An American in Paris

An American in Paris ( An American in Paris) is a composition for orchestra by George Gershwin from the year 1928. It is adjacent to the Rhapsody in Blue, one of the most popular works of the composer.

Similar to the Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris is a rhapsody or tone poem in free form, in the Gershwin the impressions of his own stay in Paris imagines musical. Gershwin himself subtitled the work as a " tone poem for orchestra ". It was written as a commission for the New York Philharmonic. It is written for the usual occupation of the Symphony Orchestra, added some effect instruments such as horns of Parisian taxis that Gershwin specially brought from France. Today's always -heard orchestration differs in many respects, however, from Gershwin's original manuscript. Frank Campbell - Watson (1898-1980), Gershwin's editor and publisher of the music publishing New World, reaching as deep into the score that it is now run as an arranger. For this reason, the scores offered today are not in the public domain, although George Gerswhin has been dead for more than 70 years.

The piece was premiered on December 13, 1928 in Carnegie Hall by the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Walter Damrosch.

The performance lasts about 20 minutes.

In 1951, the orchestral work served as the basis for the feature film An American in Paris by Vincente Minnelli.