Audio: Gershwin played by Gershwin — remastered 1924 first recording of “Rhapsody in Blue”

George Gershwin’s first recording as a performer, “Rhapsody in Blue” with Paul Whiteman and his orchestra. Restored and remastered.

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Rhapsody in Blue, originally composed for solo piano and jazz band, was commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman and orchestrated by Ferde Grofé several times, including the 1942 symphony orchestra scoring which became the standard version.  The piece received its premiere in the concert An Experiment in Modern Music, which was held on February 12, 1924, in Aeolian Hall, New York, by Whiteman and his band with Gershwin playing the piano. The studio recording here is a recreation of that first public performance.

The piece established Gershwin’s reputation as a serious composer and has since become one of the most popular of all American concert works.

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George Gershwin (1935)