The premiere of Rhapsody in Blue in 1924 was considered
an epochal event in the development of American music. So impressed
was the famous conductor Walter Damrosch that he commissioned
the composer to write a fully-fledged piano concerto. Gershwin’s
ideas of the form of a concerto were sketchy, but he taught
himself the facts appropriate to the task and produced his new
Concerto in F in December 1925. It has been very popular ever
since, although some have preferred the Rhapsody in Blue.
The main themes of both the first and middle movements of the
Concerto are wistful and sometimes even sad. The second theme
of the first movement is Gershwin in what might be described
as his “city streets” mood. Gershwin’s variants
and combinations of the two themes throughout the movement are
very imaginative and characteristically charming, ending with
a wonderfully animated version of the second theme. In the second
movement the solo trumpet is practically as important as the
piano. The woodwinds are also significant here and beautifully
scored. The alternation between piano and trumpet produces a
variety of moods, ending with what is perhaps the most famous
theme slowly rising to a climax and then gently dying away.
The last movement is the most traditional, with lots of drive
by the piano, accompanied by a number of subsidiary themes in
the orchestra. Eventually, piano and orchestra combine on one
of these themes, producing a wonderful section leading to a
tutti and then a short reprise of the opening material and the
coda.
Gershwin liked to improvise on his songs at the piano and formalized
this practice when asked to write a work to celebrate the tenth
anniversary of the Rhapsody in Blue. He wrote four variations
for piano and orchestra on I Got Rhythm and it is surely
one of his most charming works. The first variation, after a
clever orchestral introduction, is complex and virtuosic, but
animated and joyous at the same time. The second is a fascinating
waltz, reminiscent of one of the film scores, while the third
is the composer’s conception of Chinese music. The fourth
variation is very rhythmic, with one hand playing the melody
straightforwardly and the other hand upside down. A staccato
piano part and then full orchestra leads to a bluesy finale.
A charming performance, almost as winning as that on Erich Kunzel’s
complete Gershwin set.
On this disk we are also treated to paraphrases in the Lisztian
style of several Gershwin songs and two excerpts from Porgy
and Bess. These are variable in interest. By Strauss
lends itself most naturally to this sort of treatment and comes
out very well. Our Love Is Here to Stay is paraphrased
very interestingly by Mr. Marshall, as is Love Walked In.
The others, especially the opera excerpts, did not impress me.
Wayne Marshall, organist, pianist, conductor, arranger, is both
soloist and conductor on these recordings, originally made in
1992-1995. His piano playing, both of his own paraphrases and
in the Variations, is flawless - full of life. I found him a
little less stimulating in the Concerto and this is also true
of his leadership of the Aalborg Symfonien in this piece. The
group itself occasionally plays roughly, but basically with
a sharp sense of rhythm and joie de vivre. Their woodwinds are
especially good. Altogether, a sound and reasonable disk of
two of Gershwin’s best pieces, although some will prefer
the Kunzel (Telarc) or Rattle (EMI) performances, which are
more finished (see
review).
William Kreindler
Wayne Marshal (piano and conductor); Aalborg Symfoniorkester 
