Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue

Featuring

József Balog
George Gershwin
Earl Wild

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Composer Biography

George Gershwin, a self-taught pianist, was employed as a song plugger in his teens and later as a piano coach on Broadway.

Composition History

Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue' was commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman for a concert celebrating President Lincoln's 115th anniversary.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Gershwin aimed to create popular music based on classical foundations, synthesizing European musical idiom with jazz, stating, 'My people are American. My time is today.'

Performer Biography

József Balog, the pianist on this album, is considered an heir to a Hungarian piano tradition established by Franz Liszt, Ernő Dohnányi, and Béla Bartók.

Notable Performances

The premiere of 'Rhapsody in Blue' in 1924 was a huge success, attended by influential musicians like Rachmaninov, Stravinsky, and Heifetz.

Composition History

Gershwin's first published instrumental work, 'Rialto Ripples,' written with Will Donaldson in 1917, featured stride left-hand patterns and ragtime syncopation.

Compositional Technique

The famous clarinet glissando at the beginning of 'Rhapsody in Blue' may have originated from clarinetist Ross Gorman's humorous warm-up improvisation.