Gershwin Greatest Hits

George Gershwin (Composer), John Williams (Conductor), Leonard Bernstein (Conductor, Performer), André Kostelanetz (Conductor, Orchestra), Michael Tilson Thomas (Conductor), Louis Lane (Conductor), Juilliard String Quartet (Performer), Boston Pops Orchestra (Orchestra), Ferde Grofé (Orchestra), Columbia Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Irwin Kostal (Orchestra), André Kostelanetz & His Orchestra (Orchestra), New York Philharmonic (Orchestra), Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Cleveland Pops Orchestra (Orchestra), Katia Labèque (Performer), Marielle Labèque (Performer), Marielle Lebeque (Performer), André Previn (Performer), Jeffrey Kahane (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Leonard Bernstein, Juilliard String Quartet, Katia Labèque, Marielle Labèque, Marielle Lebeque, et al.
• Orchestra: André Kostelanetz, Boston Pops Orchestra, Ferde Grofé, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Irwin Kostal, et al.
• Conductor: John Williams, Leonard Bernstein, André Kostelanetz, Michael Tilson Thomas, Louis Lane
• Composer: George Gershwin
• Audio CD (August 9, 1994)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000002A1T
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #58,614 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #32 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Lullabies & Berceuse
  • #66 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Languages > English

Track Listings

1. Strike Up the Band, musical (first version): Strike Up the Band

2. Rhapsody in Blue, for piano & orchestra (orchestrated by F. Grofé)

3. Preludes (3) for piano: No. 1

4. Concerto in F, for piano & orchestra: 3. Allegro agitato

5. An American in Paris, tone poem for orchestra

6. Preludes (3) for piano: No. 3

7. Porgy and Bess, opera: Summertime / It Ain't Necessarily So / I Loves You, Porgy

8. Fascinatin' Rhythm, song (from Lady, Be Good!, musical)

9. Lullaby, for string quartet

10. Walking the Dog, promenade for piano or orchestra (arrangement from film 'Shall We Dance')

11. Cuban Overture

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best America has to offer!!, March 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Gershwin Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

This is the best collection of his songs i have ever heard. That's probably because it features conductors like John Williams and Micheal Tilson Thomas. My personal favorite is the allegro agitato from the Concerto in F. I have other recordings of this song, but none of them can even come close to matching the excitement of this one.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gershwin At His Best in Hearts!, March 19, 2003

By 

Fred W Hood "barbara377" (Fayetteville, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gershwin Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

To someone who came along as a teenage boy in the mid-1940's, this CD has the elements of authenticity, even surprise, musical history, highly intense performances, and ways evoking memories of emotional highlights of my Youth. When mediocre orchestra 1st tackled Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" at Smoky Mtn Music Camp we were preparing for Sunday's outdoor Concert. Pianos were played by two friends who've presided Music Dept at Carson-Newman College in East Tennessee. In the Trombone section was a skinny kid with too much hair and too big an ego! When our esteemed conductor began the opening bars the Clarinet Soloist, my close friend Danny Boy slide-up the chromatic scale with fleurish. He later became a NC Doctor! He likely plays clarinet for his own amazement in someone's Dixieland Band!

On this wondrous CD there are historic names like Bernstein, Kostelanez, John Williams and Michael Tilson Thomas, Conductors. Andre Previn, Yo-Yo Ma and Sarah Vaughan as Soloists. I would have a hard time choosing which may be called my favorite! It would depend on the day they are playing in my car... traveling to Columbia Seminary classes or GA Diagnostic Prison for lunch with Chaplain friends! I often sing along with the Rhapsody as I did in 1949 when Oscar Levant soloed with Chattanooga Orch. My very young wife was playing in the first violin section! Still today I am totally wiped out when anyone as intensely romantic as Sarah Vaughan sings "Summertime" or "I Loves You, Porgy!"

Is it not amazingly wondrous that someone could create so much enjoyable music in his short lifetime of 39 years? I never wish to part with this all-time favorite 10-Star Recording!
Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat disappointing., September 9, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gershwin Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

I bought this for the full-length rendition of Rhapsody in Blue. I found the brass too tinny sounding, and the rhythm off in a few places. I like the snippet of this song on the "Best of the Milleneum" CD much better.