Gershwin & Grofe

By Sam Miller | August 1, 2026

Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue

Composed in 1924, Gershwin’s legendary Rhapsody in Blue is undeniably one of the great heavyweights in the American musical canon. Gershwin always sought to develop a unique style which infused jazz elements into more serious classical works, but his project had a rocky start. In the early 1920s, the composer wrote the one act opera “Blue Monday,” which, while a step in the right direction for Gershwin, was ultimately a failure. He was unperturbed by this setback, however, and instead let it further motivate him to achieve his aim. The composer found his inspiration on a train to Boston. Later, he would explain that while on this train, he, “suddenly heard—and even saw on paper—the complete construction of the ‘Rhapsody in Blue,’ from beginning to end. I heard it as a sort of musical kaleidoscope of America…By the time I reached Boston, I had a definite plot of the piece” (Howard).

  • Length: ~17 minutes
  • Structure/sound: The piece was premiered on the 12th of February, 1924 in Aeolian Hall, Manhattan. Gershwin was the soloist in Ferde Grofé’s orchestration for jazz band (Howard). It was an immediate sensation, and the momentum from this success spurred the composer to tackle even more complex projects in the future. The piece itself needs almost no introduction. I’m almost certain you’ve heard it somewhere. Over 100 years after its composition, Rhapsody in Blue has expanded beyond jazz bars and concert halls, and has found its place in many facets of American life, ever serving as the landing and boarding music for United Airlines. The reason for this is the piece’s masterful infusion of classical and jazz elements, which brings new layers and depth to both genres. On the surface level, “classical” and “jazz” don’t seem like they would mix; classical music, for better or for worse, is known for being “uptight” and “stuffy,” while jazz defines itself as innately improvisational and free flowing. However, in Rhapsody in Blue, Gershwin doesn’t blur the lines between the genres so much as he builds bridges between them. The composer uses the more formal classical style to give the piece structure without diluting its jazz roots. Ultimately, Rhapsody in Blue has stood the test of time because it represents the best of both worlds, and pushes the boundary of what classical music can be.

This piece is perfect of working, driving, really anything. I personally love listening to it while studying.

The performance I have for you today is by legend Leonard Bernstein both playing and conducting the New York Philharmonic.

Howard, Orrin. “Rhapsody in Blue.” LA Phil, https://www.laphil.com/works/rhapsody-in-blue. Accessed 20 July 2026.

Meath, Danielle. “The Story Behind: Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.”” RI Phil, 10 March 2025, https://www.riphil.org/the-story-behind-gershwin-s-rhapsody-in-blue.

Grofe’s Grand Canyon Suite: On the Trail

Composed in 1931, On the Trail transports you directly to one of America’s greatest natural wonders: The Grand Canyon. The piece was inspired by Grofe’s own trip to the canyon in 1916, where he was immensely moved by the natural beauty. Grofe, a New Yorker by birth, came from a German family of musicians. He quit school at the age of 13, and worked numerous odd jobs to keep himself afloat. However, in his free time, Grofe wrote and played music. He would be 16 when he first heard jazz, and he immediately put time into interacting with the emerging art form. The young musician created jazz arrangements for bands and orchestras, a practice which ultimately culminated in Grofe adapting Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue to symphony orchestra for its premiere. This milestone only further motivated Grofe to pursue composing his own works, and he began working on a piece inspired by his trip to the Grand Canyon. The composer had been deeply moved by the natural beauty of the canyon, and, in turn, wished to reproduce the experience using his music. Grofe used the woodwinds to sound like birds, the trumpets to sound like crickets, and a myriad of percussion instruments to imitate the natural sounds of the canyon (Schiavone). My favorite of these are the coconut shells, which the composer used to imitate the sound of a mule’s hooves as it lumbers through the canyon. 

  • Length: ~33-36min
  • Structure: This piece is composed of 5 movements
  • Sound: The piece is divided into 5 programmatic sections: “Sunrise,” “Painted Desert,” “On the Trail,” “Sunset,” and “Cloudburst.” “Sunrise” opens the piece with a soft glow and the chirping of birds. This movement really feels like morning in a truly wonderful way, almost victorious. The second movement sheds some of the energy from the first and instead takes a more impressionistic tone, figuratively painting the “Painted Desert” the movement is named for. The third movement is the most famous of the five. The movement begins with a violin solo that takes the character of an exhausted donkey. Following this opening, we hear a donkey or mule lumbering down the trail, struggling in the heat. As the movement continues, the trail seems to open up and we get an ever more scenic view of the canyon. In whole, this movement is a wonderful tour of the canyon on the back of some very tired animals. The fourth movement is what you might expect in a movement titled “sunset.” It takes a floating and ethereal melody that contrasts to the bubbly energy of the movement prior. Finally, the piece ends with a movement that that composer added to the piece much later that the rest. This final movement, “Cloudburst,” ends the piece in the most explosive yet grand way imaginable that I can’t get out of my head.

For me, this piece can be a little distracting for working or studying, but is absolutely perfect for driving, especially the third movement.

The performance I have for you today is by the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Liang Zhang.

Schiavone, Theresa. “’Grand Canyon Suite.’” NPR, 29 October 2000, https://www.npr.org/2000/10/29/1113160/grand-canyon-suite. Accessed 29 July 2026.

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About Sam

Samuel “Sam” Miller is a 12th grade student at Gonzaga Preparatory school who writes and distributes a weekly classical music blog that shares different classical songs and explores their background with his teachers and peers. He is an avid violinist studying under Mateusz Wolski, and an enthusiastic member of the Spokane Youth Symphony. Samuel started this project to pursue and share his passion for classical music with others. In his free time, Sam enjoys practicing violin, going to symphony concerts, playing tennis, hanging out with friends, video games, and spending time with his family.