Customer Reviews

Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue; An American in Paris / Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite

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If you're looking for Gershwin, these are the quintessential recordings. "Rhapsody in Blue" comes from a 1958 recording featuring the Columbia Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Leonard Bernstein (who is also the pianist). Simply put, there is no finer version. The piano and orchestra are well balanced and they bring out the most wonderful colors in this showpiece. Recorded the following year, "An American in Paris" is everything it should be - sexy, exciting, romantic, American. The horns sound especially nice.

The third item on this CD is Ferde Grofé's classic: "Grand Canyon Suite", featuring John Corigliano on solo violin, accompanied by Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. You just can't beat it. There are three bonus tracks; Bernstein's "Prelude, Fugue and Riffs" played by the Columbia Jazz Combo.

This is just a great recording of wondeful American music - a must for everyone. The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs writes, "Bernstein's 1958-59 coupling set the standard by which all subsequent pairings of "An American in Paris" and "Rhapsody in Blue" came to be judged...the performance of "An American in Paris" is vividly characterized, brash and episodic...with the great blues tune marvelously timed and phrased as only a great American orchestra can do it."

Give it a try.

My husband needed background music for a DVD he was creating. We recently visited several National Parks and wanted magestic music to match magestic scenery.