Murphy 1

Hayden Murphy
Jean Coco
English 1001
6 December 2015
Audience: My audience is people who do not understand how certain elements (such as
environment, inspirations, etc.) can affect a piece of music, specifically music with no words.
My goal is to allow my audience to join me in my discovery for determining the elements that
affected the composition of Rhapsody in Blue.
Preface
If I had two more weeks to work on this paper, I would try to add more details to the
introduction and conclusion of the paper. I feel that there may be some information that I could
include about Gershwin earlier in the paper, as well as newer information that could be added to
the end. Due to finding a new source to replace one that was not acceptable, I found information
and quotes that I had previously, as well as new information to add. I feel that with more time, I
could possibly use this information to help focus the paper more. Overall, I am satisfied with
how my paper has turned out.

Old World Blues

1.

Music surrounds us all in our everyday life. The endless possibilities of meanings,

genres, sounds, and rhythms in music makes every song a unique and fascinating work of art.
When George Gershwin composed Rhapsody in Blue in 1924, he created a musical experience
unlike anything before it. The composition was extremely complex, and contained primarily
Jazz rhythms and scales. Rhapsody in Blue changed the way the world viewed not only Jazz
music, but American Music. With a piece that includes so many different sounds, one must
question what ideas and inspirations affected Gershwins composition of Rhapsody in Blue?
Cultural Inspirations
2.

Many cultural inspirations affected the piece, including the very reason why the piece

was made. The popular genres of music in the timeframe and environments at the time had a
huge effect on the piece. In the early 1920s, Jazz was becoming extremely popular amongst the

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American public. However, music critics and enthusiasts were not pleased by this fact. Jazz was
considered to be an African American genre of music. Cultural differences at the time caused
Jazz music to be described as being barbaric and degenerate (Nillson, The Birth of
Rhapsody in Blue). Then, in late 1923, Paul Whiteman announced a concert titled An
Experiment in Modern Music. The news of this concert sparked international attention,
including some of the most famous American composers of the time. Whiteman felt that this
concert had the potential to change the minds those who spoke poorly of Jazz. Whiteman asked
Gershwin to compose a piece that would show that jazz deserved to be regarded as a serious
and sophisticated art form (Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, Performed for the First
Time). Whiteman and Gershwin had done previous events together, and both shared a passion
for Jazz and Blues genres. Due to their prior successes together, Gershwin agreed to compose a
piece for the concert. However, Gershwin had forgotten about the request until he saw an article
in the newspaper in January, 1924. With a short deadline approaching, Gershwin began hastily
working to compose a piece. Gershwins overall idea for the piece was this: Jazz, they said,
had to be in strict time. It had to cling to dance rhythms. I resolved, if possible, to kill that
misconception with one sturdy blowNo set plan was in my mind, no structure to which my
music would conform. The Rhapsody, you see, began as a purpose, not a plan (Niemoyer 12).
With his plan to bring jazz to orchestral rhythms, Gershwin planned to disprove the musical
misconceptions of Jazz. However, he also planned to destroy the cultural misconceptions due to
his race, as well as his cultural background.

Gershwins History and Style of Music

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3.

Gershwin was well-known amongst the New York population as almost all of his prior

performances and premieres were held in New York City, his place of birth. Due to this,
Gershwin came up with many musical ideas and expressions from listening to the sounds of the
city. He once said, I often hear music in noise, (Niemoyer 11). When Gershwin encountered
problems thinking of one of the themes for Rhapsody in Blue, he decided to take a train and
listen to its sounds, as well as his surroundings. It was on the train, with its steely rhythms, its
rattle-ty bang And there I suddenly heard, and even saw on paper the complete construction
of the Rhapsody, from beginning to end. No new themes came to me, but I worked on the
thematic material already in my mind and tried to conceive the composition as a whole. (Gloag
2). This urban and industrial surrounding ultimately created the skeleton of the composition.
Gershwins ride on the train from New York to Boston was so influential to sounds of the piece,
that one of the five themes heard in the piece is known as the Train theme. (Paige, Rhapsody
in Blue Analysis).
Creation of the Five Themes
4.

Gershwin had many goals for Rhapsody in Blue, as he stressed when he said

The Rhapsody, you see, began as a purpose, not a plan. (Niemoyer 12). Due to this,
Gershwins many inspirations led to the creation of these many themes throughout the piece.
For a total of five themes in all, these themes have been named Train, Shuffle, Stride,
Ritornello, and Love. The Ritornello theme is considered to be the overall characteristic
sound of Rhapsody in Blue. This is the theme designed to break the misconceptions of Jazz
rhythms. The Train theme was the theme he initially came up with on his train ride. This theme
is played much by the piano soloist, which was Gershwin himself at the time. This may be that
he wanted the style to be interpreted as he originally thought of it on the train. The Shuffle and

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Stride themes are themes that represent the different sounds of the city. The Shuffle theme
contains faster paced rhythms, and imitates the city during the day. The stride theme is
somewhat slower and less intense than the Shuffle theme, and can be thought to imitate the city
during the night. Finally, the love theme is a warm, pleasant theme that give a romantic feel.
However, this theme still is created by the use of blues chords. The variety of genres and styles
these themes incorporate are the key to Rhapsody in Blues success (Paige, Rhapsody in Blue
Analysis). Each theme is a song that of its own, and is heard at different points in the piece.
Themes such as the Ritornello theme and stride theme are reoccurring throughout the entire
tune. Other themes like the love theme are heard for a long period of time, but never reoccur.
Each theme in the piece has different instrumentation, style, dynamics, rhythms, and expressions
that give each its own characteristic sound. Gershwin decided upon the creation of these themes
in order to either include a specific genre of music, incorporate a specific musical idea.
Gershwins mastery of combining these complex musical structures paired with his inspirations
from popular genres of music allowed him to develop these themes and melodies in Rhapsody in
Blue. (Chilton, Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin is celebrated.)
Ideas and Reasons for Instrumentation
5.

Gershwin wanted to accommodate for all the current sounds and music of America by

creating the different themes. He stated the Rhapsody to be, a sort of musical kaleidoscope of
America, of our vast melting pot, of our unduplicated national pep, of our metropolitan
madness. (Gloag 2). In order to achieve this, Gershwin needed to use his knowledge learned
from prior experiences as a musician. Gershwin was a famous piano player, which included his
abilities at Jazz piano. He incorporated his piano playing into the piece by putting multiple piano
solos into the piece, as well as playing almost all of the themes on piano. The importance of the

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piano varies in each theme. For example, the Ritornello theme is played by the orchestra with
great impact, but is later passed to the piano where the theme is played softly. However, themes
such as the stride theme and shuffle theme are played primarily by the piano, with only
minor lapses of melody in the orchestra (Paige, Rhapsody in Blue Analysis). By creating this
importance of the piano in the piece, Gershwin was not only able to show off his skilled piano
playing, but also show his love and passion for this instruments effect on the different genres of
music in American Culture.
Idea of Combining Genres
6.

Gershwins idea of including all popular genres of music led him to be even more

creative. Gershwin brought the traditional/classical genre of music to the piece when he created
the love theme, which is the only theme that the piano does not play in the tune. Although the
piano has an accompaniment part, the orchestra took over entirely in this theme. It includes
string instruments that play a melody unlike anything heard prior throughout the piece. Gershwin
created this theme to incorporate sounds of famous orchestral compositions at the time, as well
as expand on what is less familiar to him as both a musician and composer (Chilton, Rhapsody
in Blue by George Gershwin is celebrated.). Rhapsody in Blue was Gershwins first orchestral
composition. With Gershwins prior experiences with piano compositions, it was essential that he
stuck to what was familiar to him. This is one of the reasons why all the previous themes were
included on piano. However, the love theme proves that Gershwin went out of his comfort
zone to include these musical expressions in the piece. Gershwin would not let what was
unfamiliar hinder him from achieving all of his ideas he had for Rhapsody in Blue.

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The Modern Impact of Rhapsody in Blue

7.

Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue was the final and most successful composition played at

An Experiment in Modern Music and has had a larger impact on the view of Jazz music than
any other piece. By eliminating misconceptions about Jazz both musically and culturally, Jazz
became a world recognized genre of music. Composers and musicians regardless of race or
background began creating and playing their own styles and music of Jazz. Jazz is now a broad
genre of music that incorporates many different styles and rhythms. This is all due to the most
revolutionary piece of music in the twentieth century. George Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue.
One can only imagine how far Jazz music would have come had Rhapsody in Blue never been
created?

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Work Cited
Gloag, K 1998, Music & Letters, Vol. 79 Issue 3, p453, 2 p.
Niemoyer, S 2011, Musical Quarterly. Vol. 94 Issue 1/2, p9-62. 54p. 10 Diagrams, 2 Charts.
Chilton, M 2014, Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin is celebrated. The Telegraph, pg. 1
Nillson, J 2014, The Birth of Rhapsody in Blue, The Saturday Evening Post, pg. 2
Paige 2015 Rhapsody in Blue Analysis, Research Journal
Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, Performed for the First Time History. 2015. Web.
20 November 2015. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/rhapsody-in-blue-bygeorge-gershwin-performed for-first-time