Gershwin An American in Paris

Three Pieces for Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra is an avant-garde musical composition written by William Russo in 1968. It combines classical music played by an orchestra with blues played by a four-piece band.

George Gershwin (1898-1937) was short-lived, his sister Frances (1906-99) quite the reverse (their brother Ira too), and it was her phone-call to José Serebrier in the year of George’s anniversary that initiated this Centennial Edition recording, first-released on Dinemec Classics and now, twenty years later, reissued on Somm, also calling upon Serebrier to orchestrate the Three Preludes and the Lullaby.

This new album by the great pianist and composer Alain Lefevre unveils the results of three years of hard work by Jacques Marchand, George Nicholson and Alain Lefevre aimed at restoring Andre Mathieu’s famous Concerto No. 3. Presented as a world premiere in February 2017 in Buffalo, where it was performed by Alain Lefevre and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of the renowned JoAnn Falletta, the reconstituted Concerto No. 3 was enthusiastically received by the audience.

Working from Gershwin’s original manuscripts, Steven Richman and the Harmonie Ensemble/New York recapture the lean, unsentimental style the composer intended for 'An American in Paris' and 'Concerto in F', here featuring Lincoln Mayorga as the piano soloist. Also included are the first recordings of the Overture to 'Of Thee I Sing' (radio version) and Roy Bargy’s orchestration of the 'Three Preludes' [pianist and arranger with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra].

Experience the vibrant rhythms and timeless melodies of this stirring programme, consisting of Russo's "Street Music" and "3 Pieces for Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra" alongside Gershwin's "An American in Paris", performed like never before with this exceptional collaboration between the San Francisco Symphony featuring Corky Siegel, The Siegel-Schwall Band, and the renowned conductor Seiji Ozawa. Released on Deutsche Grammophon, this album is a mesmerizing journey through the bustling streets of music, where classical finesse meets the raw energy of street sounds. Immerse yourself in the rich orchestral textures and jazz-infused harmonies that bring Russo and Gershwin's compositions to life.

From the early '60s the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra has remained one of the more prominent of so-called second-tier orchestras in the U.S. In fact, with generally favorable critical response over the years and receipt of two Grammy awards in 2009, the BPO has blurred the distinction somewhat between second-tier and front-rank status. Consisting of 80 members, the orchestra plays about 120 concerts each year, including pops and youth concerts. Its performance venue is Kleinhans Music Hall, considered by many to be one of the most acoustically ideal concert halls in the U.S.

Leonard Bernstein is the conductor of this album consisting of two compositions by George Gershwin: "Rhapsody In Blue" and "An American In Paris". Originally released in 1959, it was later reissued in 1981 and this compact disc was repressed sometime in the late 1980's by CBS, most likely between 1986 to 1988.