The conductor was Robert Irving and the pianist on opening night ; the orchestration had only been completed for two songs, "Strike Up the Band" and "I Got Rhythm". "Clap Yo' Hands" was performed to a recording made by George Gershwin; this sequence was, however, eliminated by Balanchine in 1976.
Balanchine and Gershwin's plans to collaborate were frustrated by the composer's untimely death in 1937. Thirty-three years later, Balanchine chose seventeen of Gershwin's from Broadway musical songs for this ballet; Mayor John V. Lindsay presented Balanchine with the Handel Medallion, New York City's highest cultural award, on opening night.[4]
