"A fascinating exploration of the 'active and, at times, surprising life' of an American musical icon. Saturated in original archival research and musical insights, the book offers a vivid, unique account of the Rhapsody as a 'variable idea and not a fixed text'-a savvy approach that opens up fresh ways of hearing and understanding the piece." --Jeffrey Magee, Associate Professor of Music and Theater at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign"Addressing fascinating but little-noticed source material, Arranging Gershwin advances an original thesis that promises to change the way we think about Rhapsody in Blue in particular and the whole question of classical/nonclassical hybridity in general. Moreover, Bañagale accomplishes his goal with an accessible, engaging style that draws in the general reader as well as the specialist."--Larry Hamberlin, Middlebury College, author oTin Pan Opera: Operatic Novelty Songs in the Ragtime Era"[A] welcome divergence from most previous work. Bañagale...not only did the research that dispels a good deal of the mythology that has grown up around the Rhapsody but also offers fresh musical insights and delves into heretofore ignored aspects of the work and its history."--Choice"In its scope, depth, and fastidious detail work, this is a very strong piece of musicological scholarship." -NOTES