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Since this work was first published after 1927 with the prescribed copyright notice, it is unlikely that this work is public domain in the USA. However, it is in the public domain in Canada (where IMSLP is hosted), the EU, and in those countries where the copyright term is life+70 years or less. |
| Composition Year | 1931 |
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| Genre Categories | Rhapsodies; For piano, orchestra; Scores featuring the piano; |
Contents |
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| Work Title | Second Rhapsody |
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| Alternative. Title | Rhapsody in Rivets |
| Composer | Gershwin, George |
| I-Catalogue NumberI-Cat. No. | IGG 18 |
| Key | F major |
| Year/Date of CompositionY/D of Comp. | 1931 |
| First Performance. | 1932-01-29 in Boston, Symphony Hall.
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| First Publication. | 1932 - 2-piano verion. 1951 - R. McBride's reorchestration Gershwin's original orchestration remains unpublished. |
| Average DurationAvg. Duration | 10 minutes |
| Composer Time PeriodComp. Period | Early 20th century |
| Piece Style | Early 20th century |
| Instrumentation | piano, orchestra |
| External Links | Wikipedia article |
The form most commonly heard today is a re-orchestrated version by Robert McBride created fourteen years after Gershwin's death. McBride was assigned by Frank Campbell-Watson (the music editor for Gershwin's publisher New World Music) to completely rescore the piece. Since this version is the only one offered by the publisher, it has been almost impossible for orchestras to perform the piece as Gershwin envisioned it.
Most of Gershwin's orchestrations have been vastly simplified. For example, the string quartet portion of the adagio was inexplicably rescored for violin, clarinet, oboe, and cello. Many string passages were reassigned to other instruments, or instruments that formerly had solos now have other instruments doubling their passages. Also, eight measures excised by the composer were re-added to the recapitulation by the editor.
Michael Tilson Thomas has been a promulgator of Gershwin's original version, as he sought out the original manuscript in the library as the basis of his 1985 recording and for his later performances.
