Who composed 'An American in Paris'?

An American in Paris is a musical composition, subtitled “A Tone Poem for Orchestra,” by George Gershwin . It premiered in New York City's Carnegie Hall on December 13, 1928, and was the first of Gershwin’s purely orchestral works, with no role for piano but plenty of jazz harmonies and spirit. Gershwin began working on An American in Paris in the summer of 1924. He was inspired to write the piece after he had been asked by conductor Walter Damrosch to write a full concerto as a follow-up to the success of Rhapsody in Blue, which had premiered that winter.

What type of musical piece is 'An American in Paris'?

An American in Paris by George Gershwin is a musical composition called a " symphonic poem ". Gershwin subtitled it "A Tone Poem for Orchestra". Premiering in New York City's Carnegie Hall on December 13, 1928, it was the first of Gershwin’s purely orchestral works, incorporating jazz harmonies and spirit, but with no role for piano. Gershwin referred to it as a “rhapsodic ballet." An American in Paris is an instrumental piece that tells a story or paints a scene without voice, dance, or narration.

When was 'An American in Paris' composed?

George Gershwin began composing An American in Paris in the summer of 1924 after being asked to write a full concerto. The composition, subtitled "A Tone Poem for Orchestra," premiered at Carnegie Hall in New York City on December 13, 1928, with the New York Philharmonic. Gershwin called it a "rhapsodic ballet," and it is considered program music, where the instrumental piece tells a story or paints a scene without voice, dance, or narration. In 1951, the composition was adapted into a classic film of the same name, starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron.

What inspired Gershwin to write 'An American in Paris'?

An American in Paris was inspired by George Gershwin's trips to Paris in the 1920s. Gershwin intended to portray the impressions of an American visitor strolling through the city, absorbing the French atmosphere and street noises. To achieve this, he incorporated elements such as real French taxi horns. The composition blends jazz and classical forms, with a harmonic structure rooted in blues traditions and melodies that remain unaltered, contrasting with jazz improvisation. Gershwin described the piece as a series of musical impressions.

What are some unique sounds or instruments used in 'An American in Paris'?

An American in Paris is a composition by George Gershwin that musically portrays the impressions of an American visitor strolling through Paris, absorbing the French atmosphere and street noises. Gershwin incorporated real French taxi horns to enhance the authenticity of the piece. The score is strongly percussive, featuring drums, a triangle, bells, and a xylophone, which punctuate the sonic portrait of a walk through the city. The harmonic structure has roots in blues traditions, and soloists are often required to bend, slide, and growl certain notes and passages, reminiscent of 1920s jazz musicians.

How does the music of 'An American in Paris' tell the story of an American visiting Paris?

An American in Paris tells the story of an American visiting Paris through its musical impressions. George Gershwin sought to portray the experiences of an American visitor strolling through the city, absorbing the French atmosphere, and listening to street noises. The composition incorporates real French taxi horns for authenticity. The harmonic structure has roots in blues traditions, especially in the "Homesick Blues" middle section. Soloists bend and slide notes in the style of 1920s jazz musicians. The melodies are repeated and embellished throughout the work. The score is percussive, with drums, a triangle, bells, and a xylophone. The varied rhythms and free structure made the piece seem balletic.

An American in Paris

Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

Oscar Levant sits at a piano while Gene Kelly dances beside him in a room with an open window, in a scene from An American in Paris (1951).

Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron rehearse a dance pose in a studio, with Caron en pointe and extended, and Kelly supporting her, during filming of An American in Paris.

An American in Paris

musical composition by Gershwin

Written by

Betsy Schwarm

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

History

Top Questions

Who composed 'An American in Paris'?
An American in Paris is a musical composition, subtitled “A Tone Poem for Orchestra,” by George Gershwin. It premiered in New York City's Carnegie Hall on December 13, 1928, and was the first of Gershwin’s purely orchestral works, with no role for piano but plenty of jazz harmonies and spirit.

Gershwin began working on An American in Paris in the summer of 1924. He was inspired to write the piece after he had been asked by conductor Walter Damrosch to write a full concerto as a follow-up to the success of Rhapsody in Blue, which had premiered that winter.
2 Britannica Sources
1. An American in Paris
2. George Gershwin
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What type of musical piece is 'An American in Paris'?
An American in Paris by George Gershwin is a musical composition called a "symphonic poem". Gershwin subtitled it "A Tone Poem for Orchestra".

Premiering in New York City's Carnegie Hall on December 13, 1928, it was the first of Gershwin’s purely orchestral works, incorporating jazz harmonies and spirit, but with no role for piano. Gershwin referred to it as a “rhapsodic ballet." An American in Paris is an instrumental piece that tells a story or paints a scene without voice, dance, or narration.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
When was 'An American in Paris' composed?
George Gershwin began composing An American in Paris in the summer of 1924 after being asked to write a full concerto. The composition, subtitled "A Tone Poem for Orchestra," premiered at Carnegie Hall in New York City on December 13, 1928, with the New York Philharmonic. Gershwin called it a "rhapsodic ballet," and it is considered program music, where the instrumental piece tells a story or paints a scene without voice, dance, or narration. In 1951, the composition was adapted into a classic film of the same name, starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron.
1 Britannica Source
1. An American in Paris
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What inspired Gershwin to write 'An American in Paris'?
An American in Paris was inspired by George Gershwin's trips to Paris in the 1920s. Gershwin intended to portray the impressions of an American visitor strolling through the city, absorbing the French atmosphere and street noises. To achieve this, he incorporated elements such as real French taxi horns. The composition blends jazz and classical forms, with a harmonic structure rooted in blues traditions and melodies that remain unaltered, contrasting with jazz improvisation. Gershwin described the piece as a series of musical impressions.
2 Britannica Sources
1. An American in Paris
2. George Gershwin: Other works for orchestra
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are some unique sounds or instruments used in 'An American in Paris'?
An American in Paris is a composition by George Gershwin that musically portrays the impressions of an American visitor strolling through Paris, absorbing the French atmosphere and street noises.

Gershwin incorporated real French taxi horns to enhance the authenticity of the piece. The score is strongly percussive, featuring drums, a triangle, bells, and a xylophone, which punctuate the sonic portrait of a walk through the city. The harmonic structure has roots in blues traditions, and soloists are often required to bend, slide, and growl certain notes and passages, reminiscent of 1920s jazz musicians.
2 Britannica Sources
1. An American in Paris
2. George Gershwin: Other works for orchestra
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How does the music of 'An American in Paris' tell the story of an American visiting Paris?
An American in Paris tells the story of an American visiting Paris through its musical impressions. George Gershwin sought to portray the experiences of an American visitor strolling through the city, absorbing the French atmosphere, and listening to street noises.

The composition incorporates real French taxi horns for authenticity. The harmonic structure has roots in blues traditions, especially in the "Homesick Blues" middle section. Soloists bend and slide notes in the style of 1920s jazz musicians. The melodies are repeated and embellished throughout the work.

The score is percussive, with drums, a triangle, bells, and a xylophone. The varied rhythms and free structure made the piece seem balletic.
2 Britannica Sources
1. An American in Paris
2. George Gershwin: Other works for orchestra
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

An American in Paris, composition by George Gershwin, subtitled “A Tone Poem for Orchestra.” It premiered at Carmegie Hall in New York City on Dec. 13, 1928, and it was the first of Gershwin’s purely orchestral works, with no role for piano but plenty of jazz harmonies and spirit. In 1951 (after Gershwin’s passing), it was given cinematic interpretation in the classic film of the same name.

Gershwin himself called it a “rhapsodic ballet.” Certainly it is danceable, and the free-flowing nature of rhapsodies also seems appropriate to the piece. The term Gershwin apparently did not know at the time was “program music,” meaning an instrumental piece that has a story to tell or a scene to paint, though without supplement of voice, dance, or narration. The music itself serves to tell the tale. One particularly famous example of the genre is Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice from 1897; Gershwin’s piece is no less evocative than Dukas’.

Gershwin began the work in the summer of 1924. Having been asked by conductor Walter Damrosch to write a full concerto in follow-up to the success of Rhapsody in Blue, which had premiered that winter, Gershwin had decided that he would benefit from more advanced compositional training and so set off for Paris. There, he found that the greatest names of music—amongst them, Ravel and Stravinsky—were disinclined to tamper with the jazz star’s innate skills. However, he also found inspiration for what would be his most orchestrally advanced score to that time.

Seventeen minutes long, An American in Paris offers a kaleidoscope of musical impressions, opening with a light-hearted strolling melody soon interrupted by the honking of taxi horns. A busy street scene ensues, brassy interludes alternating with bubbly clarinets. Melancholy bluesy melodies, sometimes for woodwinds, sometimes for strings, most prominently for muted trumpet, occupy the central pages. A quick change of mood leads to sassier colouring and a new spotlight for trumpet. Firm dotted rhythms of alternating short and long notes transition to a rich restatement of earlier materials, now broader and more leisurely in manner. Short solos for the unusual pairing of violin and tuba set up the spirited conclusion derived from the opening strolling melody. The score is strongly percussive, with drums, a triangle, bells, and a xylophone punctuating the sonice portrait of a walk through the city. Throughout, the composer displays how effectively this star of the jazz world had internalized the sound of the orchestra. He may have been turned down for advanced studies with the big names in the field, but he had kept his ears engaged and learned what he needed to know to make the most of orchestral colour.

An American in Paris premiered Thursday evening, December 13, 1928, at Carnegie Hall with the New York Philharmonic, newly united with the New York Symphony and under the leadership of conductor Walter Damrosch, formerly of the latter ensemble. Also on the program were the Magic Fire Music from Die Walküre of Richard Wagner (1813–83), the Symphony in D Minor from Belgian composer Cesar Franck (1822–90), and a short work by Franck’s countryman and protégée Guillaume Lekue (1870–94).

Gershwin’s score was by far the liveliest of the lot. Moreover, the fact that Damrosch included it in the program alongside two established masterworks implies that he was confident of its excellence. Some listeners that evening would have come for the classics; one hopes that they were also impressed by the new work. As for the Gershwin fans who came to find out what the composer of I Got Rhythm was doing in Carnegie Hall, perhaps they came away with a new appreciation of symphonic music. Gershwin himself said of it, “If it pleases symphony audiences as a light, jolly piece, a series of impressions musically expressed, it succeeds.”

In 1951, the noted director Vincente Minelli translated Gershwin’s symphonic poem into a now-classic film starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, and Oscar Levant. At Ira Gershwin’s insistence, the movie included numerous of his brother’s songs from other sources, such as “I Got Rhythm,” from the 1930 musical Girl Crazy. The film, released on November 11 of that year, won numerous Academy Awards, including best picture, best screenplay (by Alan Jay Lerner), best score, best cinematography, best set design, and more. Its closing 18-minute ballet piece, highlighting Caron’s training as a dancer for the Ballets des Champs- Élysées, won a special Oscar for choreography. Lerner’s storyline depicted Kelly as a struggling painter, Levant as a piano student, and Caron (who was then only 17 years old) as Kelly’s love interest. Because Minelli was distracted by a bitterly contested divorce from Judy Garland, Kelly directed numerous key scenes, including that closing ballet—which, ironically, MGM, the production studio, did not want to include because of its $450,000 cost (about $5,440,000 in 2023 dollars). A restored version of the film was released in 1995.

Explore Britannica Premium!

The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.

Betsy Schwarm

An American in Paris

Thank you for signing up!