Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue

[frederic]

First things first. Hello everyone! I'm finally back on the great Piano Forum after a long absence. Maybe you wouldn't know me because i see there are so many new members (the last time i was on there were only a few hundred). Congratulations to everyone who has joined and are spreading the good news. Anyways, I've been asked to play Rhapsody in Blue with an orchestra. Anyone learnt this? I'd appreciate any comments on the work. Cheers

[whynot]

Yeah, I learned a good lesson performing this piece.  The best thing I had going in it was the F#m double-note section.  I thought it was impressive and I wanted it to be even more so, so the day before the concert I practiced that part for several hours.  The next day, I was so stiff I could hardly lift my arms to put my hands on the keyboard.  I was able to play the concert and it went okay, but I had to tell the conductor right before the show that I would be cutting out that section.  Good luck, it's really fun to play. 

[ted]

I've played it solo for over forty years and still enjoy it very much but know nothing about playing it with orchestras.

[ballade]

I also am going toplay this with an orchestra in a few months. Those of you who have played it, approximately how difficult would you say it was? How experienced a player would you need to be? I have been playing for 13 years. For perspective.. let's say Rach 2 is an 8 on a scale of 1-10, where would this be?

[Pianostudy]

I also am going toplay this with an orchestra in a few months. Those of you who have played it, approximately how difficult would you say it was? How experienced a player would you need to be? I have been playing for 13 years. For perspective.. let's say Rach 2 is an 8 on a scale of 1-10, where would this be?

Probably a 6.5

[fnork]

I'd say easier than 6.5. Rach 2 is really really hard. Rhapsody in blue is, in most parts, very easy. I'd say 4.5.
I have a link where I play with orchestra if anyone's interrested. Not the best orchestra in the world, and I mess up a bit in the end, but it's ok.

[frederic]

fnork, your saying you've got a (recording is it?) of yourself playing Rhapsody in Blue? yeah i'm interested! please tell me the link!

[Siberian Husky]

gershwin was obsessed with the sound of a jackhammer, the trills and banging in that piece show it

[Bartolomeo]

Fun piece.  I have one of the solo piano arrangements of it that I play occasionally.

None of it is especially difficult, technically.  I hadn't played much 20th century music when I first learned it, and I had trouble reading the key changes and big chords.  If you've already taken those skills on board, you shouldn't find it difficult.  It is a full length piece though, and just like anything else of that magnitude, does require a degree of effort.

[fnork]

fnork, your saying you've got a (recording is it?) of yourself playing Rhapsody in Blue? yeah i'm interested! please tell me the link!

Here's the link   https://www.angelfire.com/music6/pianostuff18/   Hope you'll enjoy it. I have some other piano recordings too, here: https://www.angelfire.com/music6/pianostuff17

/Martin

[ralessi]

   When i was in highschool (not that im much older now!) i played Rhapsody in Blue with the Jacksonville Symphony twice.  ALthought the piece is very easy to play without an orchestra playing it with the orchestra is a whole different ball park.  Not saying that it's more difficult, just different , Unless you play with symphonies quite often that is.  staying in time with an orchestra in this piece while making sense of eveyrthing should be both of your biggest concerns.  Unlike playing with your professor/teacher, the orchestra cannot come in at the drop of a dime, MAKE SURE to watch the conductor for ques and also since it is such a busy piece and there is so much going on, it is very very easy to get ahead of the orchestra so LISTEN, because again, unlike playing with a teacher they cant speed up or slow down to accomidate you, you will have to slow down or speed up and it will be noticed.  Other than that, its easy as pie! just go have a good time! When you are done,  you will be on a high like no other! Best of Luck!

[Radix]

I performed it once with an orchestra, and my suggestions to learning it would simply be to take your time.  It's not that hard, overall, but there are definitely some tough licks in there.

[The Boogie Man.]

only problem i found with playing this

is the timing.

always seem to get it out

espically on the bassy bits.

and some of them runs...wow. find em hard.

then just get annoyed and leave it.

not played it in ages actually.

piano is out of tune now anyway

[lostinidlewonder]

I reckon Gershwin's music always has such a strong rhythmic quality to it. Throughout the Rhapsody in Blue he utilises so many rhythmic figures, specific accent patterns that give the music its character. So I would think that you have a strong affiliation and connection with the great amount he goes through!

There are nine different accent patterns he goes through the entire peice. So it is good to really know when you move through each one. I have played this with piano duet only, no orchestra, but the score i have is from the Warner Bros Publications, and on the front it details each of these accent groups which makes it pretty clear how each one should be treated.

[steinwayguy]

What a coincidence, I just found out a couple days ago I'll be playing it with an orchestra in the fall 

[frederic]

There are nine different accent patterns he goes through the entire peice. So it is good to really know when you move through each one. I have played this with piano duet only, no orchestra, but the score i have is from the Warner Bros Publications, and on the front it details each of these accent groups which makes it pretty clear how each one should be treated.

sounds like you have the same edition as i do... Quite useful ain't it?

[dinosaurtales]

This thread is really cracking me up!  If I was new to music I would think that Rhapsody in Blue was the only piece orchestras knew how to play, or that they thought pianists could play!  There's so much other stuff out there, but has no one been asked to play, say another concerto piece?  is it because this one is a one-movemnet bit that can get sqeezed into a 15-minute time slot?  or what?

[ralessi]

This thread is really cracking me up! If I was new to music I would think that Rhapsody in Blue was the only piece orchestras knew how to play, or that they thought pianists could play! There's so much other stuff out there, but has no one been asked to play, say another concerto piece? is it because this one is a one-movemnet bit that can get sqeezed into a 15-minute time slot? or what?

Its a thread asking about the piece!

[frederic]

No DinosaurTales you're cracking me up!  . You've said so many great things on this forum and that must've been the stupidest thing you've ever said....

[alextryan]

This thread may be more pertinent to me right now than to the group -- I'm playing this piece with orchestra Wendesday night!!  (Weds, April 20th).  Our first real rehearsal is tonight, erk!!  For some reason the publisher, after charging huge sums for the orchestra parts, sent them terribly late.  Last Weds the orchestra played some key parts from the conductor's score, and complained the whole time about the tiny notes.

I'm jittery as a hooker in church, to be honest, though I haven't been practicing much to show it.  I started work on the piece about a year ago and practice at this point seems redundant, like a warm-up.  Though tonight I will certainly be working myself hard before rehearsal.  One thing I learned about working with an orchestra -- as last Weds was my first time -- there's no opportunity to run through a passage a few times to get it clean during rehearsal. 

I'm off this morning to get myself some fancy duds.  Not a tux, I decided, but maybe a tux shirt with bow tie and a blue vest?  We'll see what the local tux shop has to offer.

I have a whole web page devoted to my ramblings about the piece.  Most of the musical discussion is from early in my practicing, so not especially penetrating.  But you're welcome to peruse it and the few recordings I have up.  Come Weds, I suppose it will be complete, with the recording from the performance!! 

www.alexryan.net/rhapsody.html

Good God, what have I gotten myself into??

Alex

[Will Millar]

Does anyone know where I can purchase or download the score for orchestra or band etc?

 I have the piano solo and have been looking for ages to find the full score.


Many Thanks

Will

[alextryan]

As to the score, I can tell you that in order to get the actual orchestra parts is about 300 dollars, and you get a stack of old tattered scores.  The scores have dire warnings that the loss of any of them will incur a fee of at least 250 bucks, and some will cost a great deal more.  My conductor couldn't get enough of that. 

As for me, my concert was really a success, and as of Sat morning I will have put up a handful of photos, a recording, and a quick video clip of me playing.  Enjoy!  And any comments are of course more than welcome!

www.alexryan.net/rhapsody.html

Down at the bottom are the latest goodies. 

[lucky]

Hello people

I was looking for some pieces of the score of rhapsody in blue to see how difficult it is. When I tried google I saw a link to this pianoforum. Well ... it is very interesting to hear people's opinions and so on ... but it's only interesting if you can give your opinion too ... so I decided to register.

And the first thing I would like to do is say something to "fnork" who posted links to some recordings. Are you a professional musician or are just doing it for the fun of it? Because for example the recording of ravels sonatine or bach's prelude and fuga aren't very ... well how should I say it ... ? Well my opinion is that a real pianist should first of all play the notes because that is the first thing people remark. Then you should understand the music and make a listener understand it too. Very important is to make music that can fascinate and make a deep impression on people.

When I listen to the recordings I only hear a person who is trying to play every note and who lets the agogics of the moment determine the result. Well ... the Chopin's aren't that bad and when you are playing the rachmaninov I can at least hear you have feelings and are able to put them into music. And about rhapsody in blue: it isn't a bad orchestra, it isn't one at all ... but that isn't your fault of course ...

[nicko124]

I may start a thread sometime to discuss Second Rhapsody which i really like as well as RIB.

Just as a preperation what is everyones views on it?

Obviously it's much different to RIB but it is still a wonderful piece of work.

[invsblmn]

The Second Rhapsody is way under-played. I think it's just as great as the original rhapsody. Simply vintage Gershwin. I wish there are more recordings of this masterpiece. If someone has it as an mp3, it'd be great if we could trade some mp3s or something.

[nicko124]

The Second Rhapsody is way under-played. I think it's just as great as the original rhapsody. Simply vintage Gershwin. I wish there are more recordings of this masterpiece. If someone has it as an mp3, it'd be great if we could trade some mp3s or something.

I may be able to e-mail you a piano solo of Second Rhapsody in mp3 format (performed by Jack Gibbons). However it will still be quite large as the piece goes on for 10 minutes, you can leave your e-mail if you want it and i will try and e-mail it.

 

[alextryan]

I have it to on mp3 with Tilson Thomas.  My AIM screen name is alextryan, so if you want to IM me sometime i'll send it.  Most mail servers will get grouchy about such a big file. 

alex

[Will Millar]

Hello everybody

A PLEA

Does anybody have a scan of the piano solo of Rhapsody in Blue please? It wasn't until I saw the scan's on Alex's page I realised that the one i'd spent a fiver on was rubbish. It misses out passages all together.

If not, does anyone have Finale from Carnival of the animals or/and Polka Italliene by rachmaninov for 2 pianos please.

Many Thanks

Will

[Klodi]

Hello Everyone!

Tomorrow I have my piano diploma in Geneva Conservatory, Switzerland, and i'll be playing The rhapsody in blue, version for 2 pianos.
I really Enjoy it very much,
I'll come for a year in US,Los Angeles and i wanted to know, how could I play it with an orchestra?
THank you,

[invsblmn]

I may be able to e-mail you a piano solo of Second Rhapsody in mp3 format (performed by Jack Gibbons). However it will still be quite large as the piece goes on for 10 minutes, you can leave your e-mail if you want it and i will try and e-mail it.

 

Thanks, I'd love to have it. My name is chen(dot)zhang(at)stanford(dot)edu

[nicko124]

I will rip it to mp3 format and e-mail it later today, i also strongly reccomend the cuban overture piano solo which i can e-mail as well.

You can get a sample here to see if you like it:-
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001Z2RSC/qid=1116067955/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_10/102-7659105-8186540?v=glance&s=classical
Just go to the third disc on the amazon page and listen to the sample of cuban overture, it's really good. I have the sheet music for that (it's in 2 piano's format though).

Make sure you have a lot of room in your inbox before I e-mail them, and make sure your e-mail provider that you have given lets mp3s through.

[Pianophonist]

Hey guys,

After reading this i was interesting into how difficult most of the rhapsody parts are, or is this one of those "post grade 8" pieces?  Just something ive always wanted to play but didnt want to buy music and then realise i couldnt get half the chords out.

Cheers

[nicko124]

Hey guys,

After reading this i was interesting into how difficult most of the rhapsody parts are, or is this one of those "post grade 8" pieces?  Just something ive always wanted to play but didnt want to buy music and then realise i couldnt get half the chords out.

Cheers

Unfortunetely i have not studied either of the Rhapsodies yet. Out of Gershwin i have only learnt the three preludes (recently), summertime and someone to watch over me.
In the future i plan to learn An American in Paris, Both Rhapsodies and Cuban Overture. I obviously will learn them far apart as i know that they will be challenging for me. I am Grade 7 and i have looked at the scores (which i have all in one book) and i know that i will find them challenging to say the least. Not just because they are difficult but because they are very long/varied as well.
If i was you i would consider every one of them grade 8 + whereas the preludes are much easier and very short (Grade 7). You can also buy other editions of them such as 'easy rhapsody in blue' but i relish the challenge of learning the 'proper' version which will undoubtably be the most rewarding.

[Pianophonist]

 You can also buy other editions of them such as 'easy rhapsody in blue' but i relish the challenge of learning the 'proper' version which will undoubtably be the most rewarding.

I dream of playing rhapsody one day, sometimes i wish piano was my primary study for pieces like this.

[dbrainiak914]

Does anyone have a recording of this performed with a band?  I hear it's arranged for band as well.  If I can get enough *proof* to my band director I think I'll be able to play it sometimes in the next 2 years....

[abell88]

Don't have a recording but my daughter's high school band played it last year.  I can ask her to try to find the arranger/publisher.

[invsblmn]

Leonard Bernstein's recording of the piece with the orchestral is canonical. It should be widely available on CD.

It's really a pity Gershwin died so young. When you hear piano masterpieces like the Rhapsody in Blue, Second Rhapsody, and Concerto in F, you wonder what other jazz-classical hybrids he could have written if he lived longer.