What do Duke Ellington, United Airlines, and the K Pop group Red Velvet share in common? They've all covered George Gershwin's piano concerto, Rhapsody in Blue. First premiered in 1924, the piece became an immediate hit for the way it blended American jazz with the European symphonic tradition. Gershwin had a number of successes as a composer in his day—his aria "Summertime" from the opera Porgy and Bess is by some measures the most covered song ever—but the staying power of the Rhapsody make it a rare instrumental piece that's instantly familiar. Maybe too familiar.
In 2024, there will be many centennial performances of this iconic piece, but pianist Lara Downes wanted to do something more than just the sound the notes of Gershwin's score for the umpteenth time. Downes commissioned Puerto Rican musician Edmar Colon to create a new version of Gershwin's composition, one that brought in the full spectrum of American life in 1924: fiery improvisation, Latin percussion, and dance rhythms. The resultant piece both pays tribute to an American icon while adding a new set of modern counterpoint.
Nate sat down with Lara to ask her if she was nervous to rewrite such a canonic piece, why a concerto is like a musical kaleidoscope, and the surprising family connection to Gershwin's musical world she discovered while researching Rhapsody in Blue.
Songs Discussed
George Gershwin, Lara Downes, Edmar Colon - Rhapsody in Blue Reimagined
Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue
Gershwin - 3 Preludes: II. Andante con moto e poco rubato
Sarah Vaughan - Nice Work if You can Get It
Sam Cooke - Summertime
Chet Baker - But not For ME
Louis Armstrong - Aint Misbehavin
Ella Fitzgerald - Blue Skies
Red Velvet - Birthday
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The b*tch of loving musical theater (with Bridger Winegar)
Kali Uchis takes on the world
Soundalikes: Lil Nas X and Ariana Grande
The case of the missing vocals, and other listener questions
Too Fast? We’re Curious: The sped-up remix phenomenon - ICYMI
Wham! Op. 84 “Last Christmas” with Chilly Gonzales - ICYMI
"Did I mention that it's Christmas in this club?" (w Matt Rogers)
Nicki Minaj's Roman Empire
Hear the Year: The music we loved in 2023
Behind the Scenes of Switched on Pop on Harman Audio Talks
Noah Kahan’s Folk Pop Revival
Why Country Music Dominated 2023's Charts
The Beatles: "Now and Then" and Forever
Rerecording Taylor Swift's 1989, Dark Side of the Moon, and Demi Lovato
Chartbreakers: Mitski tops the TikTok chart
How Talking Heads reinvented the concert film (with Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz)
Feeling Fine with Faye Webster
Metro Boomin Wants Some More
In Defense of Crunk
Made In America: Jay-Z & Toby Keith ICYMI
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Good One: A Podcast About Jokes
Vulture Festival Podcast
The Vulture TV Podcast