Ennio Flaiano’s aphorism suggests that even masterpieces have a limited lifespan. However, George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” has proven to be an exception. Premiered on 12 February 1924 at the Aeolian Hall in New York, this masterpiece was born by chance and has persisted for over a century. Gershwin found out from newspapers in January that his symphonic jazz composition was to be performed, a fact revealed by Paul Whiteman, prompting Gershwin to expand his musical scope. Though the song did not exist at the time, Gershwin couldn’t risk losing face in front of the large audience.
The 26-year-old Gershwin quickly composed a version for two pianos, passing the fresh ink-covered sheets to Whiteman’s arranger, Ferde Grofé, who orchestrated the second part for big band piano per Gershwin’s instructions. The symphony orchestra version we’re familiar with today was created posthumously in 1942. Gershwin was largely self-taught and had a passion for popular music with a strong jazz influence. The first successful theme was supposedly inspired by the noise of train wheels at track junction points. The original title of “American Rhapsody” was changed to “Rhapsody in Blue” by Gershwin’s brother Ira. Without time to write the virtuosic finale, Gershwin marked the number of bars of pause for the orchestra and filled the rest live on the piano. Notable audience members included Igor Stravinsky, Sergej Rachmaninov, Fritz Kreisler, and Leopold Stokowski.
The piece was a tremendous success, breaking America’s cultural subservience to Europe and overcoming its inferiority complex. Woody Allen’s film “Manhattan” (1979) owes much of its evocative power to Gershwin’s Rhapsody, which has been echoed in numerous versions over the past century. The initial clarinet glissando, a stroke of genius from Gershwin, was thought to be impossible until Ross Gorman developed a unique technique to achieve it. This virtuoso feat, feared by all soloists, became a beautiful and unrepeatable musical effect.
Gershwin intended “Rhapsody in Blue” to encapsulate the spirit of America during the Roaring Twenties, a melting pot of native and imported cultures and narratives. George was a living embodiment of the American dream; he was Jewish, the son of modest Russian immigrants, and had a deep appreciation for the music of former African slaves. Leonard Bernstein described the Rhapsody as a series of ephemeral pages that could be rearranged without losing their freshness and allure. Gershwin’s approach to his “cultured” work was simple; rhythm, slower, more rhythm. The result is a piece of music that is captivating, engaging and utterly intriguing.
Interestingly, it is said that the Nazi hierarchs in the Third Reich, where Jewish, black and contemporary music was deemed “degenerate art” and forbidden, secretly kept copies of the banned Rhapsody in Blue under their Richard Wagner records. Gershwin composed another Rhapsody in 1931, this time inspired by the hustle of Manhattan and the rise of the skyscrapers. Despite being more thoughtful and precise, this piece, initially named “Rhapsody in Rivets” and later “Second Rhapsody”, did not achieve the same success as the 1924 Rhapsody. The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics opening ceremony is remembered for its Hollywood-style performance of “Rhapsody in Blue” featuring 84 pianists, a patriotic tribute to Gershwin’s timeless masterpiece.
