Rhapsody In Blue
Rhapsody In Blue
George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue is one of those timeless classics that is instantly recognizable to many people’s ears today, even ninety years after it was first introduced to the world. It is a piece that has found its way into contemporary movies and advertisements, making it likely as recognizable as Chopin’s Funeral March or Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. But unlike these two pieces of iconic classical music, Rhapsody in Blue “resists classification.”1 In it are elements of classical music, blues and jazz, making it at once “Gershwin’s most famous piece” but also “possibly his least understood composition.”2 Indeed, while Rhapsody became a popular hit in the 1920s, the reception from critics was mixed at best – even worse were the many critics who dismissed the piece as dull or cheesy.3
Today though, Rhapsody in Blue is a celebrated work and few American compositions have garnered more academic attention. For a piece that has mystified both musical scholars and average listeners alike, this essay will seek to demystify Gershwin’s signature work by discussing its jazz and classical influences, and by grounding it firmly in the time and space in which it was conceived – showing it was a product that redefined high culture in America.
First of all, it can be argued that Rhapsody in Blue marked a turning point in the path of George Gershwin’s musical career. It came after Al Jolson had recorded the pop-hit Swanee, but before Gershwin’s other crucial works, such as An American in Paris and Porgy and Bess. In George Gershwin: His Life and Work, Howard Pollack describes Gershwin’s rise through the musicals of Tin Pan Alley and Broadway.4 During this time he began to achieve success through pop songs (primarily ragtime and jazz) and musical plays, but Gershwin had not achieved his ideal of “popular serious music.”5 In fact, he was troubled enough by his perceived underachievement that
George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue is one of those timeless classics that is instantly recognizable to many people’s ears today, even ninety years after it was first introduced to the world. It is a piece that has found its way into contemporary movies and advertisements, making it likely as recognizable as Chopin’s Funeral March or Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. But unlike these two pieces of iconic classical music, Rhapsody in Blue “resists classification.”1 In it are elements of classical music, blues and jazz, making it at once “Gershwin’s most famous piece” but also “possibly his least understood composition.”2 Indeed, while Rhapsody became a popular hit in the 1920s, the reception from critics was mixed at best – even worse were the many critics who dismissed the piece as dull or cheesy.3
Today though, Rhapsody in Blue is a celebrated work and few American compositions have garnered more academic attention. For a piece that has mystified both musical scholars and average listeners alike, this essay will seek to demystify Gershwin’s signature work by discussing its jazz and classical influences, and by grounding it firmly in the time and space in which it was conceived – showing it was a product that redefined high culture in America.
First of all, it can be argued that Rhapsody in Blue marked a turning point in the path of George Gershwin’s musical career. It came after Al Jolson had recorded the pop-hit Swanee, but before Gershwin’s other crucial works, such as An American in Paris and Porgy and Bess. In George Gershwin: His Life and Work, Howard Pollack describes Gershwin’s rise through the musicals of Tin Pan Alley and Broadway.4 During this time he began to achieve success through pop songs (primarily ragtime and jazz) and musical plays, but Gershwin had not achieved his ideal of “popular serious music.”5 In fact, he was troubled enough by his perceived underachievement that
Bibliography: Ewen, David. George Gershwin, His Journey to Greatness. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1970. Ford, Carin T Goldberg, Isaac. George Gershwin; a Study in American Music. New York: F. Ungar Pub. 1958. Print. Gilbert, Steven E. The Music of Gershwin. Yale University Press, 1995. Greenberg, Rodney. George Gershwin. London: Phaidon, 1998. Jablonski, Edward. George Gershwin. New York: Putnam, 1962. Oja, Carol J Pollack, Howard. George Gershwin: His Life and Work. Berkeley: University of California, 2006. Rimler, Walter Schiff, David. Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue. Cambridge University Press, 1997 Waters, Edward N