Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue

Cambridge Music Handbooks

by David Schiff

The Rhapsody in Blue (1924) established Gershwin's reputation as a serious composer and has since become one of the most popular of all American concert works. In this richly informative guide David Schiff considers the piece as musical work, historical event and cultural document. He traces the history of the Rhapsody's composition, performance and reception, placing it within the context of American popular song and jazz and the development of modernism. He also provides a full account of the different published and recorded versions of the work and explores the many stylistic sources of Gershwin's music.

Paperback

First published September 25, 1997

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Reviews

[Silviu-Augustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The information provided was very good, but I felt it was weirdly written and presented. Gershwin, despite being criticized, created important music for the American music history, and Rhapsody in Blue was pretty well analyzed.