Sunday Feature: American Rhapsody

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American Rhapsody

BBC Radio 3 - Sunday Feature, American Rhapsody

Olivia Giovetti examines the legacy of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.

Culture writer Olivia Giovetti travels to New York city to examine the legacy of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, which was written and first performed 100 years ago,

George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue was first performed on 12th February 1924 at New York's Aeolian Hall. Written just a handful of weeks prior to its premiere, this astonishing work masterfully blended classical music and jazz in a way that no American composer had done before. This combination of genres has made Rhapsody in Blue not only a near-perfect representation of the times in which it was written - an encapsulation of the spirit of 1920s America - but also, with its worldwide popularity undimmed 100 years on, it has earned its reputation as the quintessential American concert work.

Culture writer Olivia Giovetti travels to New York City to investigate the legacy of Rhapsody in Blue and to ask, 100 years after its premiere, with the United States of America feeling more divided than ever and with many more musical genres and influenes for composers to draw on - is it possible to write a single piece of music that sums up America in 2024?

Olivia talks to luminaries of American music today including Jennifer Higdon, Steve Reich, Anthony Davis, Rachel Grimes, Allison Loggins-Hull and Carlos Simon about their creative process, what has changed in the last 100 years of American music and how they might approach a modern-day Rhaposdy.  

Olivia also meets pianist, singer and Gershwin expert Michael Feinstein who talks through the fascinating stories behind Rhapsody in Blue's conception, while pianists Lara Downes and Vijay Iyer alongside composer Raven Chacon discuss how we might view the piece through a contemporary lens. George Gershwin claimed he heard the Rhapsody "as a sort of musical kaleidoscope of America...of our vast melting pot" - but does the concept of the 'melting pot' hold true in 2024?

Presenter: Olivia Giovetti
Producer: Nick Taylor

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