PDA

View Full Version : Gershwin's rhapsody in blue - jazz or classical ?



Green_not_greed
02-Dec-12, 18:40
OK its been a lovely relaxing Sunday (bar my usual 5 mile run) and most of the day I've been listening to "The Top 100 Masterpieces of Classical Music". Now as those who know me, my musical tastes are extremely varied and I don't particularly like putting anything into a particular "box". By that I mean should I consider, say Frank Zappa, to be filed under rock, jazz, progressive, fusion or just plain genius ? I just file him under Zappa.


To get to the point, track 44 of the "100 greatest classical masterpieces" is Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. This jumps out quite a bit from Mozart, Beethoven, Berber, etc...... I would consider Rhapsody in Blue to be jazz, not really classical. It certainly has a foot in both camps. So was wondering other opinions. Thoughts welcome.

fred
02-Dec-12, 19:12
To get to the point, track 44 of the "100 greatest classical masterpieces" is Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. This jumps out quite a bit from Mozart, Beethoven, Berber, etc...... I would consider Rhapsody in Blue to be jazz, not really classical. It certainly has a foot in both camps. So was wondering other opinions. Thoughts welcome.

My opinion? Classical.

While it contains many elements of Jazz to my mind it is too fixed, does not allow enough to individual interpretation to be Jazz.

Ballymore
02-Dec-12, 19:17
Rhapsody in Blue combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects is what Wikepedia says!
Whatever it is and however listeners interpret it, I find it a wonderful masterpiece of music and a great enjoyment to listen to.

Green_not_greed
02-Dec-12, 19:56
Rhapsody in Blue combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects is what Wikepedia says!
Whatever it is and however listeners interpret it, I find it a wonderful masterpiece of music and a great enjoyment to listen to.

LOL I never looked at Wikipedia. But do enjoy it very much.

Kodiak
02-Dec-12, 20:02
Simply put it is "Classic Jazz"

Rheghead
02-Dec-12, 20:11
I listen to ClassicFM quite regularly and it seems to me in the last few years that a lot of jazz of different types is getting played more frequently.

sids
02-Dec-12, 22:18
Like, labels are a drag, man.

Why call it anything?

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/tritonthrasher/image-13.jpg

Kenn
03-Dec-12, 00:29
I would go with classical jazz laced with a hint of The Blues.

fred
03-Dec-12, 10:11
I would go with classical jazz laced with a hint of The Blues.

To me jazz and blues are both folk music, folk music does the rounds first and is written down second, it is people playing what they feel.

Rhapsody in Blue was commissioned, written to order for money.

davem
03-Dec-12, 11:21
It's got to be Jazz for me, it would never have had players able to do it justice without Jazz. The effects the players use -phrasing and timing- it is of a time and does combine lots of elements, but for me Jazz has got to be the biggest influence. Not least it is Jazz players in the band.
Thats my tuppence worth :)

Kasper King
03-Dec-12, 12:08
I have to place it in the Jazz camp.

davem
03-Dec-12, 12:27
BTW I wish Jazz FM would play some jazz occasionally

Whitewater
03-Dec-12, 13:03
It has a definite jazz feel, but as Fred says it is too fixed, jazz is free flowing and is simply an interpretation of what the musician feels.
In my young days I spent some time in the Salvation Army band and also happened to be a great jazz fan, I really loved their music, many of their themes were taken directly from jazz. As the founder William Booth said "why should the devil have all the best tunes". I used to play the euphonium, but have not played for many years, doubt if I could blow one now.

George Brims
03-Dec-12, 20:13
To me jazz and blues are both folk music, folk music does the rounds first and is written down second, it is people playing what they feel.
That Beethoven bloke once said that ALL music is folk music.