Welcome to Bernstein's "Tonight (Quintet)" from West Side Story
Welcome to your comprehensive study guide for Leonard Bernstein’s masterwork, the Tonight (Quintet) from West Side Story. This piece is a core set work in Unit AS 3: Secular Vocal Music (Musicals) for the CCEA A Level Music specification (7010).
At first glance, this score might look intimidating because so much happens at once—gangs shouting, lovers singing, and brass instruments sliding! But don't worry. Bernstein designed this piece like a master architect. By breaking down the music section by section, you will easily master the harmonies, rhythms, and dramatic layers that examiners love to test.
---1. Historical Background, Collaborators & Context
The Creative Dream Team
West Side Story premiered on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre on 26 September 1957. It transformed musical theatre by integrating complex classical symphonic techniques, jazz idioms, Latin American dance rhythms, and serious dramatic themes. The key collaborators behind the show were:
• Composer: Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990) — famous for bridging classical concert music and Broadway.
• Lyricist: Stephen Sondheim — crafted the sharp, emotionally charged lyrics.
• Conception & Choreography / Dance Director: Jerome Robbins — integrated dynamic storytelling through dance.
• Orchestrators / Arrangers: Sid Ramin and Irwin Kostal (working in close collaboration with Bernstein himself).
Shakespeare Transformed: Upper West Side Manhattan
The musical is a direct modern adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet, transferring the feud of Renaissance Verona to the turf wars of 1950s New York City:
• The Jets (White American gang led by Riff) represent the Montagues.
• The Sharks (Puerto Rican immigrant gang led by Bernardo) represent the Capulets.
• Tony & Maria represent Romeo & Juliet.
• Anita (Bernardo's girlfriend) represents Juliet's Nurse.
Did You Know? (Composition History Trap): Many students assume Bernstein wrote the romantic Balcony Scene duet first and then turned it into a quintet. In fact, the exact opposite happened! Bernstein originally conceived and composed the melody of Tonight as part of this ensemble Quintet, only later extracting it to serve as the romantic duet between Tony and Maria earlier in Act 1.
Key Takeaway: West Side Story is a modernised Romeo and Juliet created by Bernstein, Sondheim, Robbins, Ramin, and Kostal. The Tonight melody was born in this quintet before appearing as a duet.
---2. Dramatic Function & Musical Architecture
What is an Operatic "Scena"?
The Tonight (Quintet) is an operatic multi-perspective ensemble scene (often called an operatic scena or polyphonic climax). It takes place near the end of Act 1, just before the climactic "rumble" (a violent gang fight under the highway).
Instead of presenting characters singing one after another, Bernstein presents five competing emotional perspectives simultaneously. Think of it like a split-screen in a movie where everyone is looking forward to the same night, but for completely different reasons:
1. The Jets & The Sharks: Anticipating physical violence, territorial dominance, and gang supremacy.
2. Anita: Anticipating a passionate, sensual romantic encounter with Bernardo after the fight.
3. Tony: Optimistic and idealistic, planning to stop the rumble and be united with Maria.
4. Maria: Longing for her secret, pure romantic reunion with Tony.
Key Takeaway: The Quintet uses polyphony (multiple independent vocal lines) to capture five distinct emotional storylines heading toward a single crisis point: "Tonight".
---3. Detailed Score Analysis (Bar by Bar)
Part 1: The Gangs (Verses 1 & 2: bb. 1–49)
• Tempo & Metre: Marked Allegro (fast and urgent), alternating between \(4/4\) and heavily syncopated rhythmic punctuation.
• Intro (bb. 1–6): Opens with an aggressive, driving, syncopated ostinato and a punchy semiquaver rhythmic motive with biting accents.
• Verse 1 (bb. 7–21):
— Bar 7: Riff and the Jets begin ("The Jets are gonna have their day tonight"). Notice the vocal line begins with an anacrusis (upbeat) of a falling fourth followed by a rising scale on the word "Tonight".
— Bar 11: Bernardo and the Sharks enter with the exact same melody ("The Sharks are gonna have their way tonight"). This creates a symmetrical antagonistic dialogue. Bernstein makes their music identical to show that both gangs are mirror images of each other, trapped in the exact same hatred.
— Bar 15: The Jets answer with a swaggering, syncopated riff melody.
• Verse 2 (bb. 22–49):
— bb. 22–30: Symmetrical dialogue continues (Sharks at b. 22, Jets at b. 26, Sharks at b. 30).
— Harmonic Goal & Climax: The harmony moves towards A minor, building through a huge crescendo to a massive \(\boldsymbol{fff}\) dynamic. It culminates in a harsh, accented, spoken/shouted unison yell on the word "Tonight" at bar 48.
Part 2: Anita’s Solo & Transition (bb. 50–67)
• Orchestral Interlude (bb. 50–52): The accompaniment returns to the opening introductory motive. Listen for a suggestive instrumental colour: a lip smear / glissando in the alto and tenor saxophones.
• Anita's Entry (bb. 53–66):
— Anita sings in a low, sultry alto tessitura (vocal range).
— Musically, her melody mirrors the Gang melody from bar 7, but it is transformed with sensual Latin jazz inflections and swung triplet phrasing ("Anita’s gonna get her kicks tonight").
Part 3: Tony's Lyrical Solo (bb. 67²–102)
This section provides a complete musical and emotional contrast to the violence of the gangs.
• Tonality: Shifts abruptly to A major, bringing warmth and romantic optimism.
• Metre & Style: Settles into a smooth \(\mathbf{2/2}\) metre (alla breve).
• Latin Dance Idiom: Accompanied by a continuous, syncopated Beguine rhythm (a popular Latin-American ballroom dance rhythm).
• Harmonic Construction & Pedal Point:
— Anchored over a continuous tonic pedal point on A in the bass.
— Above this pedal, the harmony oscillates between \(\text{A}^9\) (root position) and \(\text{B}^7/\text{A}\) (\(\text{B}^7\) in third inversion with A in the bass).
• Sudden Modulation to C Major (bb. 74–76):
— Tony sings a sustained note: \(\text{B}\natural\). This acts as a pivot note.
— While he holds this \(\text{B}\natural\), the underlying chords step smoothly from \(\text{G}\sharp\text{ minor}\) directly to \(\text{G}^7\), resolving into C major at bar 76.
— Melodically, bars 74–76 feature a 3-note melodic cell (\(\text{C} - \text{D} - \text{E}\)) doubled by the violins and cellos.
• Return to A Major (bb. 82–92):
— An imperfect cadence in A minor occurs at bar 82, moving to a second inversion F major chord (\(\text{F}/\text{C}\)) at bar 84.
— Canonic Imitation: At bar 85, Tony sings a descending vocal sequence which is immediately imitated in canon by the violins at a distance of 1 bar.
— A harmonic transition leads back to A major at bar 92 using an augmented sixth chord that resolves onto \(\text{E}^7\) (the dominant seventh).
• Cross-Rhythm (b. 96): While Tony sustains a soaring high \(\text{E}\), the orchestra superimposes an additive cross-rhythm grouped as \(3 + 3 + 2\) crotchets across the \(\mathbf{2/2}\) barline.
Part 4: The Polyphonic Climax / Quintet (bb. 103 to End)
Here, Bernstein unleashes full operatic counterpoint, blending Broadway musical style with classical ensemble techniques comparable to Mozart or Verdi finales:
• Layering of Musical Themes:
— Maria: Sings the soaring, expansive, lyrical Tonight cantabile melody.
— Tony: Sings counter-melodies and joins Maria in rich romantic harmony.
— Anita: Sings her syncopated, rhythmic Latin-jazz melody.
— Jets & Sharks: Provide driving, aggressive staccato rhythmic ostinatos underneath ("We're gonna jazz it / We're gonna rock it").
• Key Compositional Devices:
— Rhythmic Augmentation (b. 130): The Sharks sing their melodic theme in augmentation (using lengthened note values).
— Descending Arpeggios (b. 130+): The Jets and Sharks add descending arpeggiated figures in minims beneath the soaring vocal lines.
• Final Cadence: All competing melodic and rhythmic strands converge into a massive, unified choral cadence on the final shout: "Tonight!".
Key Takeaway: The piece moves from aggressive gang dialogue (A minor) to Anita's sultry solo, then to Tony's lyrical Beguine (A major/C major), before combining all musical materials into a rich polyphonic climax.
---4. Summary of Key Musical Techniques
Use this checklist to review the core compositional techniques Bernstein uses:
• Symmetrical Dialogue: Jets and Sharks sing identical melodic material (bb. 7 and 11) to show they are mirror rivals.
• Tonic Pedal Point: A sustained bass note \(A\) underpinning Tony's solo (bb. 67–73).
• Beguine Rhythm: Syncopated Latin-American ballroom rhythm in \(\mathbf{2/2}\) accompanying Tony.
• Pivot Note Modulation: Tony's sustained \(\text{B}\natural\) acting as the harmonic bridge to modulate from A major to C major (bb. 74–76).
• Canonic Imitation: Violins strictly imitating Tony’s vocal line at 1 bar's distance (b. 85).
• Additive Cross-Rhythm: Orchestra playing a \(3 + 3 + 2\) crotchet pulse across the \(\mathbf{2/2}\) metre (b. 96).
• Rhythmic Augmentation: Notes doubled in length in the Sharks' line during the polyphonic climax (b. 130).
• Lip Smear / Glissando: Jazz effect in the saxophones introducing Anita (bb. 50–52).
5. Common Pitfalls & Examiner Warnings
Avoid these common exam errors highlighted in CCEA examiner reports:
• Trap 1: Vague Rhythm Terms: Do not describe Tony's accompaniment as simply "a Latin beat" or "a slow dance". You must identify it specifically as a Beguine rhythm in \(\mathbf{2/2}\) metre.
• Trap 2: "Everyone Sings Together": In the final section, never just write "everyone sings at once." You must use precise terms like operatic polyphony, canonic imitation, and rhythmic augmentation.
• Trap 3: Missing the Pivot Note: When asked how Bernstein modulates to C major at bar 74, specifically identify the sustained \(\text{B}\natural\) pivot note and the chord progression stepping from \(\text{G}\sharp\text{ minor}\) to \(\text{G}^7\) to \(\text{C}\).
• Trap 4: Forgetting the Origin of "Tonight": Remember that the melody was written for this Quintet first, and only later placed into the balcony scene duet.
6. Quick Revision Quiz
Test your understanding with these quick-check questions:
Q1: Which Latin ballroom rhythm accompanies Tony's lyrical solo at bar 67?
Answer: The Beguine rhythm (in \(\mathbf{2/2}\) metre).
Q2: What harmonic technique is heard in the bass during the opening of Tony's solo (bb. 67–73)?
Answer: A tonic pedal point on A.
Q3: How does Bernstein musically convey that the Jets and Sharks are equal rivals in bars 7–14?
Answer: Through symmetrical dialogue—Bernardo and the Sharks sing the exact same melody that Riff and the Jets just sang.
Q4: What compositional device appears in the violins at bar 85?
Answer: Canonic imitation of Tony’s descending vocal sequence at 1 bar's distance.
Q5: What rhythmic device occurs in the Sharks' vocal part at bar 130 during the climax?
Answer: Rhythmic augmentation (lengthened note values).