A Question About the Reduced Orchestration of West Side Story

[flutediva]

Hello All,
This is my first post. I am curious about the Reed 1 book for West Side Story. I am an accomplished flutist, a decent sax player, but I need to know how extensive the clarinet part is for this show (reduced orch). I am also in charge of putting together the orchestra for this production (summer stock theater for college and community members), and am concerned about the skill needed for trumpet 1, if any one knows... I read earlier posts about concerns that some of your members had. It has made me concerned enough to join your chat forum to get more information.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Flutediva

 

[SOTSDO]

I have seen so many different instrumentation layouts for this show that I am reluctant to offer a opinion as to what you may be facing. Brad Pinmental's website that lists show instrumentations is a good place to start, but finding someone who has a) played most of them, b) who has the required flute and clarinet expertise to deal with these issues, and c) who has kept up with all of the changes over the years, is going to be a very uphill battle.

This isn't really a saxophone intensive show, although for some reason the orchestrators decided to burden the baritone player with toting a tenor to the pit as well, and then using it for maybe twenty or thirty notes and only in the first act to boot. At least you don't have to deal with the bass saxophone variations involved, as I'm sure they have been dropped from the reduced versions...