Somewhere there is a CVP for you

[dbjorck]

Hi!

This week I've recorded the beautiful song "Somewhere" from West Side Story. It is not the hauntingly beautiful but shortened versions by Barbra Streisand and others though, it is the complete original, as written.

The full sequence is called the Ballet Sequence, or the Nightmare scene. This is because it includes the description of the situation that makes the girl long for "Somewhere" (which is totally absent in the Barbra Streisand version). So it is very full of contrasts, between fights and nightmarish scenes, and the yearning longing for getting out of there. The make up of it is:
1. Under Dialogue - "Killer, killer, killer!" (Maria accuses Tony of killing her brother)
2. Ballet Sequence - "I'll take you away, take you far, far away out of here" (Tony plants the idea of getting away from the impossible situation)
3. Transition to Scherzo
4. Scherzo (a dance show off between the two gangs)
5. Ballet Sequence continued - "Somewhere" (Maria dreams of escape)
6. Procession and Nightmare (reality sets in and the gangs fight, ends with Maria's longing to get away again)

When I first heard it, I thought it a collection of very disparate melodies that were unconnected. But now however, I realize that the same two tone theme of "Somehow, someday, somewhere" is repeated throughout, but in wildly contrasting ways so you don't even recognise them. It is even in the beginning. Just keep thinking "Somewhere", and you'll hear all the places it is repeated outside of the actual song. (I keep having to sing "Chicago" every time I hear the actual Nightmare bit towards the end though - is anyone else hearing that?)

The biggest difficulty in recording was the time signatures. He keeps changing them in illogical ways. From 3/4 to 9/8 every other bar for instance. That is just posing, which was popular in the beginning of the 20th century. It really doesn't make much difference, but it does make it much more difficult for conductors and performers. Also, for some reason I had to do a lot more post-processing than usual. I spent basically 4 days on post processing, whereas only an afternoon on Star Wars. I don't quite know why. It may have to do with the scoring.

Note; the 'Somewhere' bit is of course not as gorgeous as Barbra Streisand's own version and arrangement. It is practically impossible to approach such a voice on a keyboard.

Somewhere - MP3

The attached MIDI is not to be played on anything other than a CVP as it uses voices only available on a CVP.

Brgds

Danny

[ericho]

my complements an another great achievement, beautiful

[Carlo]

Hi!

I'm not too familiar neither with Bernstein's opera nor with Barbra Streisand's version, but you do very well in rendering the contrast between the dramatic, syncopated sections and the heavenly melodic sections.

Lennie would have approved!

Best regards,

[dbjorck]

Hi!

Originally Posted by Carlo

I'm not too familiar neither with Bernstein's opera nor with Barbra Streisand's version

Here's Streisand: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emuVLVylBiA
In the related pane you can find all the millions other versions...

Brgds

Danny