George Gershwin: American Composer, Pianist, and Conductor
Not quite classical and not quite jazz, George Gershwin is a little bit of both. His tunes have become familiar in both the pop and classical world: the ever-popular “Summertime” started out as an aria from the opera Porgy and Bess.
Early Years: Classical Training and Tin Pan Alley
The son of Russian immigrants (Moshe Gershovitz and Rose Bruskin), George Gershwin was born in Brooklyn in 1898. In 1910, his parents purchased a piano for George’s older brother Ira, but George’s aptitude for the instrument soon outshone his brother’s. Later, however, the two would team up—Ira’s verse paired with George’s melodies—to produce some of the wittiest and catchiest songs of their era.
Trained in the works of classical composers, George mastered Chopin, Liszt, and Debussy. But in 1914, he left music lessons in order to work as a song plugger in the New York Tin Pan Alley music and entertainment industry. In between promoting the Jerome H. Remick & Co. publishing firm’s music, George honed his piano skills and began composing. After Al Jolson popularized “Swanee” in 1919, George's career finally began to take off.
Broadway Composer: Music Theater and Hit Songs
In addition to the more commercial and formulaic Tin Pan Alley industry, another popular form of entertainment in New York was the Broadway stage. Although still catchy and upbeat, Broadway offered a chance to produce something slightly more artistic. In 1924, Ira and George Gershwin tried their hand at music theater, releasing Lady, Be Good!. They went on to write several more musicals, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Of Thee I Sing. The Gershwin brothers wrote solid musical numbers, many of which have outlived the original musicals they first appeared in.
Classical Composer: Jazz-Inflected Drama
Mindful of his early classical training, George also wanted to compose serious music. But he didn’t just want to repeat the sounds of earlier centuries. Instead, he sought to incorporate an emerging popular idiom of the 1920s New York music scene: jazz. Though its association with night clubs tainted jazz’s reputation, several composers were interested in “redeeming” jazz by bringing it to the classical concert stage. In 1924, Paul Whiteman commissioned a work for the Aeolian Hall concert of modern music. George Gershwin, hard at work on his music theater projects, nevertheless managed to produce Rhapsody in Blue. A year later, he wrote what is considered his best work: the Piano Concerto in F Major.
Early Death
In 1937, George Gershwin collapsed and died of a brain tumor. He was still a few weeks shy of his 39th birthday.
Notable Recordings
Porgy and Bess: Original Cast Recording
Rhapsody in Blue/American in Paris (Leonard Bernstein)
Rhapsody in Blue/Piano Concerto in F/American in Paris (Andre Previn)
Sources Consulted
Richard Crawford: “George Gershwin,” Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed [July 21, 2007]).
The Official Website of George & Ira Gershwin
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