Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue & An American in Paris - Grofé:

Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue & An American in Paris - Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite

Back in the 1950s and '60s, when George Gershwin was taken for granted more than he was respected, Leonard Bernstein was one of his only champions in high-classical-music circles, and to judge from these recordings, he got away with a lot. He would seem to be attempting to out-swagger Arthur Fiedler in the jazzier passages, but on the plus side, what can sound freeze-dried with some conductors has a welcome heat here, especially in An American in Paris. That piece receives one of its best-ever recordings and sounds great in the bright, clear recording venue, Brooklyn's Hotel St. George. However, Bernstein's tempo extremes tax the cohesion of Rhapsody in Blue. And GrofÃ©'s Grand Canyon Suite receives a sympathetic performance, though the acoustics of the Lincoln Center recording venue are so cavernous and diffuse you'd think it was recorded in the location of the title. --David Patrick Stearns
Country USA
Brand Masterworks
Manufacturer Sony Classical
Binding Audio CD
ItemPartNumber 1693774
Model 2011920
ReleaseDate 1997-10-28
UnitCount 1
UPCs 074646308622
EANs 0074646308622

Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue & An American in Paris - Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite