▁and ▁B ess , ▁but ▁jazz ▁conduct or ▁Paul ▁Wh item an , ▁who ▁conducted ▁the ▁original ▁performance ▁of ▁the ▁piece ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁was ▁so ▁im pressed ▁by ▁it ▁that ▁he ▁asked ▁G ers h win ▁to ▁compose ▁a ▁sym ph onic ▁jazz ▁piece ▁for ▁Wh item an ▁to ▁conduct ▁at ▁a ▁concert ▁Wh item an ▁was ▁planning . ▁The ▁resulting ▁piece , ▁" R haps ody ▁in ▁Blue ," ▁became ▁G ers h win ' s ▁most ▁famous ▁composition . ▁ ▁Arts ▁consult ant ▁Jeff rey ▁James ▁claims ▁that ▁Blue ▁Monday ▁is ▁the ▁" gen esis ▁of ▁the ▁R haps ody ", ▁and ▁" the ▁missing ▁link ▁in ▁G ers h win ' s ▁evolution ▁into ▁the ▁R haps ody ▁in ▁Blue " ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁source ▁to ▁his ▁P rel udes , ▁P iano ▁Con cer to ▁and ▁P org y ▁and ▁B ess . ▁ ▁After ▁its ▁dis astr ous ▁f lop ▁on ▁Broadway , ▁Blue ▁Monday ▁was ▁reported ly ▁renamed ▁ 1 3 5 th ▁Street ▁when ▁Fer de ▁Gro f é ▁re - orch estr ated ▁it ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁with ▁a ▁concert ▁performance ▁at ▁Car neg ie ▁Hall ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 9 ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁Paul ▁Wh item an . ▁However , ▁the ▁original ▁Gro fe ▁score ▁exists ▁in ▁the ▁arch ives ▁of ▁the ▁Oscar ▁& ▁Ham mer stein ▁Library ▁at ▁Lincoln ▁Center , ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Public ▁Library ▁and ▁is ▁titled ▁Blue