Rhapsody in Blue™ (Setting for Piano and Wind Ensemble): Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Hunsberger's arrangement captures the swagger and melodic generosity of Gershwin's original without requiring the full forces of the Verrier setting. The 23-player scoring is muscular and transparent at once, allowing the piano soloist to breathe and shine while the band provides genuine harmonic sophistication and rhythmic drive. This version works beautifully for concert programs where you want the prestige and impact of Rhapsody in Blue but need flexibility in ensemble size and rehearsal time.

Urban, syncopated, and alive with personality. The orchestration crackles with the energy of 1920s theatre and dance bands, filtered through Gershwin's sophisticated harmonic lens. Expect passages of pure lyricism alongside moments of angular, bluesy sophistication and the relentless forward momentum that makes this work unforgettable.

Concert bands and wind ensembles at the intermediate-advanced level (Grade 5) who want to present Rhapsody in Blue as a showcase but need a more flexible, economical instrumentation than a full ensemble arrangement. Pianists comfortable with the solo part and conductors familiar with Gershwin's style will find this setting rewarding for solo and ensemble festivals or evening concert programming.

• Establish the jazz inflection early in sectional rehearsals. The rhythmic looseness around the blue notes and syncopated figures should feel conversational, not metronomic.
• Balance the piano soloist carefully during the tutti passages. The band provides textural support, not competition; the piano narrative remains paramount throughout.
• Shape the famous glissando opening with the band (if it's scored in parts) so it lands with character. Precision on the approach matters more than perfection on the gliss itself.
• Lock the rhythm section on the walking bass figures and steady jazz rhythms that anchor the band accompaniment. This groove underpins every melodic gesture the pianist makes.

Program this as a centerpiece on a concert devoted to American music or as a solo feature that demonstrates your band's musicianship in a contemporary context. It pairs naturally with other Gershwin arrangements, with standard concert band repertoire from the 20th century, or as an encore that audiences remember long after the final note.

• Playing with swing feel and jazz articulation (short, separated eighths; legit quarter-note pulse)
• Balancing a solo line with ensemble accompaniment while maintaining ensemble cohesion
• Reading and executing blue notes and chromatic alterations with expressive intention
• Responding to a conductor's cues in a piece built on sectional solos and varied textures
• Understanding orchestration and how rhythm sections (reeds, low brass, percussion) support a melodic line