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The Rhapsody in Blue is a composition by the American composer and pianist George Gershwin.

Content[]

[hide]*1 the piece

The piece[Edit][]

Processed In the Rhapsody in Blue Gershwin both elements from the classical music as the jazz. He composed this famous piece for piano and jazz orchestra in late January and early February of 1924. That year was also the work premiered on 12 February at a concert with the theme, An experiment in Modern Musicat Aeolian Hall in New YorkPaul Whiteman conducted the jazz band that was complemented by a strings section and Gershwin played the piano solo. Gershwin was then 25 years old. This version is in shortened form (because of the length, there is a denomination in) also on sound carrier included.

Versions[Edit][]

By Ferde Grofé three times the piece was scored for piano and Orchestra, in 1924, in 1926, and finally in 1942. This latest orchestral concert version is today still the most performed.

The piece also exists in a version for two pianos and pianosolo version, a variety of packages for other ensembles.

Trivia[Edit][]

  • The Rhapsody in Blue is regularly in the Top 2000 of Radio 2 (Netherlands) and goes with it as the oldest listing in the list.
  • According to Isaac Goldberg (this wrote the first biography of Gershwin in 1931) is the piece came into existence when Gershwin five weeks before the premiere on the train to Boston sat and was inspired by the sounds of the train, and the steel rails.
  • The famous clarinet-introduction with the glissando was a joke by the clarinettist from the jazz band at the premiere. Gershwin liked this so much that he maintained the glissando in the score.
  • Jazz by the Rhapsody in blue was brought from the streets to the concert hall.
  • The Rhapsody in blue is used in the Disney animated film Fantasia 2000, a piece of the busy life in a metropolis.
  • Gershwin composed in 1931 a Second Rhapsody For Orchestra, also known as Rhapsody in Rivets, an approximately 14-minute work. This was much less known. It also plays the piano a prominent solo role.

Top 2000[Edit][]

Number with listing (s)

in the Radio 2 Top 2000

' 99 ' 00 ' 01 ' 02 ' 03 ' 04 ' 05 ' 06 ' 07 ' 08 ' 09 ' 10 ' 11 ' 12 ' 13
Rhapsody in blue 599 1042 1667 - - 1997 1868 - - - - - - - -
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