On February 12, 1924, George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue was performed for the first time. The concert where it was played was to be educational and was called “Experiment in Modern Music.” Gershwin’s song was to introduce jazz to a broader audience. Gershwin himself played the part for piano because he had not finished scoring the music and needed to improvise. The piece has become one of the most important musical works of the 20th century.
