Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    There is a thorough discussion of Gershwin discography in the latest
    issue of the Atlantic (May?).  --Dan

The CBS Tilson-Thomas/LA Philharmonic Rhapsody in Blue disc is SPECTACULAR.
It also has some previously unpublished Gershwin compositions that are pretty 
good.

    Uh -- the Rhapsody is a piano *concerto* -- piano and symphony.
    I don't think that it was ever a solo piano piece.  The original
    version (which is the one recorded by Tilson-Thomas) was for
    piano and jazz orchestra.  I believe that the orchestration
    for that version was done by Paul Whiteman, rather than by
    Gershwin himself.  Another interesting point about the Tilson-Thomas
    recording is that the pianist is the ghost of Gershwin himself --
    Gershwin made a piano roll of the Rhapsody, which (with the
    accompaniment removed) was used for the piano player.
    
    		George

    A few words about this famous Rhapsody.  It is not a concerto
    by any stretch of the imagination.  Concertos are based on reasonably
    strict structures.  Rhapsodies are more or less free form.   Concertos
    have three movements; Rhapsodies only one.
    
    Gershwin was originaly asked by Paul Whiteman to compose a piece
    for a concert he was giving to try and promote jazz as serious music.
    Gershwin excepted but forgot all about it until about two weeks
    before it was to be performed.  He then sequestered himself in a
    room with Ferde Grofe (Grand Canyon Suite fame) who did the
    orchestrations.  However, since time was short Gershwin did not
    write out the piano solo sections and improvised them at the
    performance.  He then, later, finished off the score.
    
    After this he must have written out a solo version.  I'm not quite
    clear on this fact, however.  He did make a solo version, though
    which he `recorded' for the Duo-Art (Ampico?) reproducing piano.
    This is the version that Tilson-Thomas used.  This (Tilson-Thomas)
    performance is supposed to sound as close as possible to the original 
    performance given by Gershwin/Whiteman.  However,  if you are more 
    familiar with the standard symphonic arrangement of this piece then 
    the first listening will strike you as very strange.  It'll grow on
    you.  Also, one may recognize certain passages of the piano part
    as different.  Again, Gershwin may have been improvising for the
    Duo-Art sessions.  Reproducing pianos is a very interesting subject
    and might be worth a conference all it's own.  He probably
    did not settle on the piano portion of the score for some time after
    its initial writing.
    
    One other thing of note is that there is a dual piano arrangement
    of An American in Paris that Gershwin wrote with sections of music
    not performed in the standard symphonic arrangement.  Ira Gershwin
    gave a copy of this to a piano team from France (don't know their
    names though) and I understand that this is available in recorded
    form.

    re .-1  I think the dual piano recording mentioned is by the
    Labeque sisters (Katia & Marielle). They also have a dual piano
    recording of the Rhapsody...

    .-2
    
    It is indeed the Labeque sisters.  It was produced by John McLaughlin,
    my favorite guitarist.

    I'd like up-to-date suggestions for a CD with Rhapsody in Blue and
    An American in Paris.  Thanks.
    

Its already been discussed, but I picked up the Tilson-Thomas/LAPO version
a few weeks ago.  It lives up the the rave in .1.  I also find it extremely
listenable and quite "spectacular".  

I heard a disc on the local classical station that had Rhapsody in Blue,
American in Paris, and Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring.  They said it was all
on the same disc.  It sounded very good, expecially the American in Paris.
It was, I believe, on CBS.

I think I've also seen the disc in the local music store.

good luck,
D

    
    I have the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra recording on Phillips.
    Andre Previn conducts/plays solo piano.  It's got An American in
    Paris, Rhapsody in Blue, and his Piano Concerto in F (?)
    
    DFW

The best disk recording I have heard is with Ozawa/Berlin S.O. on Angel. 
It comes with the real Porgy and Bess suite and "I've got Rhythm 
Variations".

One recording I have never heard personally but have heard great 
reviews of is with Edo du Waart and the Monte Carlo symphony on 
Phillips.  This is an ADD mid-priced CD.

I have about ten Rhapsody in Blue records and three on disk.   In my
opinion most of the Gershin orchestral recordings on disk so far stink.
On records, I have the Gershwin orchestral works (Rhapsodies I&II, Cuban
Overture, American in Paris, Cto in F, and Catfish Row) but I have found 
few such recordings on disk that I can stand.

I would like to award a special dishonorable mention to the L. Berstein
and A. Previn.  These two pianist/conductors seem to get a lot of
publicity from Rhapsody in Blue since they are Americans. Neither one of
these Bozos has the decentcy to play the entire work. These records
should be labeled "Excerpts from Rhapsody in Blue".  I get a great laugh
every time I hear the Philips/Previn CD.  At last page of the score the
orchestra is missing in two measures (Probably the result of a bad
splice).