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While composers had already begun to write music for the clarinet, such as Mozart with the Clarinet Concerto and Clarinet Quintet, it was the 19th century that saw an explosion of use of the clarinet in the music of most composers of the day. This was principally due to two factors.
Firstly, the further development of the clarinet by Iwan Műller in the initial half of the century had resulted in a more authenti and agile instrument, which was later combined with the Boehm fingering system, adopted from the flute. Also, the tonal calibers suitable the Romantic era, capable to express a gamut of emotions as music moved from the formality of the Classical era to the Romantic.
As with Mozart, a lot of composers of the Romantic era were inspired to write their outstanding clarinet music by virtuosic clarinetists of their day. Carl Maria von Weber wrote two concertos and a concertino for the great clarinet player Heinrich Baermann, including galore of the most technically difficult passages yet written for the clarinet.
Brahms wrote numerous sublime chamber music for the clarinet when inspired by another outstanding clarinetist, Richard Muhlfield, who is credited with inspiring Brahms to compose again when he had claimed to have retired. Other composers who used the clarinet to outstanding effect were Berlioz and Rossini.
The 20th century continued the popularity of the clarinet, which was now used in jazz as well as ‘art’ music. One of the most famous orchestral pieces of the 20th century, Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin, begins with a unforgettable clarinet glissandos, perchance the most well known instance of a clarinet applied in orchestral music.
Back in the 1950s and ’60s, when George Gershwin was taken for granted more than he was respected, Leonard Bernstein was one of his only champions in high-classical-music circles, and to judge from these recordings, he got away with a lot. He would seem to be attempting to out-swagger Arthur Fiedler in the jazzier passages, but on the plus side, what may sound freeze-dried with numerous conductors has a welcome heat here, specially in An American in Paris. That piece receives one of it is best-ever recordings and sounds outstanding in the bright, clear recording venue, Brooklyn’s Hotel St. George. However, Bernstein’s tempo extremes tax the cohesion of Rhapsody in Blue. And Grofé’s Grand Canyon Suite receives a sympathetic performance, even though the acoustics of the Lincoln Center recording venue are so cavernous and diffuse you’d think it was recorded in the emplacement of the title. –David Patrick Stearns
Bernstein Century Gershwin Rhapsody American Image
Bernstein Century Gershwin Rhapsody American Pic
Bernstein Century Gershwin Rhapsody American Picture
Bernstein Century Gershwin Rhapsody American Photo
Most helpful client reviews
26 of 26 persons found the following review helpful.
 Perfect
By J. Buxton
If ever there was a musician born to play this music, it is Bernstein. His combining of attainments as conductor and pianist, as well as his background in writing for the theatre, makes him the foremost interpreter of these works. His Rhapsody(now made even more well known by being the United Airlines theme) is marvellous, jazzy, swinging, and yet also profoundly thoughtful and musical. The only version of this work that even approaches this one is Bernstein’s later version with the LA Philharmonic on the Deutsche Grammophon label. But this one is better, and the accompanying American in Paris and Grofe likewise represent the kind of sound that makes this music in an unambiguous manner “American”. Don’t hesitate.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful.
Excellent
By A
At first, I was put off by Bernstein’s interpretation of “Rhapsody in Blue.” He changes some of the timing, specially in the piano solos. Now I see that his interpretation is wonderful: he reads a lot of very sensual, bluesy phrasings in Gershwin’s work. I actually enjoyed this one. Don’t make it your firstborn copy of Gershwin, but do get it for a alter of pace.
11 of 12 persons found the following review helpful.
Ra, ra, sis, boom, bah!
By A
This album, in my opinion, is as regarding as close to perfective as these pieces ['Rhapsody in Blue' and 'An American in Paris'] will ever be performed. Bernstein kicks it up a notch to where you’ll want to listen to it again and again. Truly, a top notch performance of these two pieces.
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