Rhapsody in Blue: The Story Behind the Masterpiece

Picture it, 1924 New York and George Gershwin has about five weeks to write his first major classical work.

Band leader Paul Whiteman first approached Gershwin with the idea to write a jazz inspired piano concerto for a concert in less than four months.  Gershwin initially declined, but when he heard a rival of Whiteman had a similar idea Gershwin took up the challenge.  By that time he had about five weeks to complete the piece.

Gershwin later told his biographer that he heard the piece on the train and saw it as a “...Musical kaleidoscope of America…” Originally titled “American Rhapsody” but after his brother Ira attended an exhibition of artist Whistler paintings with works like "Nocturne in Black and Gold” Ira suggested they rename it to “Rhapsody in Blue.”

Gershwin had the odds stacked against him on the day of the concert.  With a broken ventilation system raising the temperature of an audience already underwhelmed with the previous works Gershwin won them over with a mostly improvised performance.  The audience loved “Rhapsody in Blue.”  

The critics were another story. New York Tribune critic Lawrence Gilman called Gershwin’s tunes “trite, feeble and conventional” and described the music as “derivative,” “stale” and “inexpressive.” Other critics were far more enthusiastic, and audiences had already made their feelings clear.

And audiences kept listening. The Whiteman and Gershwin recording eventually sold one million copies, while performances, recordings and rental fees from Rhapsody in Blue earned Gershwin more than $250,000 over the following decade. His newfound success helped transform his life, and in 1925 he purchased a five-story Manhattan townhouse with room for the Gershwin family and, most importantly, a top-floor study for George.

By July 1925, George Gershwin had even landed on the cover of TIME magazine. Not bad for a piece he had only weeks to write.

Ready to hear Rhapsody in Blue live? Join Olympia Symphony on October 11 as pianist Calder Failla takes on Gershwin’s iconic work. Get your tickets while you can, and stay tuned for the next Beyond the Notes, where we’ll get to know Calder!