Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue, Strike Up the Band Overture, Promenade & Catfish Row

Featuring

JoAnn Falletta
Orion Weiss
John Fullam
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
George Gershwin

Did you know?

1/7

Composer Biography

George Gershwin, a song-plugger from Brooklyn, was known for his signature style blending alluring tunes with blues and ragtime influences.

Notable Performances

The premiere of Rhapsody in Blue with Gershwin at the piano was attended by an array of famous musicians, including Sergey Rachmaninov, Igor Stravinsky, and Jascha Heifetz.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Gershwin conceived Rhapsody in Blue as a "musical kaleidoscope of America," reflecting its melting pot, national energy, blues, and metropolitan madness.

Composer Biography

George Gershwin was friends with Arnold Schönberg, sharing activities like tennis and painting, and even painted a portrait of Schönberg.

Composition History

Gershwin initially demurred from writing Rhapsody in Blue due to his focus on his musical Sweet Little Devil, and American composer Ferde Grofé was brought in to orchestrate it.

Critical Reception

Early critics were uneasy about Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess, with some high-brow critics resisting its "too catchy" tunes and "sassy/jazzy settings."