In 1931 George and Ira Gershwin went to Hollywood for the first time to compose the score for a Janet Gaynor/Charlie Farrell musical called ‘Delicious’. No popular songs of any particular note came out of this endeavor but, Gershwin being Gershwin, a symphonic masterwork somehow snuck its way into existence. The stunning “Second Rhapsody’ is considered Gershwin’s forgotten masterpiece. After years of remaining a deep, dark secret it was unearthed for popular consumption in the 1980s by Michael Tilson Thomas and interest in it has grown over the years. Why did something as majestic, emotional and daringly modern as the Second Rhapsody take so long to find an audience (to the extent that it has one)? Perhaps its murky origins were to blame. The fifteen minute composition was written as accompaniment to an ‘urban ballet’ sequence for ‘Delicious’, titled ‘Rhapsody In Rivets’. Either it was then chopped in half by a music editor to fit the seven minute finished sequence or, once back in New York, Gershwin decided to expand it and created the piece we now have. Why there are two different versions of this story I don’t know. One of them is lying.

On June 26, 1931, Gershwin conducted New York musicians and played the piano solo in a run-through of the complete Rhapsody. He had the rehearsal professionally recorded, but it was never commercially issued. The piece received its premiere in Boston under the baton of Serge Koussevitzky on January 29, 1932, with the composer himself playing the piano part. The New York premiere was given a few days later.

And that was the end of that–for years. Some have speculated that the percussiveness of the first section and the then-daring use of Latin rhythmic figures were confusing or unpalatable to audiences of the time. It’s soaringly emotional second-half was perhaps ignored as a result. Through, for Goddsakes, the whole thing is only fifteen minutes long–couldn’t people have sat still and given it a bit more of a chance? The piece was forgotten for many years, re-scored (and ruined according to some) in the 1950s and, as I said above, resurfaced to increasing acclaim and admiration over the past several decades. Above is the cut version from “Delicious’. (WARNING: the sequence doesn’t properly begin until two minutes into the above posted clip. You most likely will want to skip ahead). It’s a fun piece of period filmmaking, very of its urban/cinematic moment with touches of German expressionism thrown in to offset Gaynor’s sentimental demeanor. Unfortunately, the people who posted this sequence choose to replace the original soundtrack with a newer, more sparklingly recorded version of the Rhapsody. I know there hearts are in the right place, but I would have much preferred to hear the original version, warts and all. We take what we can get, however. Below I’ve posted an excellent Thomas-conducted version of the complete Second Rhapsody for your pleasure and edification. I only ‘discovered’ the piece for myself rather recently and find it a thrilling achievement–a perfect way to begin a Saturday morning (for some reason). See what you think…