George Gershwin was one of the most renowned contributors to the Great American Songbook, writing dozens of hits for Broadway shows and Hollywood movies through the 1920s and ‘30s through to his untimely death in 1937 aged just 38, with many of his compositions becoming ubiquitous jazz standards..However, he became equally famous as a hugely original composer of longer works, blending classical with jazz forms and exploring wider musical avenues, most notably with his seminal works “Rhapsody in Blue” and “An American In Paris”. 

This 2-CD collection brings together recordings of those two works, with “Rhapsody in Blue” performed by Oscar Levant With The Philadelphia Symphony Orch. conducted by Eugene Ormandy from 1945, and one of the original recordings of “An American In Paris” by The Victor Symphony Orchestra in 1929, with Gershwin himself on celeste. Along with those are recordings of the three movements of his “Piano Concerto In F Major”, the Second Rhapsody for Piano & Orchestra , known as “Rhapsody In Rivets”, and The Cuban Overture”, plus his Three Preludes for Piano” and “Variations on ‘I Got Rhythm”. 

It’s a collection which marvellously showcases another side to Gershwin’s unique talents as a composer, which made him such an influential and admired figure.

CD 1
1. RHAPSODY IN BLUE Oscar Levant With Philadelphia Symphony Orch. cond by Eugene Ormandy 1945 
2. PIANO CONCERTO IN F - I. ALLEGRO Oscar Levant With New York Philharmonic Orch. cond. By Andre Kostelanetz 1948 
3. PIANO CONCERTO IN F - II ANDANTE CON MOTO Oscar Levant With New York Philharmonic Orch. cond. By Andre Kostelanetz 1948 
4. PIANO CONCERTO IN F - III ALLEGRO AGITATO Oscar Levant With New York Philharmonic Orch. cond. By Andre Kostelanetz 1948 
5. VARIATIONS ON "I GOT RHYTHM" Oscar Levant With Morton Gould & His Orchestra  1949

CD 2
1. SECOND RHAPSODY FOR PIANO & ORCHESTRA "RHAPSODY IN RIVETS" Oscar Levant With Morton Gould & His Orchestra  1949 
2. 3 PRELUDES NO. 1 ALLEGRO BEN RITMATO E DECISO Oscar Levant 1949 
3. 3 PRELUDES: NO. 2, ANDANTE CON MOTO E POCO RUBATO Oscar Levant 1949 
4. 3 PRELUDES: NO. 3, ALLEGRO BEN RITMATO E DECISO Oscar Levant 1949 
5. CUBAN OVERTURE Arthur Fiedler Boston Pops Orchestra 1962 
6. AN AMERICAN IN PARIS Nathaniel Shilkret & The Victor Symph Orch. (With George Gershwin on celeste) 1929