Our Summer BAL No. 26: Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue

[Guest]

Back in 2007 the EMI Andre Previn was deemed the library choice but I reckon that at least four challengers have emerged since then. First, Freddy Kempf with Andre Litton conducting the Bergen Philharmonic. Second, Stefano Bollani with Riccardo Chailly and the Gewandhaus Orchestra. Third, Lincoln Mayorga with Steven Richman and the Harmonie Ensemble, New York. Last but not least Benjamin Grosvenor with James Judd and the Royal Liverpool Phil (Gramophone nominated 2013).

After loving the Bollani and Kempf for many months the Grosvenor is my current favourite and therefore library choice.

To my mind these four seriously challenge the previous hegemony of Previn, Bernstein, Levine and Wild in this piece. What do you reckon - are there any recent releases that should be included?

[Barbirollians]

I only have the Bernstein , Previn and Kempf and I am a big fan of all three . I like Kempf's record very much and that would probably due to its much better sound be the one I listen to most.

[amateur51]

There's a cracking recording by Julius Katchen too

[Bryn]

My favourite full orchestra version is that of Morton Gould and his Orchestra. For the jazz band version it's the Gershwin piano roll and MTT.

[VodkaDilc]

My favourite full orchestra version is that of Morton Gould and his Orchestra. For the jazz band version it's the Gershwin piano roll and MTT.

William Tritt with the Cincinatti Jazz Orchestra/Erich Kunzel is a favourite of mine. Or the 1959 Pennario with the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra.

[richardfinegold]

William Tritt with the Cincinatti Jazz Orchestra/Erich Kunzel is a favourite of mine. Or the 1959 Pennario with the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra.

No one has mentioned the officially all time greatest and unsurpassed recording, by Earl Wild and The Boston Pops with Arthur Fiedler. This is available in a plethora of couplings, but I recommend the same musicians in the Piano Concerto, I Got Rhythm Variations, Porgy and Bess Suite, Cuban Overture, American in Paris, and any other Gershwin that they may have recorded.

[makropulos]

I'd agree with all that - it's a fantastic performance and so is the Concerto in F (and everything else on that rather well-filled CD of Fiedler's Gershwin).

Aside from Wild, the other person I want to hear in Rhapsody in Blue is Gershwin himself - as Bryn says, the piano roll with MTT is a delight.

[BBMmk2]

Well, I've always been a fan of Previn, directing from the keyboard, but with these ones by Kempf and Grosvenor, I am sotrrly tempted to hear, especially the latter's.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Aside from Wild, the other person I want to hear in Rhapsody in Blue is Gershwin himself - as Bryn says, the piano roll with MTT is a delight.

Yes and no. It's great to hear Gershwin's piano roll with a band, but at times it sounds as though the conductor is trying to keep up with a backing track.