<i>Rhapsody in Blue</i>

Rhapsody in Blue

<p><i><b>Rhapsody in Blue</b></i> is a 1924 musical composition written by <a href="/en/George_Gershwin" title="George Gershwin" class="wl">George Gershwin</a> for solo piano and jazz band, which combines elements of <a href="/en/Classical_music" title="Classical music" class="wl">classical music</a> with <a href="/en/Jazz" title="Jazz" class="wl">jazz</a>-influenced effects. Commissioned by bandleader <a href="/en/Paul_Whiteman" title="Paul Whiteman" class="wl">Paul Whiteman</a>, the work premiered in a concert titled "An Experiment in Modern Music" on February 12, 1924, in <a href="/en/Aeolian_Hall_(Manhattan)" title="Aeolian Hall (Manhattan)" class="mw-redirect wl">Aeolian Hall</a>, New York City.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchiff199753_2-0"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESchiff199753-2" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 2;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[2]</span></a></span><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTECowen1998_3-0"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTECowen1998-3" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 3;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[3]</span></a></span> Whiteman's band performed the rhapsody with Gershwin playing the piano.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDownes192416_4-0"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDownes192416-4" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 4;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[4]</span></a></span> Whiteman's arranger <a href="/en/Ferde_Grofé" title="Ferde Grofé" class="wl">Ferde Grofé</a> <a href="/en/Orchestrated" title="Orchestrated" class="mw-redirect wl">orchestrated</a> the rhapsody several times including the 1924 original scoring, the 1926 <a href="/en/Pit_orchestra" title="Pit orchestra" class="wl">pit orchestra</a> scoring, and the 1942 <a href="/en/Symphony_orchestra" title="Symphony orchestra" class="mw-redirect wl">symphonic</a> scoring.</p>

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">1924 composition by George Gershwin</div>
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<style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles mw:Transclusion">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-header,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-subheader,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-above,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-title,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-image,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-below{text-align:center}</style><div class='mobile-collapse'><header class="mobile-collapse-header mobile-collapse-btn"><b>Quick facts: Rhapsody in Blue, Genre, Form, Composed, Publ...</b> <span class='arrow'>▼</span></header> <table class="infobox vevent haudio mobile-collapse-element"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above summary album"><i>Rhapsody in Blue</i></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-subheader" style="font-weight:bold;">by <a href="/en/George_Gershwin" title="George Gershwin" class="wl">George Gershwin</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span class="mw-default-size"><a href="/en/File:Rhapsody_in_Blue_cover.jpg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Rhapsody_in_Blue_cover.jpg"><img loading="lazy"alt="An image depicting the original sheet cover for Rhapsody in Blue" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Rhapsody_in_Blue_cover.jpg/220px-Rhapsody_in_Blue_cover.jpg" decoding="async" data-file-width="591" data-file-height="773" data-file-type="bitmap" height="288" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Rhapsody_in_Blue_cover.jpg/330px-Rhapsody_in_Blue_cover.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Rhapsody_in_Blue_cover.jpg/440px-Rhapsody_in_Blue_cover.jpg 2x"></a></span><div class="infobox-caption">Cover of the original sheet music of <i>Rhapsody in Blue</i></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Genre</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Orchestral_jazz" title="Orchestral jazz" class="wl">Orchestral jazz</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Form</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Rhapsody_(music)" title="Rhapsody (music)" class="wl">Rhapsody</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Composed</th><td class="infobox-data">January<span>&nbsp;</span>1924<span style="display:none"><span>&nbsp;</span>(<span class="bday dtstart published updated">1924-01</span>)</span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Published</th><td class="infobox-data">June<span>&nbsp;</span>12,<span>&nbsp;</span>1924<span style="display:none"><span>&nbsp;</span>(<span class="bday dtstart published updated">1924-06-12</span>)</span> Harms, Inc.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTE1924_Copyright_Filing_1-0"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTE1924_Copyright_Filing-1" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 1;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[1]</span></a></span></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header notheme" style="background-color: #eee;">Premiere</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Date</th><td class="infobox-data">February<span>&nbsp;</span>12,<span>&nbsp;</span>1924<span style="display:none"><span>&nbsp;</span>(<span class="bday dtstart published updated">1924-02-12</span>)</span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Location</th><td class="infobox-data location"><a href="/en/Aeolian_Hall_(Manhattan)" title="Aeolian Hall (Manhattan)" class="mw-redirect wl">Aeolian Hall</a>, New York City, US</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Conductor</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Paul_Whiteman" title="Paul Whiteman" class="wl">Paul Whiteman</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Performers</th><td class="infobox-data">
<ul><li><a href="/en/George_Gershwin" title="George Gershwin" class="wl">George Gershwin</a> (piano)</li>
<li><a href="/en/Ross_Gorman" title="Ross Gorman" class="wl">Ross Gorman</a> (clarinet)</li>
<li><a href="/en/Ferde_Grofé" title="Ferde Grofé" class="wl">Ferde Grofé</a> (orchestrator)</li></ul>
</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header notheme" style="background:  #E6E8FA">Recordings</th></tr><tr class="haudio"><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="padding-top:1em"><div style="display:inline-block;"><figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-center mw-default-audio-height"><span><div class='audio-player' title='US Marine Band Rhapsody in Blue'><audio controls="" preload="none" height="32" width="220" resource="./File:US_Marine_Band_Rhapsody_in_Blue.oga"><source src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/US_Marine_Band_Rhapsody_in_Blue.oga" type="audio/ogg; codecs=&quot;vorbis&quot;" data-title="Original Ogg file (385 kbps)" data-shorttitle="Ogg source"></audio></div></span><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div><div class="description">The <a href="/en/United_States_Marine_Band" title="United States Marine Band" class="wl">United States Marine Band</a>'s 2018 performance of the 1924 jazz band version, with pianist <a href="/en/Bramwell_Tovey" title="Bramwell Tovey" class="wl">Bramwell Tovey</a></div><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/en/File:US_Marine_Band_Rhapsody_in_Blue.oga" title="File:US Marine Band Rhapsody in Blue.oga" class="wl">file</a></li><li><a href="/en/Help:Media" title="Help:Media" class="wl">help</a></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr style="display:none"><td colspan="2">
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<p>The rhapsody is one of Gershwin's most recognizable creations and a key composition that defined the <a href="/en/Jazz_Age" title="Jazz Age" class="wl">Jazz Age</a>.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTECiment2015265_5-0"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTECiment2015265-5" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 5;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[5]</span></a></span><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGilbert199571_6-0"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGilbert199571-6" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 6;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[6]</span></a></span><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHoward2003_7-0"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHoward2003-7" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 7;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[7]</span></a></span> Gershwin's piece inaugurated a new era in America's musical history,<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGoldberg1958154_8-0"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGoldberg1958154-8" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 8;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[8]</span></a></span> established Gershwin's reputation as an eminent composer, and eventually became one of the most popular of all concert works.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchiff1997Book_jacket_9-0"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESchiff1997Book_jacket-9" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 9;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[9]</span></a></span> In the <i><a href="/en/American_Heritage_(magazine)" title="American Heritage (magazine)" class="wl">American Heritage</a></i> magazine, Frederic D. Schwarz posits that the famous opening clarinet <a href="/en/Glissando" title="Glissando" class="wl">glissando</a> has become as instantly recognizable to concert audiences as the opening of <a href="/en/Ludwig_van_Beethoven" title="Ludwig van Beethoven" class="wl">Beethoven</a>'s <a href="/en/Symphony_No._5_(Beethoven)" title="Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)" class="wl">Fifth Symphony</a>.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESchwarz1999_10-0"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESchwarz1999-10" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 10;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[10]</span></a></span></p>



Rhapsody in Blue is a 1924 musical composition written by George Gershwin for solo piano and jazz band, which combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects. Commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman, the work premiered in a concert titled "An Experiment in Modern Music" on February 12, 1924, in Aeolian Hall, New York City. Whiteman's arranger Ferde Grofé orchestrated the rhapsody several times including the 1924 original scoring, the 1926 pit orchestra scoring, and the 1942 symphonic scoring. The rhapsody is one of Gershwin's most recognizable creations and a key composition that defined the Jazz Age. 