Rhapsody in Blue / Warsaw Concerto [Import]

This is an all digital recording recorded in 1983 (unless Phillips is lying on the CD product). There was a reference to an "original 78" in a previous review. I don't know which 'original' it is thought this is, but CD's first came out about 1983 and it is hard to consider that a manufacturer would record a piece digitally, then press the recording on a 78. I can only surmiss that it is meant similar to another recording that came out on 78. There's also a comment on that review that would have been quite funny if it was a little bit more light-hearted, but point taken that digital recordings have produced great advantages not just in sound but in handling... This is, IMHO, an excellent recording with all the clarity one would expect from a digital recording and all the performances of the works are quite good.

I have to say I generally do not like 20th Century composer's and Gershwin is one of them. Not sure if it was played on united airlines with every flight, but I've heard snippets of this piece quite a lot, and I hated every one that I heard. So surprising that I like this recording. It probably has a lot to do with the quality of the recording and playing equipment quality that made me enjoy this piece.

I was originally attracted to this CD due to the Warsaw/Polish related works. I have also been to Warsaw, it's a modern city with glass 'skyscrapers' and thought that the cover was from the city. But something seemed familiar, and it's actually of my home town, New Yawk, looking along Park Ave. One can even read what looks like Pan Am on that building. Rhapsody in Blue is used in movies for 'modern' urban scenes, and I suppose so much for New York City that there's an associate to some with this piece and that town.

These are all high quality works with great sound with some out of the ordinary composers. There are five pieces and the composers of the works, in order, are: Gershwin, Addinsell, Litolff, Chopin, Liszt.

This is a must-have CD. It contains the best recorded version of "Rhapsody in Blue" I have ever heard, and the Warsaw Concerto is terrific. But the bonus here is a gem of a piece, the Scherzo by Henry Litolff. It is absolutely exhilirating! (And I don't say this about too many "classical" recordings.)

This CD is a close as you can get to the original 78...complete with sound of that era. The production could use some sound remastering but as stated, it is very true to the original. If you like Gershwin you'll like this...Warsaw Concerto has always been a favorite of mine. It seems to capture the emotion of that time. Very, very good listening.