Podcast Summary: "Rhapsody in Blue Inspires at 100"

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Host: Alison Stewart
Date: February 12, 2024

Main Theme

This episode of "All Of It" commemorates the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, a pivotal composition that fused jazz with classical music and has evolved into a cornerstone of American musical culture. Host Alison Stewart is joined by musicians Colin and Eric Jacobsen (artistic directors of The Knights) and pianist/musical activist Lara Downes to explore the piece’s enduring influence, legacy, and the personal meanings it holds for performers and listeners alike. They discuss different versions of the piece, questions of genre, the magic of its creation, and how it continues to inspire innovation and reinterpretation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Enduring Allure of Rhapsody in Blue

[02:40-04:44]

• Favorite Sections:
  • Eric Jacobsen shares the emotional resonance of his favorite moment in the piece—the transition from virtuosic piano flourishes to the intimate, lyrical “love melody” carried by the strings and a simple triangle hit.
    • Quote:

      “It's like the gymnast who raises her arm and then puts it down and it attempts this wild feat ... but it feels completely natural and without any athleticism. And I think it's just love incarnate.”
      (Eric Jacobsen, 03:45)

  • Lara Downes agrees, noting the section’s mixture of forward-looking spirit and nostalgic embrace of late 19th-century Romanticism, as Gershwin tips his hat to composers like Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky.
    • Quote:

      “He's also looking back and he's embracing the other part of his history as a pianist, as a classical composer ... it just kind of, for me, illustrates the long line, the lineage that connects everybody.”
      (Lara Downes, 04:21)

2. What is a Rhapsody?

[05:38-06:49]

• Musical and Literary Origins:
  • Colin Jacobsen explains the rhapsody’s episodic, improvisatory nature, and the Greek roots of the term, meaning "songs stitched together" or "an ecstatic expression of feeling".
    • Quote:

      “A rhapsode ... was sort of an itinerant bard going around reciting and singing Homeric epic. And ... Gershwin was trying to stitch together many songs of America in that piece and part of why it has this lasting legacy.”
      (Colin Jacobsen, 06:19)

3. Rhapsody's Legacy: Through Generations & Interpretations

[06:49-09:12]

• Personal Stories:
  • Listeners call in, sharing how personal connections—like inheriting an Oscar Levant recording from a parent—carries both nostalgia and appreciation for Gershwin’s music.
• Physicality of Performance:
  • A clip of actor Sean Hayes (00:57) describes the toll of performing the piece nightly, necessitating ice baths and compression sleeves.
  • Lara Downes reflects on the "brain exercise" of performing multiple versions: the original 1924 jazz-band version, a solo piano version, the full orchestral 1942 version, and her own new arrangement.
    • Quote:

      “It's such well, well known terrain, but then with each of those versions, I go off in different directions. It's a very multi layered relationship at this point.”
      (Lara Downes, 08:49)

4. Genesis Myth & Its Impact

[09:14-12:41]

• Creation Under Deadline:
  • The story of Gershwin unexpectedly discovering—via a newspaper article spotted by his brother Ira—that he was due to present a jazz concerto in just a month.
  • Eric reflects on legends in music, comparing Gershwin's "rush to finish" to similar mystical stories about Beethoven and Stravinsky.
    • Quote:

      “To do something great, you need a great idea and not quite enough time ... there's an essence that is urgent. And maybe that is part of the mysticism of this piece, that there's urgency and excitement and maybe it's because he didn't quite have enough time.”
      (Eric Jacobsen, 11:51)

5. Contemporary and Ensemble Perspectives

[12:41-14:19]

• Musician Testimonials:
  • Toyin Spellman Diaz, oboist (Imani Winds), describes the unique viewpoint of sitting just in front of the clarinetist during the iconic opening solo at Carnegie Hall. She notes the improvisational spirit retained by soloists even today—mirroring Gershwin’s own hurried, partly improvised composition process.
    • Quote:

      “Lee took Gershwin's lead and made up his cadenzas in Rhapsody in Blue ... He kind of made it up. And Lee Musiker did the same thing in the wonderful New York Pops concert ... I've never seen such a standing O at the Carnegie Hall.”
      (Toyin Spellman Diaz, 13:50)

6. Variations in Performance and Interpretation

[14:26-15:27]

• Recordings and Interpretive Choices:
  • A listener, Benjamin, contrasts a "straightforward," restrained European recording with Andre Previn’s highly expressive, jazz-inflected interpretation, highlighting how Rhapsody in Blue thrives on performer individuality.

7. Rhapsody in Blue: Reimagined for Today

[15:27-17:17]

• Lara Downes’ New Arrangement:
  • A clip is played from her "Rhapsody in Blue Reimagined," enthused by the energy and potential of the piece—not just as an artifact of 1924, but as a living musical “kaleidoscope” reflecting both America’s past and future.
    • Quote:

      “I mean, America was still kind of young, you know, and jazz was very young ... The melting pot in 1924 versus the melting pot today. So much changes so fast, and that’s what we’ve tried to capture in this new version.”
      (Lara Downes, 16:50)

8. Upcoming Events & Final Thoughts

[17:17-17:41]

• Events:
  • The Knights to host Chinese composer Jue Wang at Carnegie Hall as part of their Rhapsody Project, reflecting the ongoing global legacy of Gershwin’s work.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "It's just about as beautiful a moment in history ... love incarnate." — Eric Jacobsen (03:45)
• "For me, it illustrates the long line, the lineage that connects everybody." — Lara Downes (04:21)
• “Stitch together many songs of America in that piece ... part of why it has this lasting legacy.” — Colin Jacobsen (06:19)
• “To do something great, you need a great idea and not quite enough time …” — Eric Jacobsen (11:51)
• “He called it the musical kaleidoscope of America. And that … I just love that phrase so much ... the melting pot in 1924 versus the melting pot today ... that's what we've tried to capture in this new version.” — Lara Downes (16:42)

Important Timestamps

• 00:41 – Introduction to Rhapsody in Blue and its premiere
• 02:40 – Musicians discuss their favorite moments from the piece
• 05:47 – What makes a rhapsody, historically and musically
• 07:57 – Sean Hayes describes performing Rhapsody in Blue nightly
• 09:14 – The mythic origins: Gershwin learns he must compose in a month
• 12:41 – Musician callers discuss performing and interpreting the piece
• 15:27 – Listener feedback on recordings, Lara Downes' reimagined version played
• 16:42 – Lara Downes on the new arrangement and what it means today
• 17:17 – Upcoming events, concluding remarks

Tone & Energy

The tone of this episode is celebratory, nostalgic, and reflective, balancing technical musicianship with personal anecdotes and historical context. The guests speak with warmth, a sense of community, and shared admiration for Gershwin’s genius—their enthusiasm is infectious, whether discussing performance challenges, history, or creative reinterpretation.

Summary Usefulness:
This summary covers the episode’s major themes, musicians' and listeners' insights, colorful anecdotes, historical background, and provides a clear map of discussed topics with quotes and timestamps, allowing those who missed the conversation to appreciate the ongoing magic and reinvention of Rhapsody in Blue.