Search - Arthur Fiedler :: Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue

Theme music for bon vivants.

John M Walker | Omaha, NE United States | 08/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One must be looking pretty hard for this CD to find it way toward the end of the listings -- a buyer looking for a recording of Rhapsody in Blue has a plethora to chose from.



I have only listened to two -- the other by another world renowned conductor -- and it's my opinion that Fiedler gets it right. I don't pretend to be highly educated about music, but the timing and flavor of this recording sounds right on to me.



Modern listeners who are not already aware of this will recognize Rhapsody in Blue as the theme music for United Airlines; it has been for many years now. I've always thought this was a wonderful match. Rhapsody in Blue was considered the theme song for the Roaring Twenties, and what United offers, hopping around the world, is also suggestive of good times, and good living.



I have the privilege to fly United's routes across the Pacific for pleasure travel fairly often (enough to be a 100k flyer), and it's become something of a ritual with me to listen to this recording on my way to the airport; it just seems to set the right mood for a long flight to Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney, or Shanghai.



This is one of my most listened to CDs. Rhapsody in Blue is one of my all time favorites (An American in Paris is also delightful, but I admit I listen to it less), and this recording sets a wonderful mood."

One of the best Gershwin discs!

Tchaikovsky Fan | US | 08/31/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Fiedler and the Boston Pops have turned out another great disc! Rhapsody in Blue sounds fantastic, one of the best recordings of it!! In this recording, you get to hear the jazz side of it, with the beautiful saxaphone section. That right there makes it a great recording, along with that there are some sections that I never heard before, that I really like. My other recording of this song is by Leonard Bernstein, and doesn't include the extra sections like this one has. So, I'd have to say this recording is better than Bernstein's, for the reason that he doesn't bring out the Jazz side like Fiedler does. Now, that right there is a big statement, saying that someone is better than Bernstein, so this recording must be fantastic, and it is! Now we move on to the amazing An American in Paris! This is a truly amazing recording, complete with taxi horns. No, not a silly kind of french horn, the real thing, like a New York taxi, but just the horn. I think that Bernstein and Fiedler are about the same on this one, so both are a superb recording! Gershwin's Concerto in F sounds fantastic, as paired with the great pianist, Earl Wild! Mr. Wild makes this recording spectacular with his amazind piano skills. Also he has great accompinament with Fiedler and the Boston Pops. Overall, this is a truly amazing disc, and is highly, highly recommended!"