Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) was an erudite, passionate musician whose exceptional talents and expressive gifts earned him a special place in the hearts of New Yorkers. His rose to instant national fame in 1943, at age 25, when he filled in for the suddenly ill Bruno Walter as conductor of a nationally televised New York Philharmonic performance. He went on to become the Philharmonic’s music director until 1969, and remained a frequent guest conductor there until his death. With the Philharmonic, he presented a series of 53 educational Young People’s Concerts which were broadcast on CBS, making him a familiar face around the nation. He also composed music, crossing from academic classical music into Broadway musicals, including West Side Story, On the Town, and Candide.
“Gee, Officer Krupke” is a moment of comedic relief in West Side Story. In the original musical, it comes after the climactic rumble in which the heads of both the Jets and the Sharks are killed (the 1961 film softens its impact somewhat by putting it before the rumble). The Jets, looking to blow off steam, pantomime a complaint to their “favorite” policeman, Officer Krupke, of the social forces that have driven them to delinquency. Paul Murtha’s 2015 arrangement for mature band perfectly captures the salient features of the song:
The 1961 film version: