Customer Reviews for Rhapsody In Blue (Original)
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loveravel
Location: from San Diego, CA
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
May 29, 2011
Very satisfied
As for the publication quality, I applaud the paper and print quality; only the staples on the spine are a negative. Easy to read notation (no fingering) and understandable ornaments and grace notes make this a good study and practice book. The music itself is awesome, and Gershwin wrote for pianists. Meaning the figures and phrases fit the hand beautifully. No awkward reaches, wrist-mangling note clusters, or impossible chords to frustrate the performer. As an aside, I wish the well-written forward included the author's name. At any rate, I am enjoying this music to the hilt; and I hope someone reads this and explores this and/or his other fine piano works.
18 of 33 people found this review helpful.
Louis Ong
Location: from Singapore
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
February 9, 2010
You just need perseverance.
This song may seem extremely daunting for some but it turns out that with many many many hours of practise you can play it! This is much like the original piano duet and is an enjoyable piece.
26 of 48 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from
Difficulty Level:
Not sure
November 12, 2008
seems fine
I bought this song as a gift for my brother who's been playing the piano for 10 years, on and off; he seems to like it, and from what I've heard him play, it sounds like a good arrangement. I don't know how hard it should be rated; he wanted something fairly difficult, but that's a relative term...I might call it intermediate/advanced.
26 of 52 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from DeLand, Florida
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
September 27, 2008
Very Advanced
Definitely NOT for beginners OR intermediate students - - - this is at the level of virtuoso pianists. Original piano solo version written by George Gershwin himself. Very challenging.
28 of 56 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
September 25, 2008
Amazing song:Full version
This is such a beautiful and amazing song!! I am so happy to now own the full version. :D but it is very very advanced!!!!!! crazy hard
28 of 58 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from san francisco, ca
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
August 5, 2008
amazing
this piece is amazing! i agree with all the other reviews, however I have to disagree with the people who say that you need tons of experience. i'm only 17 years old and i've got this piece down...yes it took far longer than any other piece i've played, but it is possible and with a good teacher, its definitely doable. plus its amazing to play for people. they're impressed by just the first measure!
17 of 35 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from California
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
June 17, 2008
Little Warning
This piece is amazing and definitely worth learning. It is very, very hard. Just warning everyone that this piece is time consuming. It will take you probably a little less than a year, or more to truly do it justice. Only buy this if you are really motivated.
11 of 18 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Cleveland, OH
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
May 30, 2008
Awesome!
This is absolutely wonderful to play and challenging enough to keep you working on it for a while. This is a great piece and one of my favorites.
7 of 12 people found this review helpful.
Glenn Adams
Location: from Escondido, Ca.
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
May 8, 2008
Finally the complete score!
Usually you find only fragments of this piece. Finally the complete original score! Thank you!
9 of 15 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Cambridge MA
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
March 24, 2008
An awesome piece of music
I expected a lot from this sheet music before buying it because I was familiar with the piece already. It lived up to my expectations.
7 of 15 people found this review helpful.
Kyle
Location: from
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
February 11, 2008
Rhapsody: An endless battle for good skills & song
George Gershwin, who was an extremely smart musician, wrote this piece with determination and made it his most famous. This piece is a direct transpose of his own hand writting. In my opinion as a pianist, Beginers DO NOT TRY THIS PIECE!! It is too far advanced for you and you need perfect form, skills and many years expierience. This piece is the one you hear when you hear the piano solo recorded version. In my opinion, it is worth the price and the outcome (if you can overcome Gershwin's powerful theory and mind games in this piece. Good luck and I hope you can conquer it like me. P.S.(It is a classical piece with a jazzy backgroud and difficult rythms and many many many key changes.
8 of 16 people found this review helpful.
billy joyce
Location: from springfield missouri
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
February 11, 2008
good very good
this arrangement is very good and also a little tricky in some parts.i am 15 years old and have been playing for 5 years and if you are good well really good and you have the right teacher you can get it accomplished in about 6 monthes so dont let these other reviews scare you its a must have for any pianist.
9 of 16 people found this review helpful.
Mike
Location: from Phoenix, AZ
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
February 8, 2008
Difficult But Amazing
This piece is a classic. Unless you are quite good, it will take some practice to be able to play through the whole song. The great thing about this piece is how it relies a lot upon your interpretation. Definitely a keeper.
9 of 14 people found this review helpful.
Sarah
Location: from Portsmouth, NH
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
December 29, 2007
Not "just a piece of music" !!!
After coming back to my piano again and again, after many 2-3 years off in my life; as life takes over; I have become to rely on this piece as my "get me back into my groove" piece. It has every lesson and trick in it, although I know I will never play it to the Master's perfection. Whether I pick away at it page by page, or sit and study the actual composition of it, meditating it's every possibility for what is expected of each measure, this piece belongs in every musician's library, from intermediate-(late?), on; even if just to be slowly picked apart by the eyes, and "being that special piece"; giving something to strive for some day. (...and hopefully not stop there.)
7 of 16 people found this review helpful.
Angelo Muirragui
Location: from Port Saint Lucie, Fla.
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
November 21, 2007
The National Anthem of Popular American Music.
Gershwin imparted a distinctive spirit to this composition, within the strict patterns of the rhapsodic style: expressive, abundant and extravagant enthusiasm. A sound that became all American. And this Rhapsody for piano is the most characteristic. And, without question,the cornerstone of American Music.It should be in the repertoire of all american pianists.
8 of 13 people found this review helpful.
John
Location: from College Station, Texas
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
November 7, 2007
Great!
One of the greatest pieces ever written, if not the best. I am learning it piece-wise, committing it slowly but surely to memory. This particular version is the original with no changes. Although I have played it many many times, I still get a thrill from playing it.
10 of 17 people found this review helpful.
Alex
Location: from
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
September 11, 2007
A Wonder for Piano
I'm 15 years old and last sunday, I gave a concert. In June my repetoire needed one piece to complete the concert, and so work on Rhapsody in Blue begun. I've been playing classical for 2 years, and this piece, even though it has a jazz style, grabbed my heart. The "Adante expressivo" section brought tears to my eyes and everyone else at the concert. But after 10 weeks of hard hard work, this masterpiece is yours. However, this piece is not for the faint-hearted or beginners, for the ending is murder and the "agitato" section at the end should NOT be slowed but sped on at the speed of lighting. It's brilliant.
8 of 17 people found this review helpful.
joseph f denara
Location: from port st lucie, florida
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
July 24, 2007
Rhapsody in blue
Excellent piece of work with some degree of difficulty. Requires the skill of a more accomplished pianist. Fortunately, I studied many years at a conservatory level. Consequently, was able to play the selection after playing it several times.
9 of 15 people found this review helpful.
Chase W.
Location: from Richmond, IN
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
June 26, 2007
Rhapsody in Blue
This is an amazing song. A true work of art. That being said, this is no easy piece whatsoever. Expect to devote all your practice time to this it. But once you get it you feel pretty accomplished.
8 of 15 people found this review helpful.
Adam
Location: from Greencastle, IN
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
May 16, 2007
Great Piece of Music
This piece is not for the beginner, but I am really enjoying learning this piece. The arrangement is very good, and the book is top quality. I particularly like classical music and some jazz music, and this piece seems to bring the two styles together.
8 of 17 people found this review helpful.
Tom
Location: from Los Angeles, CA
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
May 1, 2007
Excellent for the Dexterous
I'm very impressed with those who say they worked this version out in a few months and have only been playing the piano for 5 years. I have played for 30 years and I have yet to master this arrangement. It is an orchestral reduction which means you are playing every part including the piano. There is a section near the end just after the bottom to top glissando that is seemingly impossible up to tempo. I would love to hear a recording from those reviewers who say they have mastered this version. Don't let those who say "intermediate" fool you. If you play every note up to tempo...it is VERY difficult.
7 of 15 people found this review helpful.
Rob
Location: from Boston, MA
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
April 19, 2007
Bravo!
This is one of the greatest musical feats ever accomplished. If you plan on playing this, make sure that you can solely concentrate on this piece ONLY! It goes by so much quicker if this is the only piece that you have to practice. An excellent choice though!
6 of 14 people found this review helpful.
James
Location: from Kalaheo, HA
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate
April 12, 2007
Swing King!!!!
A beautiful piece of music from a master. You need a good beat and some experience to play this composition, but it pays off in the end. This style of music helps in your career, progressively making you step up. I have been playing for about 5 years and I love this piece as one of the greatest compositions in its genre.
8 of 14 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
March 30, 2007
Rhapsody In Blue
5 stars.
9 of 17 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Wisconsin
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
February 22, 2007
Not for the easy-queasy!
I saw the preview for the first page of music, and I thought, sure, I can handle this. This'll be my project. No sweat. Good song. How bad could it be? I discovered how bad it was. I opened it up, flipped through it, and almost passed out. It sounds like the compressed version of the recording I discovered (meaning a full band playing through one little piano), which makes me happy. I've spent half my life playing piano, and I don't think that I will ever perfect this piece. Note that I rated it advanced. That is an understatement to end all understatements. Still, it's a good song to just fake through. I really, really, really like it. If you can devote time and patience (lots of patience) to it, this song is for you. Even if you don't have the time or the patience, it's a great reminder to just how much more you can improve and become a better musician. In other words, BUY IT!
6 of 12 people found this review helpful.
Will
Location: from
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
November 8, 2006
5 Star book
This book is complicated, but not to hard. If you are going to play it for a recital and didn't know what to get, now you do. Guess which, this one!
9 of 15 people found this review helpful.
10th Notes
Location: from Cambridge U., London, UK
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
January 31, 2008
A Classic
An easy and fun piece that I learned in 4 weeks, and I'm only 9 years old! Seriously, an excellent and timeless testpiece for performance and fun. From reading these reviews it is apparent that if you're a wee young'n, you tend to downgrade the difficulty of this piece. Most folks that have been professional performers for 20+ yrs don't sit down and have this ready in a few wks. Sorry, kids, I, too, would like to hear a recording of this after you've worked on it for a few weeks. Show some respect.
10 of 19 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Livonia, MI
July 27, 2006
Advanced piece with ease
i am a piano teacher and have had students bring me this piece (i of course know it)...overall, there are some very practical and sightreadable sections in this for the advanced player, and then there are a few parts, that while few, they take a lot of time to work out until they are done well...i started learning this piece when i was 15 (and a professional player at the time), and it took a year and a half to have it near to perfect....so basically, if you're up for a good challenge, and a piece that isn't a complete nightmare, this is a good piece as long as your willing to devote lots of time and effort to it.
10 of 16 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Billings, MT
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
June 20, 2006
Amazing!
I first started to play the smaller version. But, I thought that it was kinda shorter than I thought. But, I found this version and the 2 piano version. There are a couple parts missing in this one and I would recommend the 2 piano part to anyone who loves this song! It took me about 3 1/s months to completley finish this great peice. I would recommend- piano concerto no.1 by Tchaikowsky, and piano concerto no.3 by Prokofiev. They are both very challenging, but very rewarding!!!
6 of 15 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Colorado
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
May 31, 2006
Amazing Composition!!!
I'm 14 and I recently started to learn this 31-page piece of music. I have been playing since before I can't remember-- I think that my grandma sat me down at a piano when I was 2 or 3. It is a somewhat difficult piece, but it's nothing that someone who has been playing for several years can't fairly easily run through. There are a couple sections that take a few minutes to work out and get up to speed, but it is a wonderful piece that I would recommend to anyone!!! It combines some run work as well as some big chords, and the different musical themes are great. This composition is an amazing work that would be worth anyone's time to learn!
7 of 14 people found this review helpful.
Price Walden
Location: from Booneville, M
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
March 6, 2006
AWESOME
This piece is awesome. I just bought it and it is musical genius. George gershwin was one of the most amazing composers that ever lived and this was his greatest accomplishment.
9 of 14 people found this review helpful.
Andrew Stephens
Location: from Cowgill, MO
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
March 5, 2006
Amazing!
What other song is there than can grasp so many styles in the same theme? I love this music. First thing I did was listen to the recording of the song I have and followed the music to make sure it was complete, and it was! I still have more to learn, but I KNOW I'll love it!
5 of 11 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
January 5, 2006
perfect
good music challengeing
7 of 13 people found this review helpful.
Alex Porter
Location: from Gilbert, AZ
August 8, 2005
WOW with a capitol W!!!
My goodness this is an amazing piece of music. it is very complete and is worth so much more than the price. this is a classic piece that can actually improve your piano playing skills and open them up to new concepts! This is a must have!!!!!!
7 of 14 people found this review helpful.
Jane
Location: from Michigan
July 24, 2005
This is an awesome song!
I've been playing this since I was 13, and I've loved every bit of it. People didn't think I could do it, but I proved them wrong by my infinte stubborness :) It's important to remember that this is NOT the original music that Gershwin himself played at the Whiteman Concert. At that concert, Gershwin didn't have the music written for the piano, he improvised. This wasn't written until after and it sounds slightly different from the orchestra recordings. It is still very satisfactory to play. I would recommend this copy instead of an easier arrangement. I'm not a fabulous piano player, so if I can learn it, so can you!
4 of 12 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Maryland
June 19, 2005
Absolutely Amazing
When I ordered this piece, most people refused to think that i could play it. Though, for the dedicated pianist, this is a great piece to learn and share.
6 of 11 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from San Antonio, Tx
April 28, 2005
This Is The Best Of Gerswin
Rhapsody In Blue is awesome, yeah in some parts it was tough but it was worth sitting down and practicing for.All of my freinds in school said i couldn't do it since i'm only 13 ..... but man did i prove them wrong!
7 of 16 people found this review helpful.
Patrick D
Location: from Mississauaga, ONT, CANADA
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
December 26, 2004
All i want for christmas is my rhapsody.
Hey this is an amaizng piece but can be extremely if u don't play it often. I askes for this for christmas along with canon in d, root beer rag, and scott joplins books and this song is tied for first place with joplin. honestly i cannot describe how amazing this is.
9 of 14 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from arizona
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
October 17, 2004
BEST SONG EVER
I am 14 and this song was very very hard, but if your older than me I'm sure you can play it.
6 of 14 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from St. Louis, MO
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
June 10, 2004
genious
Rhapsody in Blue as Gershwin originally intended it to be. I only rated this piece as advanced because of a few sections that are VERY difficult but for the most part a good intermediate player can manage. It is extremely lamentable that Gershwin died so young, the world missed out what surely would have been some (more) of the best music ever written.
7 of 14 people found this review helpful.
mark
Location: from Greenville, MI
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
June 9, 2004
tip to anyone who has this arrangement..
Get the annotated rhapsody in blue put out by Alicia Zizzo. This is a good arrangement but the annotated version is the COMLETE and ORIGINAL version that gershwin wrote and performed on Jan. 7, 1924. It has parts in it that do not exist in any other version (piano or orchestral) of the piece.
10 of 18 people found this review helpful.
Dave
Location: from Marlyand
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
June 5, 2004
Possibly THE best American composition..
This was the first "concerto" that I've ever played publically (I'm only seventeen), and it was an amazing experience. This piece is exciting and tremendously fun, and even though I'm more of a classical pianist, I enjoyed learning this piece thoroughly. Parts of it are quite difficult, but there's nothing too bad for other amateurs like myself. I would highly recommend this work to all serious pianists, even if you don't plan on playing it publically. It's such a beautiful and exciting piece of music, that it would be a shame to pass it up.
8 of 16 people found this review helpful.
Cindy
Location: from Elk River, MN
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
February 3, 2004
Wonderful
I first got this song when I was 11, and I have been working on it since! It's an amazing piece that challenges you beyond what you already know. It allows you to expirement and to learn new techniques. Gershwin was a genius, and this song is probably the peak of his genius. Anybody who wants a challenge and loves hard and exciting music should definetly buy this.
9 of 14 people found this review helpful.
Pappy615
Location: from Southold, NY
Difficulty Level:
Intermediate/advanced
January 10, 2004
couldn't be happier.
Self-taught pianist speaking. This is the only thing I asked for for Christmas, and I could not be happier. It's beautiful. Note-for-note this is his arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue. Granted, he's been known to improve when performing as a piano solo, and measures were added at several of his performances, but this is what he intended for it's debut. (orchestrated, that is) It's perfect. It's gorgeous. I STRONGLY advise ANY serious pianist to pick this arrangement up. You won't be sorry by any means.
7 of 15 people found this review helpful.
Steve S.
Location: from Rock Springs, WY
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
October 9, 2003
Absolutely Fabulous
The first thing I need to say about this piece of music is that it is NOT EASY! I bought this piece about five years ago when I still was a piano student from a novice teacher. I loved the song, but immediately gave up because of the difficulty. After passing college, though, the piece became really fun to play. I reccomend it to anyone who wants a challenge.
6 of 16 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Cornell
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
September 28, 2003
In a world of its own
The greatest thing about Rhapsody is that it needs no orchestration to make the music lover happy. Its brillance combining classical and impromptu jazz music is right there in the piano solo. I'll be a very happy person when i'm done learning it.
5 of 11 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from New York, NY
September 25, 2003
Hours of enjoyment
I just picked up the piano again after years of playing as a teenager and found this piece to be motivating in terms of getting my skills up to speed. Totally enjoyable and engrossing.
7 of 15 people found this review helpful.
Piano Man
Location: from Rhode Island
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
July 15, 2003
A Must For Any Serious Player
I bought this piece when I was 11 after hearing it in Fantasia 2000. I fell in love with the song and learned it for my recital. It was a little bit too difficult then, so I simplified some of the chords and edited the length of the piece. Now, 3 years later, I can play the entire piece as it was meant to be played, and it sounds terrific. There's no substitute for this version. Get it now and wow your friends.
7 of 16 people found this review helpful.
Jonathan Díaz
Location: from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
June 25, 2003
The Greatest Piano Solo Ever!
I'm 17 and I was in love with Franz Liszt Hungarian Rapshody #2 when I finally memorized it. When I learned this Rapshody in blue, I forgot about Hungarian Rapshody #2. I am addicted to Rapshody in blue!If you buy it, I'm sure you will too!
9 of 15 people found this review helpful.
GLP
Location: from South Carolina
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
June 4, 2003
great music
This is the greatest piece ever written, also a very difficult one at that. I'm 15, and I have been playing for two years. I bought this piece about a month ago, still needs more work, but thats part of the fun; this is the closest to the recordings ive heard, only a few parts arent there;its surprisingly very accurate. in the end anyone who buys this will definitely satisfied whether you are a concert pianist or just the average player. I can't wait until I get the whole song down, and memorized, wish me luck!
6 of 15 people found this review helpful.
Tim
Location: from Ny
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
February 18, 2003
awesome
This piano solo is a must have for every musician out there. i'm 15 and it took me about a month to fully complete it and in another month i memorized it. it is a great great piece to play anytime you want to.
7 of 15 people found this review helpful.
Jason
Location: from Pawtucket, RI
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
February 12, 2003
Gershwin made me happy!
Rhapsody in Blue is great. And you can always play it differently! Somtimes faster or slower, sometimes louder or more quietly, sometimes hard or light, sometimes wrong or right. . . . You can play it, when you're bored, when you want the time to fly. . . Look at the clock 18 minutes have gone by. . . You can play it when you're happy or when you're sad, or when you're sick or mad. . . . Now all I wanted to say here at. . . Rhapsody in Blue is the greatest piano solo piece to get! ;)
7 of 15 people found this review helpful.
Sarah
Location: from Forest Lake, MN
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
December 7, 2002
Wow
I am not a very advanced player but I bought the piece anyway because I loved the song so much. Not only has it been a challenge but it has also helped to expanded my abilities. This is definately my favorite piece and I can't wait to have it memorized.
8 of 14 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Colorado Springs, CO
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
November 11, 2002
A must have!!!
I'm still very young (13), but I like this song so much, that I practice as much as I can, even if it takes a year or longer! I love Rhapsody in Blue!!!!!
6 of 14 people found this review helpful.
Jack Morris
Location: from Glastonbury, CT.
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
October 9, 2002
Perfection
With every great composer you find one or two works that are truly perfect. Of all the great piano works, this ranks at the top. I bought the piano solo score over 25 years ago and I just couldn't put it down until I had it memorized. It is one of those few pieces that I never tire of listening to or playing. It is so enjoyable to play. And it is probably the best piece for interpretation. You can play this one hundred times and each time you can play it significantly different. Different tempo, different phrasing, the possibilities are limitless. It is open to the fullest artistic expression of any piece that I can think of. It is really a great piece for both the player and the listener.
9 of 16 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Seattle, WA
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
March 19, 2002
NOT JUST FOR UNITED AIRLINES ANYMORE
For a decade or more, UAL's incessant repitition of the main theme ruined this piece for me, but I'm determined to relearn it and shake that bastard sonic image. For the pianist, this piece is the picture window to Gershwin's genius and a difficult technical challenge that yields a great reward for those who spend the time to master it. I know because I could play this back in the 1970's, which is when I bought it. You may put it back in the bench some day, but you'll never grow tired of it.
7 of 13 people found this review helpful.
Glass
Location: from Machina, MOG
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
February 5, 2002
Excellent!
This is VERY accurate to the original piano solo. I havn't mastered the whole song yet, but from what I have learned its just great. I can't believe how much it matches the original.
8 of 16 people found this review helpful.
DeMarcus
Location: from Texas
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
January 16, 2002
A must buy!
If you enjoy a challenge and love to hear and play great music, I recommend this peice! It will keep you busy for quite some time, but the ultimate reward is definitely worth it.
8 of 13 people found this review helpful.
Aaron
Location: from Portland, OR
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
September 15, 2001
Simply amazing.
This is, without a doubt, my favorite piano piece. This arrangement maintains all of the complexity from the original orchestral (well, semi-orchestral) version, and sounds even better in many respects. If you're an experienced piano player, you WILL NOT regret picking up this piece. If you're looking for a good recording of this song, I found one on MP3.com recorded by pianst John Pickett, played masterfully.
8 of 14 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Los Angeles, CA
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
August 28, 2001
This is definetely Gershwin at his best!
"Rhapsody in Blue" is both a challenging and rewarding piece! If you're an advanced pianist I would highly recommend it. It would certainly make your piano teacher proud. Believe me, you won't regret purchasing this original work.
7 of 14 people found this review helpful.
Andrew Connolly
Location: from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
June 7, 2001
Excellent!
This is the best piece of music I've ever owned. I was sceptical at first that it might not be the original, but it definitely is. It is a very hard piece to leave, in fact I have not done so yet. It is very possible though, and rewarding. It's loads of fun to learn and play, and you won't find a better version of "Rhapsody in Blue" anywhere! BUY IT!
8 of 12 people found this review helpful.
Ryan Kok
Location: from Pittsburgh, PA
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
April 13, 2001
Addicting!
I've found myself a new love, and it's this song. There is so much challenge, technique, and beauty to be found in this song that I still stare at it in wonder sometimes. I'm 16, and I've found myself often bringing it to school just so I could get a little practice in after band. It's absolutely wonderful.
7 of 12 people found this review helpful.
BW
Location: from Boston, MA
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
February 28, 2001
Fabulous
I bought this nearly 10 years ago, and still enjoy playing it. What a piece! There is SO MUCH expression involved as well as challenging (and rewarding) advanced technique. Not only is it a great exercise for advanced players, but it is extremely entertaining. If you're doubtful, BUY IT!
8 of 16 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from vegas,Nevada
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
February 15, 2001
Absolutley wonderful
If you want the best of Gershwn, you've got it!
8 of 15 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Va. Beach, Va
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
October 11, 2000
NOT the original
If you want to get the basic piece learned, this version is great. It is not how Gershwin played it though. I have a record (yes a record) of Gershwin playing the piece, and there are measures that he plays that are not in this piece. But like I said, if you just want to learn the piece, and not play every single measure written, this is the way to go.
8 of 18 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Overland Park, KS
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
September 3, 2000
Gerswhin at his Best
Never before has a composer like George Gerswhin had such a profound impact on American music: he basically created it. European music has a certain formality to it, but Gerswhin indulges his music in flair and style. And this piece is his greatest: every movement has been carefully planned-out and constructed and has easily become one of the greatest songs in American culture. It is a big part of my musical repertoire and someday I hope to play it in a performance. It is Gerswhin at his Best!
8 of 16 people found this review helpful.
Cara
Location: from Weyers Cave, VA
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
August 15, 2000
I could not LIVE without it.
Any advanced piano player absolutely must get this piece. I am almost finished learning it in its entirety, and my only regret is that it's so long I can't perform it in any local recitals! It has taken me a good three months of hard work to keep up with it, along with my other music, but all the same it is definately my favorite piece ever. One of the best things about it is knowing that you are playing the original version by Gershwin. Go buy it. It's the best.
8 of 16 people found this review helpful.
Anonymous
Location: from Ontario,Canada
Difficulty Level:
Advanced
July 11, 2000
Excellent!
A great piece of work! If you're going to learn Rhapsody in Blue, you might as well learn Gershwin's original version. Prettly lengthy, but rewarding in the end!
9 of 16 people found this review helpful.