Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin arr. Stephen Primatic

Originally written in 1924 for two pianos, George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue is one of the most recognizable pieces of orchestral music in the world. Its melodies have been used in countless films, commercials, cartoons, and have been adapted and arranged for a large number of instrumentations and ensembles.

In Stephen Primatic’s brilliant and ambitious arrangement for large percussion ensemble, this timeless pieces is captured in its full and complete format, based on the two-piano original. Melodies are passed around between players, and themes are craftily colored, all via percussion orchestration resulting in a lofty challenge for ambitious ensembles. The piece also includes a small rhythm section that covers Gershwin’s original percussion parts with the addition of a drumset.

Because of its block-like structure, there is a certain flexibility in performance. If a shortened version is desired, there are several cuts provided that can be made to fit any length of program.