It existed only in the composer’s mind, and at the first performance Gershwin played it from memory. Robert Alda stars alongside musical greats Al Jolson, Paul Whiteman, and Oscar Levant in this lavish fictionalized biography of composer George Gershwin. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The composer later claimed. Corrections? Let us know. Updates? When Ira asked his brother about the new piece, George expressed astonishment. With an extensive running time of two hours and 19 minutes, the film had plenty of room for Gershwin's music, which was a good thing, since Howard Koch and Elliot Paul's screenplay was as clichéd as it was factually inaccurate. Even the song from the movie soundtrack (by Starlight Orchestra) is not the same as the one in this scene. Betsy Schwarm is a music historian based in Colorado. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rhapsody-in-Blue-by-Gershwin, AllMusic - Rhapsody in Blue, for piano & orchestra. I know the movie is a fictionalized version of his life, but I like the movie anyway. Copyright © 2020 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. By the time I reached Boston I had the definite plot of the piece. Gershwin's first big hit is "Swanee," introduced on Broadway by Al Jolson. This contribution has not yet been formally edited by Britannica. In collaboration with his lyricist brother, Ira, George pens hit after hit in show after show. Anyone know any? Because he needed to travel to Boston for the opening of his newest musical, the main theme of Rhapsody in Blue was actually written on the train from New York. As his fame and workload grows, George finds he has no time at all for romance; the two ladies in his life both eventually realize that they'll always have to play second fiddle to Gershwin's muse. The piece was arranged by Ferde Grofé. I'm sure that the song has been in many other films, as it's one of the most well known songs of all time- however I can't seem to think of any other movies I've seen it in. …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. In 1945, only eight years after the premature death of composer George Gershwin, Warner Bros. Pictures undertook the screen biography Rhapsody in Blue, named after his most famous classical work. Gershwin responds with "Rhapsody in Blue," which debuts at Aeolian Hall in 1924 under the baton of bandleader Paul Whiteman. Rhapsody in Blue is a 1924 musical composition by the American composer George Gershwin for solo piano and jazz band, which synthesizes elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects.The work is regarded as a key composition which defined the historical period known as the Jazz Age. As his fame and workload grows, George finds he has no time at all for romance; the two ladies in his life both eventually realize that they'll always have to play second fiddle to Gershwin's muse. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Despite such distractions, there are several excellent performances here, including Jolson's energetic rendering of "Swanee" (albeit in his lower 1940s voice) and a nearly complete version of "Rhapsody in Blue" with Ray Turner playing the piano for actor Robert Alda, who portrayed Gershwin. Gershwin responds with "Rhapsody in Blue," which debuts at Aeolian Hall in 1924 under the baton of bandleader Paul Whiteman. Interested in participating in the Publishing Partner Program? Omissions? A more legitimate soundtrack album no doubt would be better constructed, but this one demonstrates that, whatever the film's shortcomings as a work of biography, it successfully presented some of Gershwin's best music. Thanks to their team effort, the band’s parts were ready in time, but the solo piano part was not yet on paper. Articles such as this one were acquired and published with the primary aim of expanding the information on Britannica.com with greater speed and efficiency than has traditionally been possible. That means there's dialogue spoken over the music in places, some of which will sound odd to anyone who hasn't seen the movie. Gershwin had only five weeks left before the premiere. Rhapsody in Blue, musical composition by George Gershwin, known for its integration of jazz rhythms with classical music, that premiered on February 12, 1924, as part of bandleader Paul Whiteman’s “An Experiment in Modern Music” concert at New York’s Aeolian Concert Hall. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Legend has it that Gershwin completely forgot that Whiteman had commissioned a work from him for the upcoming concert in New York. By far the best thing about the picture was its music, and, with the 50-year limit on copyrights in Europe, the Great Movie Themes label of Promo Sound AG has issued its version of a soundtrack album, taking audio directly from the film.

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