There have been many recordings of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue and An American In Paris, two pieces of music composed at different times, under different circumstances and for different reasons. Leonard Bernstein was not the first to recognise a musical similarity to the two compositions, nor was he the first to record them back to back, but he undoubtedly brought them wider exposure. He recorded the two in 1959, linking with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra for Rhapsody In Blue and the New York Philharmonic for An American In Paris, also playing piano on the first composition (George Gershwin had fulfilled that role in 1924), resulting in album that has long been admired.

1. Rhapsody In Blue
2. An American In Paris