Rhapsody in Blue

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His first entry in the ambitious Concerto in F is a touch disappointing...But his playing after that combines dazzling articulation with a feeling for jazz rhythms and big Broadway-style tunes...Litton,... — BBC Music Magazine, October 2012, 4 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 30th Jul 2012
Catalogue No: BISSACD1940
Label: BIS
Length: 73 minutes

Presto Recording of the Week

6th August 2012

This item is currently out of stock at the UK distributor. You may order it now but please be aware that it may be six weeks or more before it can be despatched.

Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F major

Work length40:50

Album only

$9.00

$12.25

Freddy Kempf
Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
Andrew Litton
Recorded: August 2011
Recording Venue: Grieghallen, Bergen, Norway

I. Allegro moderato - Cantabile - Poco meno scherzando

Track length16:31

Album only

$3.85

$5.25

II. Andante con moto

Track length15:20

Album only

$3.85

$5.25

III. Allegro con brio

Track length8:59

$1.50

$1.30

$1.75

Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (Arr. F. Grofe for piano and jazz ensemble)

Work length13:41

$2.05

$5.15

$7.00

Freddy Kempf
Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
Andrew Litton
Recorded: August 2011
Recording Venue: Grieghallen, Bergen, Norway

Gershwin: Second Rhapsody

Work length12:32

$2.05

$5.15

$7.00

Freddy Kempf
Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
Andrew Litton
Recorded: August 2011
Recording Venue: Grieghallen, Bergen, Norway

Gershwin: Variations on I Got Rhythm

Work length6:51

$1.00

$2.60

$3.50

Freddy Kempf
Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
Andrew Litton
Recorded: August 2011
Recording Venue: Grieghallen, Bergen, Norway

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Recording of the Week, Rhapsody in Blue – Grosvenor and Kempf

6th August 2012

Two former BBC Young Musician of the Year prize-winners record Gershwin’s best-known work – Kempf as part of an all-Gershwin programme, Grosvenor alongside Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No. 2.

Freddy Kempf and Andrew Litton with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra here join forces to present a disc of works by George Gershwin.

Rhapsody in Blue was originally arranged by Ferde Grofé for jazz band before being orchestrated for symphony orchestra. Here Kempf and the Bergen Philharmonic play this original version.

Concerto in F was a commission for Gershwin to write a ‘proper’ piano concerto, but still takes the rhythms, melodic structures and bluesy harmonies of popular music.

The disc is completed by Gershwin’s two remaining works for piano and orchestra, the Second Rhapsody and Variations on ‘I Got Rhythm’.

Reviews

October 2012

His first entry in the ambitious Concerto in F is a touch disappointing...But his playing after that combines dazzling articulation with a feeling for jazz rhythms and big Broadway-style tunes...Litton, no slouch himself as a Gershwin pianist, provides an idiomatic accompaniment with his Bergen Philharmonic, resplendently recorded with the piano nicely integrated into the texture.

October 2012

Freddy Kempf is totally efficient and well balanced in this recording, and in the finale his repeated-note panache is breathtaking, threatening to come unstuck - but it never does...The chief attraction of this CD is getting all these pieces together in convincing performances.

6th August 2012

The Piano Concerto is terrifically exciting, with wonderful orchestral sounds and very stylish playing from Kempf. And as a collection of all Gershwin’s music for piano and orchestra on one disc, this is most definitely up there with the very best.

8th September 2012

This is a fun reading [of the Rhapsody], but Kempf doesn’t sound quite as unbuttoned as in the later pieces. There’s plenty of technical brilliance – staggering rapid passage work and articulation, but the emotional thrills are provided by Litton’s Bergen forces... But stick with Kempf – it’s a thrill to hear him slowly drop his guard and deliver a slow movement of melting beauty

Rhapsody in Blue

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Recording of the Week, Rhapsody in Blue – Grosvenor and Kempf

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