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Who orchestrated the original version of Rhapsody in Blue?
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George Gershwin
American composer George Gershwin working on the score for Porgy and Bess, 1935.
The original version of Rhapsody in Blue was orchestrated by Ferde Grofé, who served as the arranger for bandleader Paul Whiteman.21
Because George Gershwin composed the work under a tight deadline, he sketched the ensemble parts at the piano and handed them to GrofĂ© to complete the orchestration. This collaboration was essential for the piece to be ready in time for its 1924 premiere. Notably, Rhapsody in Blue remains the only one of Gershwinâs major works that he did not orchestrate himself.12