Description
Manhattan is the original motion picture soundtrack to Woody Allen’s 1979 film Manhattan with music by George Gershwin. It was performed by the New York Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under Michael Tilson Thomas. The soundtrack works supremely well with the film and is equally effective without the film. It was nominated for Best Soundtrack in the 33rd British Academy Film Awards.
Normally, Allen’s finding and adding music to a film would be done during the editing process. However, in the case of this soundtrack, Allen knew beforehand exactly what he wanted: “Sometimes I know in advance. When I made Manhattan, for example, I knew I was going to use this Gershwin music”. Fellow Brooklynite Gershwin’s 1924 composition Rhapsody in Blue, the opening musical number of the film, does seem perfectly apt for the film, as the idea for the song came to Gershwin on a train journey to Boston. Gershwin describes as “a musical kaleidoscope of America, of our vast melting pot, our unduplicated national pep, our blues, our metropolitan madness.” It is that Metropolitan Madness that makes it work so well in Woody Allen’s Manhattan. Used in the extended opening homage, it is the perfect soundtrack to New York at all hours.
Soundtrack Credits
1 Rhapsody in Blue
(1924)
Music by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic (as The New York Philharmonic)
Conducted by Zubin Mehta
Piano soloist: Paul Jacobs
Music director: Zubin Mehta
2 Love Is Sweeping the Country
(1931)
Music by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic (as The New York Philharmonic)
Music director: Zubin Mehta
3 Land of the Gay Caballero
(1930)
Music by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic (as The New York Philharmonic)
Music director: Zubin Mehta
4 Sweet and Low Down
(1927)
Music by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic (as The New York Philharmonic)
Music director: Zubin Mehta
5 I’ve Got a Crush on You
(1930)
Music by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic (as The New York Philharmonic)
Music director: Zubin Mehta
6 Do-Do-Do
(1926)
Music by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic (as The New York Philharmonic)
Music director: Zubin Mehta
7 S’Wonderful
(1927)
Music by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic (as The New York Philharmonic)
Music director: Zubin Mehta
8 Oh, Lady Be Good
(1924)
Music by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic (as The New York Philharmonic)
Music director: Zubin Mehta
9 Strike Up the Band
(1927)
Music by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic (as The New York Philharmonic)
Music director: Zubin Mehta
10 Embraceable You
(1930)
Music by George Gershwin
Video: Manhattan (1979) He Adored new York City
