Even though this CD is not a soundtrack release of a film score, I still
feel that it had a place in being reviewed here, especially since I've
become addicted to Rhapsody in Blue (and I guess that since it was
one of the main pieces in Fantasia 2000, it could be considered a
film score of sorts). Gershwin was a big name in the concert world during
the early 20th century. His style primarily consisted of the fusion of
jazz and classical orchestra, a process which, according to conductor
Walter Damrosch, "made a lady out of jazz." This style that
would go on to become a staple with some well known film composers such as
John Barry and Lalo Schifrin.
Probably the best example of this would have to be Rhapsody in Blue.
While not possessing a "big" orchestral sound (instead a lone
piano is really the main instrument of the piece), Gershwin does not
neglect the other orchestral sections and he uses them to great effect.
The piano gets backed up with the orchestral accompaniment at the most
interesting times and it is always a great treat when this happens. The brass sections are terrific (I always enjoy it when the brass
elements contribute greatly to the overall accompaniment). Even though
this piece has been played to death (usually in isolated sections) it is
still highly enjoyable when taken on its own even taking the 18-minute
running time into consideration (it really doesn't feel like it's that
long which is the mark of a good piece). Some of the sections remind me of
Carl Stalling's music for the Looney Tunes shorts (he probably got his
inspiration from this style), but it just serves to make the piece all
that more fun to listen to.
The other selections continue to carry on the same general style, though
none of them match the sheer enjoyment factor of Rhapsody. Variations
on "I Got Rhythm" comes the closest though as the constant
twisting around of that rather simple tune is really fascinating. Some of
the remaining selections, like the Cuban Overture, manage to
delve into other cultural sounds while still retaining that jazz element.
The end result is always really good.
I've always liked the Eric Kunzel/Cincinnati Pops albums and the
performances here are first-rate. I really don't think you could find a
better performance of these selections and it manages to keep a 20s feel
to it while at the same time possessing the advanced sound quality of the 21st century. I
highly recommended this CD to anyone interested in the music of George Gershwin
or to those who are just jazz fans in general. ****
