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Gershwin, George
1898-1937
(b Brooklyn, NY, 26 Sept 1898; d Hollywood, CA, 11 July 1937). American
An American in Paris (Clague) <1928>
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The George and Ira Gershwin Critical Edition, ed. Mark Clague 2017.
The three saxophone parts are not optional, but the piece can be performed either with modified instrumental parts for alto (opt. dbl soprano), tenor, and baritone saxophones (minimal doublings), or without saxophones at all, as prominent lines are mostly doubled in other instruments.
The taxi horns should be performed with instruments that sound the following pitches: Taxi Horn #1 = Ab4 (above middle C), #2 = Bb4, #3 = D5 (a ninth above middle C); and #4 = A3 (a third below middle C). The piece can be performed without taxi horns at all, as the effect is simultaneously realized in the orchestra.
The celesta part can be covered by the ratchet/glockenspiel/xylophone player.
Logs for a 1929 recording made under George Gershwin’s supervision indicate the string distribution was 10.6.4.4.3. This suggests that performances today might augment the overall number of violins generally and first violins particularly.
The three saxophone parts are not optional, but the piece can be performed either with modified instrumental parts for alto (opt. dbl soprano), tenor, and baritone saxophones (minimal doublings), or without saxophones at all, as prominent lines are mostly doubled in other instruments.
The taxi horns should be performed with instruments that sound the following pitches: Taxi Horn #1 = Ab4 (above middle C), #2 = Bb4, #3 = D5 (a ninth above middle C); and #4 = A3 (a third below middle C). The piece can be performed without taxi horns at all, as the effect is simultaneously realized in the orchestra.
The celesta part can be covered by the ratchet/glockenspiel/xylophone player.
Logs for a 1929 recording made under George Gershwin’s supervision indicate the string distribution was 10.6.4.4.3. This suggests that performances today might augment the overall number of violins generally and first violins particularly.