Presenting...

George Gershwin and His Fascinatin' "Rhapsody in Blue"

A program/class project by Marilyn Copeland Davidson

This project is an informative skit and musical presentation, prepared as a tribute to this great American composer and includes two of his songs in Book 5 of Spotlight on Music, "Fascinatin' Rhythm" and "I Got Rhythm," in addition to "Rhapsody in Blue," which is not in the series.

It is suggested that the program be prepared by your chorus or music classes and performed for the entire student body, with parents invited as guests. It could also be done by one class for another, or by a small group from just one class for their classmates. You will need recordings of the pieces. (The piano-roll version with Gershwin himself playing both parts of "Rhapsody in Blue" is an interesting oddity you might want to check out.) You will also need a piano score for playing the melodic and rhythmic examples. The piano score is published by Warner Bros., Inc. and is available at any music store, and in many public libraries. The page indications are for the two-piano version, with the orchestral accompaniment reduced for a second piano. The library is also a good source for a recording of this work. Ideally, if possible, a live performance of the work by a local solo pianist, with a second piano or an orchestra playing the accompaniment, would be wonderful.

The concept of this production is a 1926 radio broadcast report of the world premiere of "Rhapsody in Blue." Note that most lines written for the broadcast personnel can be read, as if in a script for the show.

Go to the Program