i just finished listening to ’rhapsody in blue’ from start to finish

Although "Rhapsody in Blue" (1924) is One of the most fascinating music, I can't say it's the greatest work EVER written. (Ehh, Moby must've been quite cranky to exaggerate so.) I shan't compare Gershwin (1898-1937) with Stravinsky or Bartok (1881-1945) or such as, but I just think of Bartok 's Concerto for piano No.1(1926) or Ravel (1875-1937)'s Concerto for piano in G(1931), for example.
Anyhow, other than classic music, from Mama's & Papa's to Neil Young, James Brown, Miles Davis, Quincy Jones and so on, all music are all right, so passionate, no problem !
I never compared Gershwin and Moby but I think I can say this, that many of us won't be surprised even if one day Moby composed a symphony or an american symphony or a concerto for piano rave or an all jazz style music.

btw 1 - I knew noth'n, nothi'n, nothi'n about Moby before but when I first listened to 'Play', I cried out, "THIS guy is a genius !!".
btw 2,- I don't know where or whom to thank this but I've discovered such a precious treasure at this occasion; well, with the intention to listen to 'Rhapsody in Blue' more attentively, I took out the vinyl which had belonged to my fellow's father and noticed for the first time that this 'Rhapsody in Blue' was played by Gershwin himself without orchestration !! What a happy discovery ! His piano playing is prodigious !!

*i miss all boardies*

now you can feel like me when listening your music
i hope for hundred years someone will tell that for you
grshwin will be forgoten
trust me
tnx for all moby

Hey Moby,

I'm quite pleased to hear that you're a Rhapsody in Blue fan, but not surprised in the least.

I'm actually a PhD student in music history, writing my dissertation on different arrangements of Rhapsody in Blue. I love your synopsis of the work and certainly plan on incorporating it somehow (if it is OK by you, that is).

Have you ever heard the version released by The Residents on a 1984 album called "George and James." It strikes me as something you might really dig.

Which recording do you listen to each month?

-Ryan

ps. Seeing you live at the now defunct "La Luna" club in Portland, oregon in the mid 90s remains one of my favorite music events of all time.

I have a different favorite record - Everloving. As you probably know it is not new but I have it always with me:). Whenever I want to escape from a chaotic, tiring people and life I just use my iPhone and play it loud. And I simply find myself in a different reality. Better one… No matter whether it is a long queue at the airport or a loud corridor at the doctors where people ask and say stupid things. I listen to your music and go away into my state of happiness. So thank you moby!!! You save me in a lot of situations.
Last week I bought Last Night. And I’m getting totally obsessed with it. I’m listening to it over and over again. And I cannot stop! I do feel there the night in a big city. On a cover of CD you explained why you wrote this album. I translated parts of it on my blog writing on my drive to going out in a big city. Best regards from Poland. Pity you won’t come here for a party London guys are lucky…

Hi Moby and everyone!

I must say one thing I love about this blog and Moby fans is we are all intelligent, articulate, insightful people from all around the world. Other blogs are full of name-calling and cursing and mud-slinging. This log is crap-free. Cheers to all of us for that!
I downloaded "Rhapsody in Blue' after reading this entry last night. My husband and I enjoyed it immensely, and I did in particular, because as a former clarinet player I appreciate the nuances of performing such acrobatics on a reed instrument. An enchanted figurine that my husband brought me from New Orleans (a skeleton trombone player) seemed to come to life even more when the song played - it was his era, after all.
But I don't think it was the greatest song ever written. My husband Abdo and I think Pink Floyd's "The Final Cut" (1983) is the best piece of music ever recorded. It is a history lesson cast in poetry, along with guitar riffs that will break your heart. The anti-war themes of this album are still pertinent to this day (i.e. The Gunner's Dream)and I really think it should be taught in schools for Music Appreciation, English and History instead of this out-of-date nonsense they study now.
I'm sure the fans who write here also span a wide age range. I'm in my mid-20's, so my perspective is probably WAY different than that of Moby and some older music lovers (for whom Pink Floyd was Top 40, musta been nice, guys). I'm also willing to admit that due to my tender age I may be less erudite than some more experienced folks here. yet I've always taken pride in my excellent taste in music, esp compared to the majority of my peers, who think Kanye West or Good Charlotte are groundbreaking (though i admit, I love the song "The Little Things.")I'm even willing to assert, in spite of coming across as a total brown-noser, that Moby's "Hotel" is one of the great albums of our time (maybe it's b/c my husband and I made that 'our album' and play it when we are making love) Sorry, TMI.
Sincerely,
Moby's Unwanted Facebook Friend Jan

Yes! As I was reading your post I was hearing it in my head; magnificent! I was lucky enough to be raised on stuff like Gershwin and Beethoven.
But I wouldn't lose hope. I just recently got an e-mail from a friend about "La Sistema" a program in Venezuela for poor children from the street to learn music. There's good music out in the world, but with a few exceptions, it's just not on commercial radio. However slowly, things are changing and the arts are becoming more "democratized" Thanks to the internet and the fact that people can go indie and express themselves without having to come up against the gatekeepers of corporate media. I'm a die hard optimist, still waiting for the realization of a more enlightened society that will emerge from our current "un-ravelling". I really do think that "Shambhala" or "The Kingdom of Heaven" (but not the way the fundies think) are just 'round the corner relatively speaking. Maybe not in our lifetimes but soon.

blessings,

micki

Moby,
Regarding your comments on Gershwin. I don't think you're crazy, I think you're drunk. Don't get me wrong, I very much relate to what you are saying but the tone of your comments is suspiciously similar to my own in a recent wine fueled sollioqy on the merits of Zero 7's After the Fall. By the way, don't you agree that its an absolute masterpiece? I'll bet that Gershwin would like it, were he here to listen (I'm serious).
Hey, and one more thing; In a recent interview you mention that people using Gratis tracks for their films should send you a link so that you may check out the work. Well I'd like to do that but how to I get a link to you - should I stick one in this comment box?
Please advise.

PS. I understand your feelings about your work and contempory music in general but Moby its like this, you're a good man and your doing good work. Anytime we view our lives through the looking glass of history its bound to be a humbling experience. So lets just have a drink and forget about it, shall we? Sure, why not.

ciao, bro

My friend hello there! I happened to be listening to Rhapsody in Blue right before I read your blog entry. Fascinating song indeed. I don't think it's the best music ever recorded though.

I think music is not nearly as important today as it was back then, when music was much more than entertainment, but a strong social and cultural force.

I think partially the reason why people won't remember this era of music as anything too significant is because consumerism has gripped society so firmly that no one really steps outside and produces anything that unique. It's very grim.

oh moby, it's natural for you to get angry for that unstable comparision, it's completely illogical.
i can understand you, but whitout prejudices for the song.
greetings.

ups

I am a fan of Gershwin, but I am a bigger Moby fan. Its possible that you do not see the influence of what you and your genre are responsible for because you are in it.

I am sure Gershwin was thinking "oh the days of Mozart, why won't anyone in this generation ever amount to anything?" The fact is, there is a new jazz movement. I like Gershwin, I do; but there has been progress since then. There are new tools, and our generation will be remembered for its art.

The thing is, it seems we never know which art forms, which artists, and which movers have moved until they are dead.

I am a fan of this dude named Hamza El Din, a Nubian drummer that played with the Grateful Dead in Egypt 1977. He's not Gershwin, but he has made a much bigger impact on me then any western musician.

You are underestimating yourself as well. As I said before, I have been led into some very trance like states to your music 600 feet beneath the ocean, and while I liked classical down there nothing was quite as potent as the words

"I don't want to swim the ocean, I don't want to fight the tide..."

Namaste Home Skillet

yo. i was sitting in my porch the other day and for some reason your show from back in the day popped in my head. there was one particular episode where u showed a video (whose name & artist i cant remember!) that was sorta like an upbeat jazz ditty that i think had a beat to it (could be wrong). the words (english) were sung by an asian woman (i think). i've tried every possible way of finding the episode's content listing but even your journals werent complete.

if you know the song i'm talking about or at least could point me in the right direction please lemme know. or email me. or smoke signal me. text me. or messenger pigeon me. or write me a letter. or phone me.

Or straight up just holla at me, either way PLEASE HELP ME!

Thank you sooo much!

p.s. oh yeah, got "last night" the other night, i really like it. played it in the bakery where i work at. my boss said "that moby has a sexy voice..." (lol). he dug it so much he's letting me put the cd in tomorrow morning's rotation (!).

all props due to you,
augustblackwell

I agree that Rhaposody in Blue is an amazing work, one of the highlights of the 20th Century. And given that what is being played on "top 40" radio is nothing but pure garbage, there is still great music being made out there. I invite you to check out Tangerine Dream's latest output, in particular Booster a double disk of some of their recent shorter pieces, and Jeanne D'Arc a truly amazing piece of music from 2006. I've always considered Tangerine Dream to be composing classical music of the 20th and now 21st century. And while most of the stuff floating around isn't worth much, I also recall an amazing piece of music called, "My Weakness" by some little idiot.

I agree that Rhaposody in Blue is an amazing work, one of the highlights of the 20th Century. And given that what is being played on "top 40" radio is nothing but pure garbage, there is still great music being made out there. I invite you to check out Tangerine Dream's latest output, in particular Booster a double disk of some of their recent shorter pieces, and Jeanne D'Arc a truly amazing piece of music from 2006. I've always considered Tangerine Dream to be composing classical music of the 20th and now 21st century. And while most of the stuff floating around isn't worth much, I also recall an amazing piece of music called, "My Weakness" by some little idiot.

Perhaps I shouldn't speak since I've never actually listened to "Rhapsody in blue" in its entirety. (Not because of objection, Ive just never had the recommendation I suppose. I will now.)

Anyway, to my point, claiming that our generation likely won't leave much of a cultural stamp based on top 40 radio is a rather unfounded statement. Today's culture isn't in Top 40 radio, its discovered in independent musicians, playwrights, bloggers, designers and thinkers.

I suppose the argument could be made that Top 40 radio consists of music our nation enjoys as a whole. However, there's more to it than that. Radiohead's In Rainbows, for example, didn't qualify for Top 40 because they sold it solely (or, mostly) on their website. However, shows on their latest tour sold out in under a minute. I would consider that part of our cultural stamp that avoided the Top 40 radio spot.

It is hard to imagine what next century's general population will remember about our cultural stamp (other than global warming and the Iraq War.) However, I'm not convinced that previous generations were aware of their stamp was it was happening either. (Do you think Dylan, early in his career, assumed he would ever be an American icon?)

However, I understand the point of this entry was to express your unforgiving love for "Rhapsody in blue." That's ok with me; I will certainly listen to it.

And, please, if you think I'm wrong or have any opinions with regard to this, I would love to hear them. :)

Send me your email.

Dude,

I've been reading your journals for a few and am continually amazed by the perceptions you bring up and by the level of agreement we have in different things. As a former music student, I've been fortunate enough to hear it live with a full orchestra acoompanying the piano as well as hearing recordings of Gershwin himself playing it live. Extraordinary to say the least.

His, Leonard Bernstein's and Aaron Copland's work make a fine statement for American Orchestral music in the 20th century.

Keep paving the way for the next group. I'm psyched for the Little Death show next week. Enjoy the moment.

Ratbastard

makes perfect sense that you would be a Gershwin fan. you are a passionate being, and let's face it, Gershwin's work is sexy. as for "rhapsody in blue" being the best thing ever written and recorded, there are others that fall into that category in my world, but i will NOT deny Gershwin entry...as a matter of fact, those works have been longstanding in that area. another that lives there: Carl Orff's work. possibly a bit trite, but none-the-less sexy. i'll agree with your 40-year statement. maybe that will change one day, but it is a hard goal to achieve. we can all dream, though.

Gershwin is not classified as 'classical' in my world. it's a meshing of classical and jazz, therefore can't reside in one single area (just one of the many things that make it so brilliant!). just when you think it's safe to relax and let it all flow in with tickles of excitement here and there, wham...full on passion. it grabs you and entangles you in the web it has created, but you don't want to fight it,...in fact...you want to go deeper. and that is exactly what happens in the music. the next thing you know you have been released, to fly as high as your will, knowing that it is only temporary freedom. but still,.... you relax, drift, daydream, and eventually semi-forget what is about to happen. then wham. ensnared once more, at first fighting it, then accepting, because it is so passionate and takes you away again, deep into it. if you let it, it is a complete mind fuck orgasm. so..do i get it? yeah...i get it. probably an understatement.

thanks for sharing. i think you may have just created a few more Gershwin fans in the world. not a bad day's work if you ask me lol.

I agree. It's one of the best music compositions I've ever heard. I've listened to more Gerswin and didn't like it so much, but that one piece is fundamental.

I'm sorry, but Piazzolla is a little closer to my heart.

hi moby!

I bought "last night" last friday... and I LOVE IT!!( in fact i'm sistening to it now :P). It's a wonderful album, well, like everything you do, of course:). you always make me feel very, very happy with your music, you know? thank you so much!!^^

kisses from spain

sara

Wow. I am not sure if that is a good thing or not.

Comparing music without context is tricky, no? Gershwin, to me, sounds like Fantasia--corporate Disney entertainment--closed, packaged, preprocessed Art blather.

> then listen to top 40 pop radio for 15 minutes.
No. That is punishment. Thanks, David S