George Gershwin was just 24 when the bandleader
Paul Whiteman, "The King of Jazz," asked him to create a concert piece for a program
Whiteman wanted to conduct in New York's prestigious Aeolian Hall as part of his
"Experiment in Modern Music." Gershwin himself played the solo part of Rhapsody
in Blue in 1924 with Whiteman conducting that first performance, and, of course,
the effect was dazzling. Not only had Gershwin made a lady out of jazz for all
time, but he had demonstrated that American music could have a unique vitality and
viability.
This rendition is about 14 minutes long.
The ol' Kunnel finds it the perfect piece to play during multimedia sessions. For instance,
he played it while "building" this jukebox presentation. (grin)
