Rhapsody in Blue, composed by George Gershwin in 1924, is a piece originally for solo piano and jazz orchestra. It was commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman for his “An Experiment in Modern Music” concert in New York on February 12, 1924. However, it is said that Gershwin completely forgot about being asked to compose the piece. In early January 1924, Gershwin’s brother Ira read in the New York Tribune about Whiteman’s concert, to feature a jazz concerto by George Gershwin. Gershwin set to work right away, with only about five weeks before the premiere.
On a train to Boston, the sounds and rhythms surrounding him inspired the main theme of the piece and its framework. He described that he envisioned the piece as “a sort of musical kaleidoscope of America.” Gershwin completed a score for two pianos, and Whiteman’s arranger, Ferde Grofé, orchestrated the piece, with only a week before the premiere to do so and for the orchestra to rehearse. Much of the solo piano part was not written down. At the premiere, Gershwin played the solo piano and improvised some of the parts, only writing them down after the concert.
The piece begins with the famous two-and-a-half-octave clarinet glissando, first jokingly played as a glide with a wail during rehearsal by the clarinetist in Whiteman’s band. Gershwin liked the sound produced and asked the clarinetist to play it the same way at the performance.
Now, Rhapsody in Blue is known as one of the most important and one of the most performed American concert works of the 20th century.
