''Hoctor's Ballet'' is a composition by

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...

for full orchestra written in 1937, originally from the score for '' Shall We Dance''. Performance time runs about 10 minutes. Composed by Gershwin specifically for the ballerina

Harriet Hoctor Harriet Hoctor (September 25, 1905 – June 9, 1977) was a ballerina, dancer, actress and instructor. Composer George Gershwin composed a symphonic orchestral piece (Hoctor's Ballet) specifically for Hoctor in the film ''Shall We Dance'' (19 ...

, the piece features string glissandos, rapid shifts in key, and the most extensive parts are written for the harp. It consists of a dramatic introduction followed by a fast waltz, a stately procession, an extended pas de deux, and a climactic reprise (also noted in some books as a separate "Shall We Dance", "Masks" or "Finale and Coda" scene.) This is the only published music from the ''Shall We Dance'' score available besides the ''

Walking the Dog "Walking the Dog" (or "Walkin' the Dog") is a song written and performed by Rufus Thomas. It was released on his 1963 album '' Walking the Dog''. It was his signature hit and also his biggest, reaching number 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in ...

'' sequence, and is significant as the last long composition written by Gershwin for the symphony orchestra. The premiere live concert performance of ''Hoctor's Ballet'' took place on July 28, 2007 at the Severance Hall Pavilion in Cleveland, Ohio, with Loras John Schissel conducting the Blossom Festival Orchestra.

Preservation status

On September 22, 2013 it was announced that a musicological critical edition of the full orchestral score will be eventually released. The Gershwin family, working in conjunction with the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...

and the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

, are working to make scores available to the public that represent Gershwin's true intent. The entire Gershwin project may take 30 to 40 years to complete, and it is unclear when the score to ''Shall We Dance'' (which includes ''Hoctor's Ballet'') will be released. ''* See specifically Gershwin: A New Critical Biography, by Edward Jablonski (1998) pg. 300-304 and Gershwin: His Life and Work, by Howard Pollack (2006) pg. 671 for specific discussions on the genesis of this piece.''

References

Compositions by George Gershwin 1937 compositions {{1930s-song-stub