ABSTRACT
Of Leonard Bernstein's works for musical theatre, West Side Story has been the main focus of scholarly writing, predominantly as a result of the perceived symphonic nature of the composition, and the integral part the dances play in the action. Candide and Cunegonde's quest for happiness is paralleled by Tony and Maria's search for a better world, although West Side Story presented a more relevant vision for the 1950s audiences. In West Side Story, the whole show is linked by the tritone motif and its various transformations, and also by rhythmic devices. The amount and nature of the dance music in West Side Story is significant, and is a clear result of Jerome Robbins's part in the creation of the show. The motivic unity of West Side Story has been discussed by many Bernstein scholars and critics, particularly in the extensive analyses by Block and Swain.
