Editing Rhapsody in Blue (section)

=== Commission ===
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 |image1 = Paul Whiteman in Radio Stars.jpg
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 |footer = Bandleader [[Paul Whiteman]] (left) and composer [[George Gershwin]] (right)
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Following the success of an experimental classical-jazz concert held with Canadian singer [[Éva Gauthier]] in New York City on November 1, 1923, bandleader [[Paul Whiteman]] decided to attempt a more ambitious feat.{{sfn|Schiff|1997|p=53}} He asked composer [[George Gershwin]] to write a concerto-like piece for an all-jazz concert in honor of [[Lincoln's Birthday]] to be given at [[Aeolian Building (42nd Street)|Aeolian Hall]].{{sfn|Greenberg|1998|p=61}} Whiteman became fixated upon performing such an extended composition by Gershwin after he collaborated with him in ''[[George White's Scandals|The Scandals of 1922]]''.{{sfn|Wood|1996|pp=68–69, 112}} He had been especially impressed by Gershwin's one-act "jazz opera" ''[[Blue Monday (opera)|Blue Monday]]''.{{sfnm|Wood|1996|1p=112|Howard|2003}} Gershwin initially declined Whiteman's request on the grounds that he would have insufficient time to compose the work and there would likely be a need to revise the score.{{sfn|Wood|1996|p=81}}

Soon after, on the evening of January 3, George Gershwin and lyricist [[Buddy DeSylva]] played a game of [[billiards]] at the Ambassador Billiard Parlor at [[Broadway (Manhattan)|Broadway]] and [[52nd Street (Manhattan)|52nd Street]] in Manhattan.{{sfn|Schwartz|1979|p=76}} George's brother, [[Ira Gershwin]], interrupted their billiard game to read aloud the January 4 edition of the ''[[New-York Tribune]]''.{{sfnm|Wood|1996|1p=81|Jablonski|1999}} An unsigned ''Tribune'' article entitled "What Is American Music?" about an upcoming Whiteman concert had caught Ira's attention.{{sfn|Schwartz|1979|p=76}} The article falsely declared that George Gershwin had begun "work on a jazz concerto" for Whiteman's concert.{{sfnm|Schiff|1997|1p=53|Schwartz|1979|2p=76}}

The news announcement puzzled Gershwin as he had politely declined to compose any such work for Whiteman.{{sfnm|Schwartz|1979|1p=76|Wood|1996|2p=81}}{{sfn|Jablonski|1999}} In a telephone conversation with Whiteman the next morning, Whiteman informed Gershwin that Whiteman's arch rival [[Vincent Lopez]] planned to steal the idea of his experimental concert and there was no time to lose.{{sfn|Greenberg|1998|pp=64–65}} Whiteman thus finally persuaded Gershwin to compose the piece.{{sfn|Greenberg|1998|pp=64–65}}