Rhapsody in Blue
- Jesus Maria Sanroma with Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra for RCA Victor in July 1935 in Boston's Symphony Hall (the first complete recording), RCA Victor DM358.
- Leonard Bernstein (pianist & conductor) and the "Columbia Symphony Orchestra" (which is actually New York Philharmonic Orchestra as CBS had to use the alias due to contractual requirements)[27] in 1959 (slightly cut from the original). He later re-recorded the work in 1982 for Deutsche Grammophon with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
- Earl Wild (pianist), Arthur Fiedler (conductor) and the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1960.
- André Previn made two recordings of the work, one with the London Symphony Orchestra for EMI in 1973, and another with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for Philips, both as pianist and conductor.
- Michael Tilson Thomas (conductor), George Gershwin (pianist via Duo-Art piano roll), and the Columbia Jazz Band in 1976 (premiere recording of original 1924 orchestration), Columbia M34205.
- Gary Graffman (pianist), Zubin Mehta (conductor) and the New York Philharmonic, in 1979, for the Woody Allen movie Manhattan. The recording, on Columbia Masterworks Records, remains one of the most popular versions, often used on film and TV projects.
- The French piano duo Katia and Marielle Labèque recorded a four-hand piano arrangement of the work for Philips Classics Records in 1980.
- Dutch vaudeville jazz band "Willem Breuker Kollektief" (with Vera Beths string quartet) recorded a lively version of the original 1924 version in 1982.[28]
- Michael Tilson Thomas (pianist and conductor) and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, in 1985. This is the recording that, after being issued on compact disc, caused the jazz band version to become popular.
- Conductor Mitch Miller and pianist David Golub made a well-received[29] 1987 recording of Gershwin compositions (including Rhapsody in Blue) that relied in part on notes taken by Miller in conversations with Gershwin.[30]
- George Gershwin plays a piano roll version on the album Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls released in 1993. The original Gershwin-recorded roll was converted into a format readable by a Yamaha Disklavier grand piano, which was then placed in a concert hall for the album recording.
- James Levine (pianist & conductor) and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra play the jazz band version on this 1993 Deutsche Grammophon recording.
- Jazz pianist Marcus Roberts recorded a 28-minute, jazz-oriented version with Robert Sabin (conductor) and members of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and St. Luke's Orchestra on the album Portraits in Blue, released by Sony Classical in 1996. The album received 4.5 stars (out of 5) from Down Beat Magazine and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
- Ralph Grierson (pianist), Bruce Broughton, and the Philharmonia Orchestra in 1999 for the Disney musical montage film Fantasia 2000.
- There has been an arrangement for 5 pianos recorded by The 5 Browns for their 2006 album No Boundaries.
- Jon Nakamatsu (pianist) with Jeff Tyzik (conductor) and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (Rochester, NY); in August 2007, the CD was #3 on Billboard.
- Oscar Levant (pianist), Eugene Ormandy (conductor) and the Philadelphia Orchestra (abridged)
- Garrick Ohlsson (pianist), Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony.
- Episode 5 of Nodame Cantabile has a unique composition of this piece, and is the closing theme music for the series; performed (assisted?) by Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
Jazz-funk meister (Eumir) Deodato recorded the piece in 1973 on the CTI label. The recording narrowly missed the national Top 40.
[
Rhapsody in Blue in popular culture
Although Gershwin himself spoke of the rhapsody as "a musical kaleidoscope of America", Rhapsody in Blue has often been interpreted as a musical portrait of New York City; it is used to this effect in Woody Allen's film Manhattan, Gremlins 2 The New Batch, the Disney film Fantasia 2000,[31] and the a cappella version of Rhapsody in Blue recorded in 1991, Rhapsody of New York, by the female barbershop quartet "Ambiance".[32]
Rhapsody in Blue has been used by US-based air carrier United Airlines in their advertisements since the mid 1980s[33]. In more recent advertisements, the instruments used reflect the theme, including a version played by traditionally Asian instruments in conjunction with publicizing the carrier's major presence in trans-Pacific travel.
Rhapsody in Blue was played simultaneously by eighty-four pianists at the opening ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.[34]
The piece was performed by Herbie Hancock and Lang Lang (pianist) at the 50th Grammy Awards on February 10, 2008.
[
Notes
- ^ Schiff back cover
- ^ a b Schiff p. 53
- ^ a b Wood p. 81
- ^ Jablonski, Edward (1999) "Glorious George," Cigar Aficionado Jan/Feb 1999 [1]
- ^ Greenberg pp. 64-65
- ^ Cowen, Ron (1998), "George Gershwin: He Got Rhythm" The Washington Post Online: [2] (Quotation re inspiration on the train)
- ^ Howard, Orrin, "Rhapsody in Blue" (program notes for Los Angeles Philarmonic) [3]
- ^ Schiff p. 13
- ^ Greenberg p. 69
- ^ Downes
- ^ Schiff pp. 55-61
- ^ Greenberg pp. 72-73
- ^ a b Schwarz, Frederick D. (1999). Time Machine: 1924 Seventy-five Years Ago: Gershwin’s Rhapsody. American Heritage 50(1), February/March 1999. Retrieved Feb 17 2007.
- ^ Downes
- ^ Slonimsky, Nicolas (2000). Lexicon of Musical Invective. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-32009-X. Gilman's unfavorable review, "weep over the lifelessness".
- ^ a b Greenberg pp. 74-75
- ^ a b c Schneider, Wayne, ed. (1999). The Gershwin Style. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-509020-9
- ^ Greenberg p. 70
- ^ a b c Schiff, David (1997). Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue. Cambridge University Press.
- ^ Greenberg p. 66
- ^ Greenberg p. 76
- ^ a b Schiff p. 5-6
- ^ Gershwin, George; & Grofé, Ferde (1924, 1942). George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue miniature orchestra score. Warner Brothers.
- ^ Greenberg pp. 75-76
- ^ Schiff p. 64
- ^ Schiff pp. 67-68
- ^ Greenberg p. 74
- ^ Willem Breuker Kollektief Discography
- ^ "Gershwin: His Music Is In Vogue", N.Y.Times. Retrieved on 2008-02-15.
- ^ Miller, Mitch. Liner notes from "Gershwin: An American in Paris [...]" CD, Mitch Miller Music MMM14610, 1994.
- ^ Solomon, Charles (1999): Rhapsody in Blue: Fantasia 2000's Jewel in the Crown
- ^ Ambiance Quartet website, describes the arrangement as "a virtual vocal orchestration of relentless intensity and chutzpah". Retrieved Feb 16 2007.
- ^ {http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/02pdf/01-618.pdf
- ^ Schiff p. 1
[
References
- Downes, Olin (1924). "A Concert of Jazz". The New York Times, February 13, 1924: p. 16.
- Greenberg, Rodney (1998). George Gershwin. Phaidon Press. ISBN 0-7148-3504-8.
- Schiff, David (1997). Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-55077-7.
- Wood, Ean (1996). George Gershwin: His Life and Music. Sanctuary Publishing. ISBN 1-86074-174-6.
[
External links
- Rhapsody in Blue with orchestra performed by Richard Alston on YouTube
- Solo piano version of Rhapsody in Blue performed by Richard Glazier on YouTube
- 5 part piano quintet version of Rhapsody in Blue performed by The Five Browns on YouTube
- Part 1 of the original acoustic recording of Rhapsody in Blue performed by George Gershwin and Paul Whiteman, in 1924 on Internet Archive
- Part 2 of the original acoustic recording of Rhapsody in Blue performed by George Gershwin and Paul Whiteman, in 1924 on Internet Archive
- Rhapsody in Blue Part 1 performed by Earl Wild on piano, orchestrated by Ferde Grofe on You Tube
- Rhapsody in Blue Part 2 performed by Earl Wild on piano, orchestrated by Ferde Grofe on You Tube
For more information review our copyright contact and privacy policy.