Rhapsody in Blue premiered on this day in 1924 at a concert in New York City with composer George Gershwin on the piano with Paul Whiteman leading his Palais Royal Orchestra. Leonard Bernstein fell in love with Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" early in his life, and he conducted the piece from the piano over five decades with many orchestras, particularly in his role as a cultural ambassador. Bernstein conducted and performed the work extensively beginning in 1945, leading the New York City Symphon

From our archives: An exhilarating performance of a timeless piece! Pianist André Watts performs an excerpt of George Gershwin’s iconic “Rhapsody in Blue” in this 1976 #LiveFromLincolnCenter gem! 🎹 💎 | Lincoln Center