West Side Story Pit

sab754 · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 2:14 am Post subject: West Side Story Pit

Hey Guys,

My school has just announced that we will be doing West Side Story for this year. As resident year 12 trumpeter (US - Senior) it's most likely that I'll be playing lead in the pit. I've read around and heard that it's a pretty good show but quite hard - anyone have any tips?

Also, I've heard conflicting reports on the amount of 'jazz' that is in it - I know that the Dance sequences have some latin, but is that it?[/i]

Pete · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 4:02 am Post subject:

There is no jazz (improvising) in it. You should be well versed in different styles of music. Also, listen to the original recording. I'm sure you can find it on YouTube.

Pete

Yamahaguy · Heavyweight Member Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 3992

If you are referring to the trumpet 2 solo in Mambo, I do believe there are
changes written. But the actual solo played on the soundtrack is also written.
Play the written solo and pay homage to Mr. Wilmer Wise!

zaferis · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 5:37 am Post subject:

It's all about style.. do what you can range wise..

I've played the show with a large pit and with a small pit.. completely different approaches and challenges.
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trpthrld · Heavyweight Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 4808

Lemme see if I can clarify some misinfomation & add a few other tidbits.

Range tops out with F#s. The MOVIE has Gs, but you're not playing the movie book.

That range having been said - there is absolutely NO SHAME in taking notes down an octave in a high school or community theatre production if it guarantees consistently clean performances. Most everything high is doubled in a reed book.

Audiences will remember one of two things:

1. "Wow - what a terrific performance by young musicians!"
2. "Wow - what a terrific performance by young musicians...except for that trumpet guy who couldn't get the high notes."

Music engraving/copying note. The original book started with an 8th note pickup into the first full measure. The MTI rental has an entire measure written out with that 8th note at the end. It can be confusing as you are expecting to hear something in the measure. I guess when MTI did the Finale copywork that thier copyist either did not know how to set up a true "pickup" measure or was simply too lazy.

There were never chord changes for the trumpet solos. Everything had been written out. The solo in "Jump" was originally in the 3rd book. The MTI rental version, which I believe is what most productions use now, has that solo in the 1st book.

The MTI "Reduced Version" (I think only 2 trumpet parts) has the last bars of "America" written down an octave.

The "D" trumpet in "Mambo" in the 2nd book these days is usually played on piccolo trumpet in "A"...or simply transposed and played on Bb.

1st Trumpet usually gets extra $ for playing 1st. From the first time I played WSS (1975 on the 2nd book), and because the 2nd book is almost as hard as the 1st, I had always thought the "D" trumpet in that book was intentional to add a little to the 2nd player's paycheck.

During a production I was playing in 2012, I called & talked with Sid Ramin, the original production's orchestrator, and asked about the “D” trumpet:

"The 'D' trumpet was purely Leonard's idea. He thought he would like the sound. After hearing it, he decided he didn't care for it. The trumpet players used Bb for everything. The 'D' trumpet was never used on the original show."

A little extra $ for the double for the 2nd trumpet was never considered.

Sid did not remember who the original trumpets were on the show in 1957.

It had been written (literally) in ink. It would have cost the producers $ to get that part rewritten to eliminate the "D" trumpet, where it nicely remains today, costing producers extra $ for the 2nd trumpet player.

The original production's 1st Trumpet was Gino Bazzacco (info from Ross Konikoff). The 2nd player was David Jandorf, who had previously played with the Cleveland orchestra (info from Wilmer Wise). I have not been able to find out who was on 3rd. (insert Abbott and Costello routine)

Wilmer Wise played on the recording of WSS (easily found on YouTube) and that was conducted by Bernstein. To my knowledge and with several conversations with Wilmer about WSS, he never mentioned ever playing on any of the Broadway revivals.

In the movie, Uan Rasey was on 1st, Pete Candoli played the solo in "Dances at the Gym," and probably Cappy Lewis on 3rd (info from Uan Rasey).

The opriginal book starts right on the Prologue - there is no overture. The MTI version has an added overture. There are also no written bows, but I've played productions where we used the last part of "Mambo" for bows.

PERFORMANCE TIPS. These come from playing several different versions and a variety of pit sizes ranging from full to 4 (piano, bass, drums and ME):

- As mentioned - NO SHAME in taking something down an octave for the reasons previously stated.

- It is very easy to get caught up in the excitement and energy of the music. Keeping that in mind, it's better to play a little softer than to blow the walls down.

- There is beautiful ensemble writing in this show. Play like you are playing 1st Trumpet in a wind ensemble, not Lead Trumpet in some hack big band.

- Some of the mute changes are fast and come at inconvenient times. Plan ahead for them.

- The very last measure...oy vey!! 1st Trumpet has an A above the staff, 2nd Trumpet plays an E to F# in the staff, 3rd is on a D...all in straight mute. After playing one of the most challenging books in musical theatre...to have to end on those notes as softly as you can play them...is probably the biggest challenge in the book.

I have played those last measures with straight mute, straight mute with a towel over the bell, in Harmon mute (no stem), with a Marcus Bona "Quiet" straight mute...what I'm getting at is experiment to see what guarantees clean notes, what makes your MD happiest, and what works best for you & your section.

Above all - play smart and have fun. If you can come out of the pit every night with a feeling of "Yeah...we all did good tonight, and I was a big contributor to that"...then you've successfully completed your job.
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gchun01 · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Mar 2013 Posts: 270

Excellent post, Tim.

Thanks for making me relive the hardest half notes in my life (last measures). LOL!!!

Garry

trpthrld · Heavyweight Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 4808

razeontherock · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 12:00 pm Post subject:

Ok, so I'm feeling for our OP here; welcome to TH! As a High School student, you want to prepare for what you hope may be a wonderful playing opportunity. So far, so good. Next, it seems you signed up to TH just to get some relevant info. Ok, it never hurts, right?

Little did you realize you would get definitive info from one of the established veterans in the field!! And that his take would include that it's some of the hardest theater music ever written for trumpet.

So - when is opening night? And, starting immediately, you will be practicing as though your life depended on it, obviously. Even so, the words "be afraid, be very afraid" may take on new meaning about now. As will the cliche about the best way to play Brandenburg #2: "get someone else to do it."

If you're the school's best, and the most you can handle is the second book while they hire a pro to play first? You are still really accomplishing a LOT.

That being said, that is really some great music.

scott1860 · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 12:26 pm Post subject:

Wow! Talk about going "above and beyond"! Thanks for the gems, Tim Wendt!
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cheiden · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 3:25 pm Post subject:

sab754 · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 3:34 pm Post subject:

Wow, thanks guys! Really appreciate the responses. Especially Tim - thank you so much!

We don't get the books until around May or so, so I've got enough time to listen to the soundtrack and really soak in the music.

Is it against TH rules to ask if any of y'all would have a PDF of the book, or even a website where I could potentially buy it (for cheap)? I remember doing Les Mis (School Edition) last year and I managed to find the Trumpet books on Scribd but I haven't had the same luck.

sab754 · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 3:41 pm Post subject:

cheiden · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 4:11 pm Post subject:

When we did it we brought in some extra trumpet horsepower because it's reasonably difficult and taxing. There are tricky rhythms that if you can't get in the groove will hurt the whole show and make it a grind. Two players that are strong readers that can really swing these often awkward figures are really needed or you won't be having any fun. Don't be proud, playing second to a pro can be an incredible experience.
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trpthrld · Heavyweight Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 4808

Brian Moore · Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 5:09 am Post subject:

And just to post a link to one of the old TH threads on this subject ... only because the great Wilmer Wise casually popped on the thread and contributed... http://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=118818&highlight=

gstump · Heavyweight Member Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 934

My grandchildren perform in a very good high school with an emphasis on the fine arts. High notes aside, I feel you will be fine if you follow all the great advice given above.

Today, good high school musicians are probably more familiar with odd meters, odd intervals, jazz feels, rock'n roll licks and orchestral stuff than those from years ago.

WSS usually would bring in a lead player on the national tours so the local "lead" players would play second. There is a part where the 2nd trumpet plays a soft choral like part above the first part on sustained Abs above the staff. I was told by the traveling lead player that lots of well known "lead" players soiled up that part all the time.

But a good high school trumpet player would have less of a problem on such a part.

Like Tim said, except for some tough high note leaps, WSS is not a real lead trumpet and drums show.

Best of luck with the show and have a fun learning experience.

Gordon Stump
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blbaumgarn · Heavyweight Member Joined: 26 Jul 2017 Posts: 705

As I read this stuff it is nearly five years after the post and answers. I am wondering if the h.s. student had a blast with his playing WSS. Just getting to play Bernstein and his rhythms, etc. is a blast. I would also agree with Zaferis comment on the different sizes of pits affecting how you play, too.
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mograph · Regular Member Joined: 17 Feb 2020 Posts: 97

Yes, I'd love to hear what the Op's experience was.

Back in the day, in '78, I played Doc and Gladhand in our HS show -- this was before taking up trumpet.

Worthy of note is that none of the musicians were current students; all were ex-students. Man, was that a tight band.
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donovan · Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2022 6:14 am Post subject:

I, too, would love to hear how the show went.

I also played this in high school. We hired a pro (my former trumpet teacher) to play 1st and I played 2nd. As was previously mentioned, it was a thrilling and valuable experience to get to sit next to a great lead player making that book. A much better experience for me, at that time, them if I had to play it myself. I learned more playing 2nd next to him.
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DickieG64 · Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2022 2:45 am Post subject:

I have played lead on West Side Story twice and conducted it once. It is an amazing experience.

By the way Tim Wendt has been my go to guy whenever I have played a show for the first time. He takes the time to give you a detailed description of the show.

Many thanks to Tim over the years!
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