{"id":13444,"date":"2024-02-12T11:19:23","date_gmt":"2024-02-12T17:19:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/?p=13444"},"modified":"2024-02-12T14:59:57","modified_gmt":"2024-02-12T20:59:57","slug":"hbd-rib","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ericsiegmund.com\/fireant\/2024\/02\/12\/hbd-rib\/","title":{"rendered":"HBD, RIB"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Note: The inspiration for this post came from two<\/a> articles<\/a> in the Wall Street Journal<\/em> which are unfortunately behind a paywall. I’ve nevertheless linked to them above in case you’re a subscriber.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

George Gershwin was 25 years old when he composed Rhapsody In Blue<\/em>, the creation that arguably cemented his place in musical history. It was introduced to the world one hundred years ago on this date at Aeolian Hall<\/a> in Manhattan. Rhapsody<\/em> had been commissioned for that performance by a bandleader named Paul Whiteman<\/a>, who, at that time was sometimes referred to as “the King of Jazz” (while others argued that he didn’t deserve that title).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an extremely<\/em> lightly<\/em> talented clarinetist, I’ve always been drawn to Rhapsody<\/em> because the first two minutes are among the most sensual in modern music. They begin with an opening trill that gives way to an incredible (to me) two-and-a-half octave ascending run, and it only gets better from there. If that doesn’t ring a bell, take a listen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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