Gershwin's rhapsody in blue - jazz or classical ?

[Green_not_greed]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Simply put it is "Classic Jazz"

[Rheghead]

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]

Like, labels are a drag, man.

Why call it anything?

[Kenn]

I would go with classical jazz laced with a hint of The Blues.

[fred]

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]

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]

I have to place it in the Jazz camp.

[davem]

BTW I wish Jazz FM would play some jazz occasionally

[Whitewater]

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]

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.