Originally titled "Rhumba", this is the last movement of the overture, which was composed in 1932. It was an immediate success for the composer. It's debut in a New York stadium that same year on an "All-Gershwin" program was a major cultural event. Twenty thousand fans of the composer were in attendence with another 10,000 or so listening from outside the gates. He later wrote the evening was his most satisfying professional experience.
It was retitled in 1933 for its debut at Carnegie Hall to better reflect the total theme of the composition. It continues to be one of his most popular works, and was inspired by a two-week vacation he took to the island nation.
source:Wikipedia
Gershwins contribution to music was phenomenal. I love to look at the clips of orchestras and big bands of the 40s and 50s what an exciting time that was! The money taken for that concert, must have had the bank managers rubbing their hands with glee !
ReplyDeleteThis piece certainly gets the foot tapping. Thank you Doug!
I cannot ever remember hearing this compilation/ piece. It was nice change of pace. Not my typical cup of tea. Thank you for introducing me to some new music
ReplyDeleteIndeed Cassandra. You could make the argument--rock-and-roller at heart as I am--that that mid-century era that produced George and Ira Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern et al, was the great era of American music. Gershwin blended much of the best of European symphonic and folk music, Latin/Caribbean and African-American Gospel together in so much of his his work, "phenomenal" is the only word to describe it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it--it's a piece I had on an LP album, the "B" side of "Rhapsody in Blue" years ago, and I completely forgot about it--until I went poking about on You Tube.
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