George Gershwin: The Annotated Rhapsody in Blue: Advanced Piano Solo Restored to Gershwin's Original Manuscript by Alicia Zizzo

Dr. Zizzo's researched manuscript reveals a hidden treasure that I never heard in any prior version of Rhapsody in Blue. Be sure to purchase both her CD recording and her manuscript. The lost passages and interpretation that she restored brought an amazing story to life for me. It is well documented that Gershwin conceived of the story while on a train trip. I believe that in fact, the piece is a travelogue of a train journey.Have you ever been in a crowded train station, watching the trains coming/going, watching the people, running for your train, finding your seat, beginning your journey, watching towns and stops, and them meeting an interesting person on the train? Well, this is the story that I hear in this new version, so I'm sharing it with you. I cannot hear this story in the prior cut-up versions, but its drama is loud and clear in this version.This restored piece tells me the story of a train journey from Boston to NYC; perhaps an overnight train. The stand-alone blues licks and special effects (e.g. flutter) are train whistles. The rubatos and fermatas are truly stops in train stations along the way, often accompanied by the blues whistles. The re-statement of the theme reflects the different moods of the vistas along the route.The piece begins with the musical motif of the jazzy feel of NYC (m1-15), in anticipation of the trip. There are trains arriving and leaving the station (m16-29). There is excitement with the hustle-and-bustle of trains, crowds, and people rushing about for tickets, luggage, etc. (m30-64). The train whistle is blowing and they are rushing to find their seat for the trip (m65-67), and the final "all aboard" is being hollered with the whistle blowing and the train about to depart from Boston (m68-71). Their trip is finally underway with meas. 72. There are climbs up hills and down in many places (e.g. m105-114; m265-279), through large towns and small, through the countryside. Whenever the tempo resumes a rhythmic baseline, they are underway again. You hear the rhythm of the rails when the train is moving. There is a climb (m176-186) before arriving at spunky town - perhaps that is Mystic CT (m187). Then there is another dramatic entrance before arriving at a swanky town, perhaps it is New Haven, CT (m280).The drama at the center of this story is depicted with the andante theme. You no longer hear the rails in this section! Instead, you hear conversation, and heart-beat rhythms. This is where many sections were cut in the originally published version. The story loses the context and suspense when it is cut. Listen carefully to this version, to hear the full story.The andante theme depicts a romantic dinner with a lady in the dining car... maybe a dream; maybe real. We won't know. I think she boarded in New Haven (m280), George set his eyes on her (m312), she finally noticed him (m320), and he decided to extend a diner invitation (m323)! So they enjoy their romantic dinner (m324-363). Then the conversation gets interesting (m364-387), and they continue their romance with the climaxes outlined (m388-413). They have a parting conversation, with a call-and-response (m414-425). The train whistle (m426-430) snaps them back to reality, and they prepare to return to their normal lives as individuals, after the train reaches its destination. They are nearing the outskirts of NYC (m474), and with a mixture of the theme and the exciting motifs (m475-498), their romantic dream encounter is ending.They are now in sight of NYC (m499) with its grandeur and skyscrapers. All of the passengers are scurrying about to prepare to disembark (m515-535). They have arrived at the station (perhaps Penn Station) (m537). The end refrain (m559... "and many more") reminds us that this was just one journey, and there will be, indeed, many more.Learn this historically accurate piano part. Add your own emotion with your own tempos. Listen to the CD. And dream about what happened during that romantic interlude on that train journey, back to the center of jazz in NYC.