Hi
Just how hard is Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue?

My (non-musical) fiance heard it on the radio the other day and said he'd be "really impressed" if I could play it! He's not *into* classical (in the generic sense) music, and I'd like to be able to play something he'd actually enjoy hearing me practice!!
I have passed G6 and have been playing G8 stuff for five years or so.

Theres a version for solo piano that I think might be around dip abrsm standard

Yep and unless you can play octave chords really well, it's an utter nightmare! I can do bits of it but never the whole thing....

(I've got the solo piano version)

I've got the MusicMinusOne version - so I guess that's the original score for piano.
It's not easy. There are sections which are fairly straightforward, apart from requiring a big hand (as per jazzywench's octave woes). However it's the syncopated sections that are the real killers - only a couple of notes to each hand but crossing over, cross-rhythms...

Suzy, I think you'll find it's a good challenge! The nice thing about it is that you can probably pick out a couple of the themes and put together a version that's entirely manageable. I went to a concert a while back where they did a version for solo trumpet and was completely thrown as they'd reordered the whole thing in their arrangement!

Ok, doesn't sound TOO terrible so far. I enjoy a challenge Big chords aren't a problem - I have strangely long fingers

Have fun with it!
I bought a copy of the two piano version from Chappell's. It's not great and was rather hoping when I bought the MMO version it'd have a better copy, but t'was the same. I just find it a little cramped. Go the the MMO version if you can- you can order off their website and they're actually very quick at shipping to the UK! (sorry if you're not in the UK - just going on my experience of them)

Cheers Fen, I am in the UK - good to know they'll get it to me soon, I'm keen to start!

I know this is a bit of a late reply...i only just found this forum I have played Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue and found it to be a great learning experience. Some parts can be challenging I found, but because it uses the same rhythm patterns, its not too difficult to master. I have played both the piano solo part which is the solo piano and orcherstra combined for piano, and the piano solo with orchestra. That was a lot of fun!
So good luck with learning it. Hope its coming along well. It still is my favourite orchestral piece to date. And right now im learning the Concerto In F!!

I have a "Joy of Gershwin" book, which has a simplified version of it in

And they need endurance. You need to be good at reiterated notes using both hands overlapping for one section. I'm speaking of the piano solo version.

endurance is pretty important to say the least, by the 29th page your wrists may get a little tired... i have the "original chappell edition" for solo piano. i can play through the whole thing now, but you need octaves sorted out (at a decent speed) before you can even touch some parts of it. but it's an absolutely fantastic piece, and i'd definitely recommend it.

must try it with an orchestra someday..

I've been trying to play the single-piano version since my last school concert in 1987... the bit that kills me is the cross-hands cadenza onwards.. i've not found a piano decent enuff to cope with the rapid repeated percussive notes... either that, or i'm a rubbish pianist!

(probably why i concentrate only on organ these days, it's so much easier to get diplomas if you're a mediocre organist, rather than a run of the mill pianist!)

I may be able to help you as I have played the piece myself. Just not sure exactly on what part you are having trouble. If you mean the part which changes to 2/4 time near the end of the piece, which i think you do.
The way I acomplished that part was to start very slow to make sure I was getting in all the notes and getting correct fingering. Keep a constant beat though, lightly accenting the chords. Then just keep working at it and gradually build up speed. That worked for me. Hope it helps and I hope Im thinking of the part that you are thinking of lol!
Oh and there is no such thing as a rubbish pianist. Things just take practise thats all

I have played it with a 2nd piano playing the orchestra part..its close to orchestra. Very cool though. A piece which always earns tumultuous applause at the end

Me too!!

It arrived this morning!! Yay



It looks very hard

One of my friends can play the entire thing! (He's only 17!!, an amazing pianist though)

I would love to be able to play it! (and the clainet part too, even though I don't actually play the clarinet- I can dream!)