George Gershwin is an American composer, one of the most famous and popular musicians of the 20th century. In his works he blended the styles of academic and popular music, the intonations of American music, the features and genres of Afro-American folklore, and combined jazz with the principles of traditional symphonism and stage music traditions. All this is intertwined in Rhapsody in Blue, commissioned by the famous jazz pianist Paul Whiteman. According to the composer, “it was on the train to Boston, with its steely rhythms, its rattle-ty-bang that is so often stimulating to a composer… And there I suddenly heard – and even saw on paper – the complete construction of the rhapsody, from beginning to end <…> I heard it as a sort of musical kaleidoscope of America – of our vast melting pot, of our unduplicated national pep, of our blues, our metropolitan madness. By the time I reached Boston I had a definite plot of the piece, as distinguished from its actual substance.” This colourful mix of classical music and jazz has undoubtedly ushered in a new era in U.S. history. It became a symbol of American music and secured Gershwin the reputation of an influential composer. American Heritage magazine wrote that the famous clarinet glissando at the beginning of his composition became as instantly popular and recognizable as the famous 4-note motif of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.

One of the most popular American concert-works of all time is interpreted by two prominent pianists, widely known outside their countries: Lithuanian piano maestro Petras Geniušas and Romanian virtuoso Daniel Ciobanu.