It was featured as a segment in Fantasia 2000, having initially been developed as a standalone short. [58] This original 1924 version—with its unique instrumental requirements—was largely ignored until its revival in reconstructions beginning in the mid-1980s, owing to the popularity and serviceability of the later scorings. The clearest influence of jazz is the use of blue notes, and the exploration of their half-step relationship plays a key role in the rhapsody. She says that she's taken a job at Stanford in the medical research program. Consequently, the Rhapsody "may be looked upon as a fantasia, with no strict fidelity to form. "[34], The rhapsody was then performed by Whiteman's orchestra consisting of "twenty-three musicians in the ensemble" with George Gershwin on piano. Years after its premiere, Rhapsody in Blue continued to divide music critics principally due to its perceived melodic incoherence. Despite not yet having written down much of the piano part, Gershwin scored a triumphant success with the work which today is hailed as a landmark in American music. "[6] The American Heritage magazine notes that the famous opening clarinet glissando has become as instantly recognizable to concert audiences as Beethoven's Fifth. [56] Grofé's original orchestration was developed for solo piano and Whiteman's band which consisted of: three woodwind players doubling one oboe, one heckelphone, one clarinet, one sopranino saxophone in E♭, two soprano saxophones in B♭, two alto saxophones in E♭, one tenor saxophone in B♭, one baritone saxophone in E♭; two trumpets in B♭, two French horns in F, two trombones, and one tuba (doubling on double bass). "[102], Likewise, music historian Vince Giordano has opined that "the syncopation, the blue notes, the ragtime and jazz rhythms that Gershwin wrote in 1924 was really a feeling of New York City in that amazing era. But Whiteman twisted Gershwin's arm that all he had to do was supply a piano score. [57] Its percussion section included a drum set, timpani, and a glockenspiel; one piano; one tenor banjo; and violins. The composition was commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman. It's simply fantastic, I highly recommend it. The entire middle section resides primarily in C major, with forays into G major (the dominant relation). During World War II, a recording by pianist Oscar Levant with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy was made on August 21, 1945. It is scored for solo piano and an orchestra consisting of two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets in B♭ and A, one bass clarinet, two bassoons, two alto saxophones in E♭, one tenor saxophone in B♭; three French horns in F, three trumpets in B♭, three trombones, one tuba; a percussion section that includes timpani, one suspended cymbal, one snare drum, one bass drum, one tam-tam, one triangle, one glockenspiel, and cymbals; one tenor banjo; and strings. You can make cuts within a section, or add new cadenzas, or play it with any combination of instruments or on the piano alone; it can be a five-minute piece or a six-minute piece or a twelve-minute piece. "[102], Accordingly, the composition was used in this context in a New York segment for the 1999 Walt Disney Pictures animated film Fantasia 2000, in which the piece is used as the lyrical framing for a stylized animation set drawn in the style of famed illustrator Al Hirschfeld. Other reviewers were more positive. "[54], Grofé's familiarity with the Whiteman band's strengths was a key factor in his 1924 scoring. It is true that an appreciable part of the scoring had been indicated by Gershwin; nevertheless, the contribution of Grofé was of prime importance, not only to the composition, but to the jazz scoring of the immediate future. The title would reflect the European and American influences. [99], Rhapsody in Blue has been also interpreted as a musical portrait of early 20th-century New York City. Also premiered in Aeolian Hall in November of 1924, Still’s attempt to speak in both symphonic and jazz languages was received more coldly than Gershwin’s. [1][12], Gershwin was puzzled by the news announcement as he had politely declined to compose any such work for Whiteman. 22 to the fourth bar of rh. [73][74] Whiteman re-recorded the piece for Decca on a 12-inch 78 rpm disc (29051) on October 23, 1938. One opinionated music critic, Lawrence Gilman—a Richard Wagner enthusiast who would later write a devastating review of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess—harshly criticized the rhapsody as "derivative," "stale," and "inexpressive" in New-York Tribune review on February 13, 1924.[47][45]. I love "Rhapsody in Blue" dearly, and this is the best version of it! Bandleader Paul Whiteman gave away many free tickets to promote the concert and, consequently, lost money. [14] In a telephone conversation with Whiteman the next morning, Gershwin was informed that Whiteman's arch rival Vincent Lopez was planning to steal the idea of his experimental concert and there was no time to lose. "[40] The concert itself would become historically significant due to the premiere of the rhapsody, and its program would "become not only a historic document, finding its way into foreign monographs on jazz, but a rarity as well. [61], The later 1942 arrangement by Grofé was for a full symphony orchestra. [32] Some audience members were departing for the exits by the time Gershwin made his inconspicuous entrance for the rhapsody. It is without doubt the most famous classical work of its time, and a serious concert work containing elements of popular music from the 1920s. Rhapsody in Blue (Gershwin, George) Any of the orchestrations by Ferde Grofé (d.1972) cannot be uploaded here as they are all under copyright worldwide Movements/Sections Mov'ts/Sec's "[81], The opening of Rhapsody in Blue is written as a clarinet trill followed by a legato, 17 notes in a diatonic scale. The composition was commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman. 0:42. [76] This recording, labelled Columbia Masterworks 251, became one of the best-selling record albums of that year. You can cut out parts of it without affecting the whole in any way except to make it shorter. When wide … [99] Accordingly, Rhapsody in Blue was used as a dramatic leitmotif for the character of Jay Gatsby in the 2013 film The Great Gatsby, a cinematic adaptation of Fitzgerald's 1925 novel. [7], Following the success of an experimental classical-jazz concert held with Canadian singer Éva Gauthier in New York City on November 1, 1923, bandleader Paul Whiteman decided to attempt a more ambitious feat. [86] All of these themes rely on the blues scale,[87] which includes lowered sevenths and a mixture of major and minor thirds. [37], Upon the conclusion of the rhapsody, there was "tumultuous applause for Gershwin's composition,"[3][38] and, quite unexpectedly, "the concert, in every respect but the financial,[a] was a 'knockout'. [64] The solo version is notable for omitting several sections of the piece. Its gorgeous vitality of rhythm and of instrumental color is impaired by melodic and harmonic anemia of the most pernicious kind.... [I] recall the most ambitious piece [of Whiteman's concert], the. A disco arrangement was recorded by French pianist Richard Clayderman in 1978 and is one of his signature pieces. In spite of all this, he has expressed himself in a significant and, on the whole, highly original form.... His first theme... is no mere dance-tune... it is an idea, or several ideas, correlated and combined in varying and contrasting rhythms that immediately intrigue the listener. "[102] Pianist Lang Lang echoes this sentiment: "When I hear Rhapsody in Blue, I see the Empire State Building somehow. Many of the early numbers in the program reportedly underwhelmed the audience, and the ventilation system in the concert hall malfunctioned. In Her New Documentary, Demi Lovato Says Being a Mental Health Advocate Almost Killed Her. Anthony Burger. Promoted by [11], Soon after, on the evening of January 3, George Gershwin and lyricist Buddy De Sylva were playing billiards at the Ambassador Billiard Parlor at Broadway and 52nd Street in Manhattan. Crichton's upset and slides the engagement ring under the bed, clearly a bit upset. [10] However, Gershwin initially declined Whiteman's request on the grounds that—as there would likely be a need for revisions to the score—he would have insufficient time to compose the work. [5] The editors of the Cambridge Music Handbooks have posited that "the Rhapsody in Blue (1924) established Gershwin's reputation as a serious composer and has since become one of the most popular of all American concert works. 6 Favorites . The single reached Billboard peak positions number 41 Pop, number 10 Easy Listening. [ 103 ] it was American Rhapsody single reached Billboard peak positions number 41 Pop, 10! Nuit of the piece, as a jazz concerto, Rhapsody in took. 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