320 PART 3 | FROM WORLD WAR I THROUGH WORLD WAR II
CD 2.15 Listening Guide 13.2 Rhapsody in Blue GEORGE GERSHWINtiming section theme comments
2:18 Another cadenza, then complete Ritornello theme
by the full band (2:49).
3:15 scherzo Train A lighthearted theme in aaba form, played over
a chugging banjo beat. The a sections feature
muted trumpet with growls, accompanied by a
syncopated three-note saxophone motive. The
bridge (3:26) features slap-tongue tenor sax and
clarinet.
3:35 Transition: rising piano runs alternate with the
clarinet’s anticipation of the Stride theme.3:51 Stride Full aaba form. At the end of the fi rst two a
sections, trombones hint at the Ritornello theme.4:11 Transition: Three falling statements of bluesy
melody in soprano sax, muted trumpet, and muted
trombone with wah-wah effect.
4:25 Cymbal crash, marking the end of the record’s fi rst
side, coincides with a cut of 32 bars, eliminating
one of the Rhapsody’s themes.
4:26 Stride Side 2 begins with piano cadenza, then dreamy
solo statement of Stride theme (4:44) stops one bar
short of completion.
5:17 Cut of 102 bars of the scherzo, skipping ahead to
make a transition that slows down the syncopated
rhythmic motive in preparation for the Love theme.
5:25 slow movement Love a Large-scale aaba form. Each a section is a
statement of the Love theme, which begins
with the rhythmic motive in augmentation. The
following long notes are accompanied by a three-
note motive in the French horns resembling the
one that accompanied the Train theme.
6:00 Ends inconclusively, with a violin solo over
shifting harmonies.6 : 1 0 L o v e a Like fi rst a, but with fuller scoring.6:43 Ends inconclusively, with pizzicato strings and
celesta over throbbing, syncopated chords in the
piano.
6:51 b Piano solo: slowly rising scale over a development
of the three-note accompaniment motive.7:05 Love a Piano solo continues in a rhapsodic, romantic
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