Concerto in F of Gershwin

The Concerto in F is a composition by George Gershwin for Piano solo and Orchestre, nearer to the traditional form of the Concerto than preceding work, Rhapsody in Blue . It was composed in 1925 following a request of the leader Walter Damrosch.

Composition

Damrosch was present at the concert of the February 21st 1924 during which Rhapsody in Blue was created, directed by Paul Whiteman with Gershwin with the piano. The day following the concert, Damrosch contacted Gershwin to order a concerto for piano " to him; large format" for the New York Symphony Orchestrated, nearer to the form traditional of the Concerto and orchestrated by the type-setter. Even if Gershwin were going to receive later courses of Henry Cowell, Wallingford Riegger and Arnold Schoenberg in composition, Harmonie and Orchestration, in 1925, it bought books on the theory, the form of the concerto and the orchestration and thus believed that it had necessary competences. Because of contracts for three musical comedies on Broadway, it was not able to start to write the concerto before the month of May 1925. It began the partition for two pianos on July 22nd, with the return of a voyage to London. The first diagram was entitled New York Concerto . The first movement was written in July, the second in August, and the third in September. The complete orchestrations were finished on November 10th. It was about the first which he orchestrated itself.

First

Gershwin engaged an orchestra of 60 musicians to play the first version in November 1925. Damrosch was present and gave some councils to Gershwin, which made him carry out some revisions of the partition. The first performance public was the December 3rd 1925 with the Carnegie Hall of New York, by the New York Symphony Orchestra directed by Damrosch and with Gershwin with the piano. All the tickets were sold for the concert accommodated very well by the public. On the other hand, criticisms were varied and several were not able to define the work of traditional or jazz. The opinions of the other type-setters also were varied; Igor Stravinski found work brilliant, while Sergei Prokofiev hated it.

Analyzes

The concerto respects the traditional form in three movements:

Allegro
Adagio - Andante idiot motor bike
Allegro agitato

There are great resemblances sets of themes in the first and third movements, while the second movement is obviously influenced the most by the jazz.

Orchestration

The Concerto in F watch of enormous progress in the technique of composition of Gershwin, mainly because he orchestrated itself work, contrary to the Rhapsody in Blue which was orchestrated by Ferde Grofé. The English type-setter William Walton affirmed that he adored the orchestration of the concerto. The partition is written for 2 Flûte S and a Piccolo, 2 Hautbois and a Cor anglais, 2 Clarinette S in B flat and a low clarinet, 2 Basson S, 4 horn S in F, 3 Trompette S in B flat, 3 Trombone S and a tuba, 3 drinking cups (a player), 3 percussionnists (first to play: Large case, bells, Xylophone; second player: clear Case, Wood-block, Slapstick ; third player: crash landing, Cymbal, triangle), Piano solo and string instruments S.

Sources

Kennedy Center/National Symphony Program Notes
San Francisco Symphony - Program Notes

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