New York Philharmonic & Zubin Mehta & Gary Graffman - Music From The Woody Allen Film "Manhattan" (1979/1986)

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. It was nominated for Best Soundtrack in the 33rd British Academy Film Awards.

Usually, Allen's finding and adding music to a film would be done during the editing process. However, in the case of this soundtrack, Allen had said he 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.

The inspiration behind the soundtrack came to Allen when he was listening to the CBS Masterworks LP of Gershwin overtures, titled Gershwin on Broadway, in arrangements by Don Rose, recorded in 1976 by Michael Tilson Thomas and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO). This LP included six Gershwin overtures: Girl Crazy, Of Thee I Sing, Let 'Em Eat Cake, Oh, Kay!, Funny Face, and Strike Up the Band. In order to secure the legal rights, Allen's producers sent each BPO musician a check for an extra recording session that would never take place.

Gershwin is widely considered to be a quintessential American composer whose music is culturally defining for many Americans – especially New Yorkers. The soundtrack contains a mix of Gershwin's more famous compositions (Rhapsody in Blue, "Someone to Watch Over Me" and "Embraceable You") and several lesser-known pieces. There is also variety in the instrumentation, with some scored for the full orchestra and some for smaller ensembles ("Mine" and "Love Is Here to Stay").

Tracklist
01. Rhapsody In Blue (16:31)
02. Land Of The Gay Caballero (0:35)
03. Someone To Watch Over Me (3:24)
04. I've Got A Crush On You (0:54)
05. Do, Do, Do (1:53)
06. Mine (3:56)
07. He Loves And She Loves (1:19)
08. Bronco Busters (1:16)
09. Oh, Lady Be Good (0:57)
10. 'S Wonderful (1:01)
11. Love Is Here To Stay (2:24)
12. Sweet And Low Down (0:47)
13. Blue Blue Blue (0:40)
14. Embraceable You (1:46)
15. He Loves And She Loves (1:18)
16. Love Is Sweeping The Country & Land Of The Gay Caballero
(0:43)
17. Strike Up The Band (0:37)
18. But Not For Me (1:10)