George Gershwin and Oscar Levant
A Broadway Composer's Friendship with a Witty, Virtuoso Pianist
George Gershwin and Oscar Levant, both young, brilliant composers and pianists, formed a relationship that promoted their popular and classical musical careers.
The Early Years
In 1925, the American composer George Gershwin, age 27, was already famous for his songs, his early Broadway musical comedies and his Rhapsody in Blue. That year, Gershwin met the witty nineteen-year-old Oscar Levant who was also a composer and pianist.
Levant was described as "a brilliant, bumptious ex-Pittsburger" and described himself as a "penthouse beachcomber." He was first introduced into the New York apartment of Gershwin's brother Ira then, before long, was invited to visit Gershwin's apartment.
Gershwin found Levant entertaining, if often irritating. However, Gershwin first scored his own orchestral compositions for two pianos, and he found Levant useful as his "second piano," allowing Gershwin to hear both parts together. Levant soon became a regular in the households of both Gershwin brothers.
Even before they met, Levant greatly admired George Gershwin. Levant had already publicly performed and recorded Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, making it more familiar to the classical music world which Gershwin wanted to be a part of.
Levant also played early performances of Gershwin's Concerto in F -- which Levant recorded -- and the Second Rhapsody. He also performed in popular, all-Gershwin concerts held for some years at the large, now-dismantled Lewisohn stadium in New York City.
In 1936, the year after premiere of Gershwin's "folk opera," Porgy and Bess, both Levant and Gershwin moved to Hollywood to compose music for movies, Levant being the first to make the move.
Gershwin and Levant in Hollywood
Levant was still part of Gershwin's social circle in Hollywood which included many of their New York friends who had also moved there. Gershwin and Levant also became friends with several of the movie stars and producers of the films they scored.
Both Gershwin and Levant became friends with twelve-tone composer Arnold Schoenberg. Levant studied composition with him, and Gershwin was Schoenberg's frequent tennis partner.
Gershwin and Levant liked each other, but both had cutting tongues. When they shared a sleeping compartment on a train, Gershwin took the more convenient lower berth, saying, "Upper berth -- lower berth. That's the difference between talent and genius." Later, during a pause in a Gershwin-dominated party, Levant said, "Tell me, George, if you had to do it all over, would you fall in love with yourself again?"
In 1937, Gershwin began suffering from severe headaches, and his coordination became impaired. The doctors diagnosed his condition as a nervous disorder. He became worse and was admitted to a hospital. He fell into a coma, and doctors operated on him, finding a large, malignant brain tumor. Levant was with the family and other friends at the hospital during the surgery. Gershwin never came out of the coma and died July 11, 1937.
Levant became more active in the classical music world after Gershwin's death, producing several significant compositions, including his Suite for Orchestra. One movement of the suite, entitled "Dirge - Andante," was dedicated "In Memory of George Gershwin".
After Gershwin's death, Levant wrote the book A Smattering of Ignorance, which was a collection of long autobiographical essays. The importance of Gershwin in Levant's life can be judged from one sixty-page-long essay in the book. Levant sadly, ironically and self-deprecatingly entitled the essay, "MY LIFE: OR THE BIOGRAPHY OF GEORGE GERSHWIN."
Levant survived until 1972.
Sources:
- Gershwin, Edward Jablonski, Doubleday, New York, 1987.
- A Smattering of Ignorance, by Oscar Levant, Doubleday, Doran & Company, New York, 1940.
- "Oscar Levant," a brief biography by Dr. Charles Barber on classical.net.
