Lenny made a wonderful pair. Thank you for this marvelous interview!

@wallybrown4392 11 years ago

Thank you very much for sharing that wonderful conversation. I love seeing Jamie anytime, and hearing about my favorite musician Leonard Bersnstein, and Sid's view was very interesting. I hope you do more of these conversations. Wally Brown, Oklahoma City

@JoefromNJ1 10 years ago

i played the clarinet book on Bb, eb, and bass. there were times i didnt have time to switch. there was one number where i had to play all 3 instruments and i just couldnt do it. it think it was America. i asked the sax player to take over the clarinet part so i could just worry about eb and bass and it worked for that song.

@whetcalf 14 years ago

Just wonderful stuff. Send more please!!

@andrewkohler3707 7 years ago

So THAT'S why Reed V has only bassoon, while Reed III has flute, piccolo, oboe, English horn, clarinet in Bb, bass clarinet, tenor sax, and baritone sax! And why the switches are so inefficient throughout ;-) My favorite is going from piccolo to bass sax in about five measures in the nightmare portion of the ballet sequence, especially because that player could have stayed on flute while another of the reeds could have made the switch to piccolo instead in the preceding passage.