Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue - Music Experience in 3-Dimensional Sound Reality [Blu-ray]

After winning strong recognition as soloists, Japanese born pianists Yuki and Tomoko Mack melded their artistry into an award-winning piano duo. They won prizes in several prestigious international competitions. For this recording The Duo has produced three most known two-piano works by George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein:

Rhapsody in Blue is a musical composition by George Gershwin written in 1924, which combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects. The composition was orchestrated by Ferde Grofé three times, in 1924, in 1926, and finally in 1946. The piece received its premiere in a concert entitled An Experiment in Modern Music, which was held on February 12, 1924, in Aeolian Hall, New York, by Paul Whiteman and his band with Gershwin playing the piano. The version for piano and symphony orchestra, orchestrated by Ferde Grofé in 1942, has become one of the most popular American concert works. George Gershwin did much to create syntheses between jazz and classical traditions in his concert music. Percy Grainger was a composer, concert pianist and friend of Gershwin brothers. His Transcription for Porgy & Bess for two-pianos faithfully captures the drama and excitement of the orchestral score. Changing swords to switchblades, adding song and dance, Leonard Bernstein and librettist Stephen Sondheim transformed Shakespeare s, Romeo and Juliet from 16th century Verona to ghettos of New York in a powerful musical rendition of this classic story. The stunning two-piano arrangement is the work of John Musto, a pianist/composer currently living in New York.

1. George Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue
2. George Gershwin - Porgy & Bess, Fantasy for two Pianos / arr. by Percy Grainger
3. Leonard Bernstein - Symphonic Dances from West Side Story / arr. by John Musto