George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein – Rhapsody In Blue / An American In Paris (Speakers Corner)

The furious orchestral piece with piano, which starts with the probably most famous clarinet glissando of modern times, should fan out as many facets of the music of the new world as possible in a good quarter of an hour. Gershwin's goal in his "Rhapsody in Blue" "to draw a musical kaleidoscope of America - our immense melting pot, our typical national idiosyncrasies, our blues, our metropolitan restlessness" Leonard Bernstein felt obliged to do on several occasions. Among a number of high-quality recordings that Bernstein has made as a conductor or soloist, the Columbia Orchestra of 1959 stands out in particular: In a double function on console and piano, Bernstein manoeuvres safely through the extremely contrasting score and creates a harmonious image of powerful orchestral dynamics and finely tuned solo playing. Free of loud shock effects and egomaniacal keyboard acrobatics, Gershwin's soloist and ensemble circle loosely arranged form, which can be described as rhapsodic in the best sense of the word. The autobiographical sketch "An American In Paris" can be found on the B page to match the free design. The famous New Yorkers portray the traveler's impressions in the hectic French urban jungle - America also sounds like it