1928 Oscar Levant Rhapsody in Blue

[estott]

Levant made a recording in 1945 with Ormandy & the Philadelphia orchestra- easy to find set.

[Ken Doyle]

I remember reading somewhere that Levant's 1945 Columbia Records recording of Rhapsody in Blue was Gershwin's favorite recording of the piece.

I also have a copy of the Frank Black / Levant version on Brunswick and like it better than the two Whiteman / Gershwin recordings.

The 1923 Lee de Forest sound film "Ben Bernie and All The Lads" has Oscar Levant on piano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr9BWZz1Alg

[gramophone-georg]

I remember reading somewhere that Levant's 1945 Columbia Records recording of Rhapsody in Blue was Gershwin's favorite recording of the piece.

I also have a copy of the Frank Black / Levant version on Brunswick and like it better than the two Whiteman / Gershwin recordings.

The 1923 Lee de Forest sound film "Ben Bernie and All The Lads" has Oscar Levant on piano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr9BWZz1Alg

Considering Gershwin died in 1937 the writer of that piece must have had an Ouija board for the interview.

[Ken Doyle]

I remember reading somewhere that Levant's 1945 Columbia Records recording of Rhapsody in Blue was Gershwin's favorite recording of the piece.

I also have a copy of the Frank Black / Levant version on Brunswick and like it better than the two Whiteman / Gershwin recordings.

The 1923 Lee de Forest sound film "Ben Bernie and All The Lads" has Oscar Levant on piano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr9BWZz1Alg

Considering Gershwin died in 1937 the writer of that piece must have had an Ouija board for the interview.

LOL The mind plays tricks as we age.

[gramophone-georg]

I remember reading somewhere that Levant's 1945 Columbia Records recording of Rhapsody in Blue was Gershwin's favorite recording of the piece.

I also have a copy of the Frank Black / Levant version on Brunswick and like it better than the two Whiteman / Gershwin recordings.

The 1923 Lee de Forest sound film "Ben Bernie and All The Lads" has Oscar Levant on piano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr9BWZz1Alg

Considering Gershwin died in 1937 the writer of that piece must have had an Ouija board for the interview.

LOL The mind plays tricks as we age.

Don't I know that feeling. Say, what century IS this, anyway?
Incidentally, being an ex Brooklynite, two of my favorite bands are Ben Bernie and Bernie Cummins.

[Henry]

All I know comes from the Red Hot Jazz website, which produced this timeline of the early RIB recordings:

http://www.redhotjazz.com/rhapsody.html

Something seems to be up at the redhotjazz site! It's all different from when I last visited. Anybody know what gives?

[Inigo]

I cannot reach that page, I get kind of a big menu, but seems like when you get to a website that is dead...!

[Governor Flyball]

The 1923 Lee de Forest sound film "Ben Bernie and All The Lads" has Oscar Levant on piano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr9BWZz1Alg

Ben Bernie must have been into Ouiji boards as well. How else could his band play "Rose Marie" before Rudolf Friml wrote it?

The operetta Rose Marie first performance was 2nd September 1924.

[VanEpsFan1914]

The Columbia Masterworks set by Levant is absolutely excellent, if you want to hear how he interprets this piece a bit later. Excellent-quality 1940s recordings too, but they play very well on something like an Orthophonic Victrola with soft-tone needles.

This is the one I use as a reference copy for Rhapsody in Blue, even though I have the 1924 Victor acoustic w. Gershwin leading Paul Whiteman's Orchestra, and the black label 1928 scroll remake. The 12" singles are good, and of course they are Gershwin--but Levant really shines there interpreting his friend's music; plus they play long enough to get the full piece in there.

[Marc Hildebrant]

I have a version with Oscar Levant late 1930's or early 1940. Two large 78 RPM records using three sides.

Sounds pretty good.

Marc