3 Preludes by George Gershwin

George Gershwin’s Three Preludes (1926) represent a landmark moment in American classical music, successfully bridging the gap between the concert hall and the jazz club. Originally intended to be part of a much larger set titled The Five De-Lish Preludes, Gershwin eventually narrowed the published work down to these three contrasting movements.

Historical Significance

When Gershwin premiered these at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York, he was already famous for Rhapsody in Blue. The Three Preludes proved that his jazz-influenced language could be just as effective in a "pure" solo piano form as it was in a full orchestral setting.

Today, they are staples of the piano repertoire and are frequently performed in arrangements for violin, clarinet, and saxophone, as their melodic nature lends itself beautifully to lyrical instruments.