Work of the Week - George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue

George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue uniquely describes the American spirit of the 1920s. Gershwin was one of the first composers who combined Jazz and classical music. The Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria tours Germany with this masterpiece for piano and orchestra. The Eurogress in Aachen will be the first stop on Monday, February 6th. Conducted by Pedro Halffter, “Rhapsody” will feature pianist and Schott composer Fazil Say as the soloist.

Rhapsody in Blue has earned worldwide renown since its world premiere in 1924, when Gershwin himself sat at the piano and impressed the audience with his innovative work. The conductor Paul Whiteman, who led this premiere, called the first performance of it an “Experiment in Modern Music.” The piece shows both melodic and rhythmic inventiveness, as well as a perfect handling of all technical parameters. This “Symphonic Jazz” diverges from the usual formal patterns and was exceptional in its time.

Gershwin himself commented, I heard it as a sort of musical kaleidoscope of America, of our vast melting pot, of our unduplicated national pep, of our metropolitan madness.

On February 7th 2012, Rhapsody in Blue can be heard at the Tonhalle in Düsseldorf. Until February 16th, 2012, the Orquesta Filharmónica’s subsequent stops are Köln, Braunschweig, Osnabrück, Hamburg, München, Regensburg and Wiesbaden.

• George Gershwin - Profile
• Fazil Say - Profile
• Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria