Released: 1969
Tracks: Rhapsody in Blue; Three Preludes; Concerto in F (Finale); An American in Paris; Porgy & Bess – A Symphonic Picture (selections)
Best track: Rhapsody in Blue
Track to skip: none
I decided I was in the mood for some classical music so I went with this, my only Gershwin CD. From what I can gather, it was originally released in ’69 (outside of the US) and this CD version came out in ’84. No specific dates are listed for the recordings, but there are the copyrights of 1942, 1959 & 1960 so I figure that’s when the recordings were at the very least originally released. OK, my first thought about this CD is that it’s too short. Yes, it is an hour, but I’d love to hear more. I guess that’s the whole goal of any greatest hits album, to entice you to buy more. I just might have to some day. I honestly haven’t listened to this CD that often (as it’s my wife’s), so I’m not really familiar with every composition on here, but I had a good time donning the headphones and getting sucked into this stuff. My favorite piece of the lot, and the one most people will recognize, is Rhapsody in Blue. If you’re unsure of it, think the Delta Airlines commercials from 10 years ago. Leonard Bernstein does a wonderful and excited performance on the piano (also conducting the Columbia Symphony Orchestra) and really brings out the joy of the piece. I wasn’t as familiar with the other pieces, but specifically An American in Paris and Porgy & Bess are so imbedded in this country’s musical history that even if you don’t know the actual tunes, it all feels familiar. The sound quality is mostly pretty good, only Three Preludes and Concerto in F aren’t what I’d call pristine. By the amount of tape hiss, I’d assume both of these are from ’42. They sound good enough though. I know there are Gershwin compilations out there that have more music on them, but if you want something relatively cheap with good sound quality, check out this CBS Masterworks version. I had fun listening to this spirited and energetic music tonight.
Rating: 85
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