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An American in Paris

Donald Macleod explores George Gershwin鈥檚 time in Paris in the spring of 1928 and the music it inspired.

Donald Macleod explores George Gershwin鈥檚 orchestral work An American in Paris, inspired by the time he spent in the French capital on a visit in the spring of 1928.

After an earlier visit to Paris, in 1926, Gershwin sent a thank-you note embellished with two musical quotations: one was a short section from Rhapsody in Blue; the other was labelled 'An American Paris'. A couple of years later, when he began to work on what was to be an 鈥渙rchestral ballet鈥 with that title, he returned to that little fragment and the challenge of evoking the experience of an American visitor in the French capital.

厂鈥橶辞苍诲别谤蹿耻濒
Frank Braley, piano

The Man I Love (arr. Percy Grainger)
Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano

Nice Work If You Can Get It
London Symphony Orchestra
John Williams, conductor
Joshua Bell, violin

How Long Has This Been Going On
Keith Jarrett, piano
Gary Peacock, double bass
Jack DeJohnette, drums

American in Paris
Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
Antal Dorati, conductor

Rhapsody in Blue
London Symphony Orchestra
Andre Previn, conductor

59 minutes

Music Played

  • George Gershwin

    S'Wonderful

    Performer: Frank Braley.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI : HMG-501883.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 5.
  • George Gershwin

    The Man I Love

    Performer: Isata Kanneh鈥怣ason.
    • DECCA : 485-166-3.
    • DECCA.
    • 8.
  • George Gershwin

    Nice Work If You Can Get It

    Performer: Joshua Bell. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: John Williams.
    • SONY : G0100009115651.
    • SONY.
    • 7.
  • George Gershwin

    How Long Has This Been Going On?

    Performer: Keith Jarrett. Performer: Gary Peacock. Performer: Jack DeJohnette.
    • ECM : 1575-80.
    • ECM.
    • 2.
  • George Gershwin

    An American in Paris

    Orchestra: Minnesota Orchestra. Conductor: Antal Dor谩ti.
    • MERCURY : 475-6856.
    • MERCURY.
    • 1.
  • George Gershwin

    Rhapsody in Blue

    Performer: Andr茅 Previn. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra.
    • EMI : CDC 7-47161-2.
    • EMI.
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Wed 28 Jun 2023 12:00

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