An American in Paris: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works, Conductor Score & Parts

George Gershwin (1898–1937) composed An American in Paris in 1928 after a sojourn in the French capital, where he sought to capture the sights, sounds, and energy of the bustling city through a vivid orchestral "rhapsodic ballet." Drawing inspiration from Parisian street scenes, car horns he brought back to New York, and his own impressions as a visitor abroad, the piece blends jazz idioms with symphonic craft in a way that was both innovative and quintessentially American. It was premiered by the New York Philharmonic under Walter Damrosch at Carnegie Hall on December 13, 1928, to great acclaim, quickly becoming one of Gershwin's most beloved concert works. The Campbell-Watson edition, published much later, offers a scholarly restoration of the score, clarifying details of orchestration and performance practice to bring us closer to Gershwin's intentions. Today, An American in Paris is firmly established in the international repertoire as a landmark of 20th-century music, cherished for its color, rhythmic verve, and cosmopolitan spirit that continues to resonate with audiences worldwide. Instrumentation: 3(3rd d. Picc).2+EH.2+BCl.2: 3Sax(ATB): 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(4-5): Clst: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set). Reprint edition. An 11x14 oversized score is also available from the publisher.