GERSHWIN, GEORGE

GERSHWIN, GEORGE
GERSHWIN, GEORGE (1898–1937), U.S. composer. Born in New York, he wrote his first songs while working as a pianist with a music publishing firm. His first revue, Half Past Eight (1918), was followed by the successful La La Lucille (1919) and in the same year his song "Swanee," sung by al jolson in the revue Sinbad, caused a sensation. He was commissioned by Paul Whiteman to compose a jazz symphony. The resultant work, Rhapsody in Blue for piano and orchestra, was first performed in New York in 1924, with the composer at the piano. It made jazz "respectable" for the American concert stage and made Gershwin famous. He composed the Concerto for Piano in F Major (1925), Three Preludes for Piano (1926), An American in Paris (1928), Second Rhapsody (1931), and Cuban Overture (1932). Gershwin had little formal training, and after the success of the Rhapsody in Blue, in which he had received the help of an orchestrator, he studied with Rubin goldmark and joseph schillinger . He continued composing music for films and Broadway shows, his most successful revues being Lady Be Good (1924), Oh Kay (1926), Strike Up the Band (1927), Girl Crazy (1930), and Of Thee I Sing (1931), a political satire. Most of the lyrics for his revues and songs were written by his brother Ira (1896–1983). His last and greatest work was the folk opera Porgy and Bess (1935), based on Du-Bose Heyward's play, Catfish Row, about the life of Southern blacks. Gershwin's musical style was rooted in the jazz idiom of his time, and stimulated by the traditions of Southern blacks. Influences of cantorial style may be discerned in certain wide-ranging phrases, notably the clarinet solo which opens Rhapsody in Blue. On February 28, 1973, the U.S. government issued an 8-cent commemorative stamp in honor of George Gershwin as representative of musicians, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of his birth. It was the first stamp in the American Arts series of commemoratives, and the U.S. Postal Service issued a first day cover featuring him at the piano. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: R. Rushmore, Life of George Gershwin (1966); I. Goldberg, George Gershwin: A Study in American Music (1931); M. Armitage (ed.), George Gershwin (1938); D. Ewen, A Journey to Greatness, The Life and Music of George Gershwin (1956); G. Chase (ed.), American Composer Speaks (1966), 139–45. (Josef Tal/ Bathja Bayer)

Encyclopedia Judaica. 1971.

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  • Gershwin, George — (1898 1937)    Born Jacob Gershvin, George Gershwin became one of America’s most famous composers of orchestral works, popular songs, jazz, and musical comedies. He worked as a pianist for a music publisher from 1914 to 1917, when he became a… …   Historical Dictionary of the Roosevelt–Truman Era

  • Gershwin, George — orig. Jacob Gershvin born Sept. 26, 1898, Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S. died July 11, 1937, Hollywood, Calif. U.S. composer. Born to Russian Jewish immigrants, he heard jazz performed live from about age six. In his teens he worked as a song plugger… …   Universalium

  • Gershwin, George — ► (1898 1937) Compositor estadounidense. Sus composiciones están ideadas para instrumentos e instrumentistas clásicos. La falsa denominación de «jazz sinfónico» dada a su música hizo que se le relacionase con el jazz. Obras: Porgy and Bess,… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Gershwin,George — Gersh·win (gûrshʹwĭn), George. 1898 1937. American composer who brought jazz idiom to classical music forms in his orchestral works, such as Rhapsody in Blue (1924), and composed the scores for many musical comedies. His collaborations with his… …   Universalium

  • Gershwin, George — (1898–1937)    US composer. George Gershwin was responsible for forming the jazz style into acceptable concert music. His Rhapsody in Blue (1924) was a landmark, as was American in Paris (1928). He wrote successful musical comedies and film… …   Who’s Who in Jewish History after the period of the Old Testament

  • Gershwin, George — • ГЕ РШВИН (Gershwin) Джордж (26.9.11898 11.7.1937)    амер. композитор. Творч. деятельность начал в 1916. Автор музыки к ф. Люби меня сегодня вечером (1932), Голдвин Фоллиз (1938) и др. Музыка Г., отличающаяся красотой мелодий и ритмич.… …   Кино: Энциклопедический словарь

  • Gershwin, George — (1898 1937)    American composer. Born in Brooklyn, he was responsible for forming the jazz style into acceptable concert music. His Rhapsody in Blue was a landmark, as was American in Paris. He wrote successful musical comedies and film scores… …   Dictionary of Jewish Biography

  • Gershwin — Gershwin, George …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • George Gerschwin — George Gershwin George Gershwin George Gershwin en 1937. Naissance 26 septembre 1898 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Gershwin — George Gershwin George Gershwin George Gershwin en 1937. Naissance 26 septembre 1898 …   Wikipédia en Français

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