A rhapsody is a genre whose name comes from the ancient Greek rhapsodes — wandering singers who performed epic poems. It is a free, as if improvised work, which often unfolds as a series of contrasting episodes — from pensive-lyrical to turbulent-festive.
A rhapsody usually draws on folk melodies and rhythms, singing the spirit of a particular people. The most famous are Franz Liszt's “Hungarian Rhapsodies,” brilliant, virtuosic canvases on Hungarian-Roma themes. Also celebrated are Ravel's “Rapsodie espagnole” and George Gershwin's “Rhapsody in Blue,” which united jazz with a symphony orchestra. The rhapsody is a free musical narrative in which the composer, like an ancient bard, reveals the character, history, and soul of a people.
