I love this piece but I was wondering how the player achieves the steady slide up to the high note near the start-a seeming glissando. I didnt think such a thing was possible on a woodwind instrument .
Some will begin the Rhapsody in Blue gliss. once over the break, others do it all the way from the low G. Going over the break is one occasion when keys must be dealt with instead of open holes. There are a few others of course. It is also very difficult to gliss. into the altissimo (such as C to C#), as fingers are going off and on holes at the same time (Artie Shaw Concerto). Details and many examples of gliss. are in my book.