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George Gershwin (September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer. He wrote most of his vocal and theatrical works in collaboration with his elder brother, lyricist Ira Gershwin. George Gershwin composed both for Broadway and for the classical concert hall. He also wrote popular songs with success. Gershwin may refer to: One of the Gershwin brothers: American composer George Gershwin author of famous works like Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Ira Gershwin (6 December 1896 – 17 August 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century. ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... Classical music is a broad, somewhat imprecise term, referring to music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of, European art, ecclesiastical and concert music, encompassing a broad period from roughly 1000 to the present day. ... For the music genre, see Pop music. ...

Many of his compositions have been used on television and in numerous films, and many became jazz standards. The jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald recorded many of the Gershwins' songs on her 1959 Gershwin Songbook (arranged by Nelson Riddle). Countless singers and musicians have recorded Gershwin songs, including Louis Armstrong, Al Jolson, Art Tatum, Bing Crosby, John Coltrane, Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Sam Cooke, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Judy Garland, Julie Andrews, Barbra Streisand, Marni Nixon, Natalie Cole, Nina Simone, John Fahey, and Sting. For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella and the First Lady of Song, is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th Century. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook is a 1959 (see 1959 in music) album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, (focusing on the songs of George and Ira Gershwin) recorded with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, marking the first time that Ella and Riddle had worked together. ... Nelson Smock Riddle, Jr. ... Louis[1] Armstrong[2] (4 August 1901[3] – July 6, 1971), nicknamed Satchmo[4] and Pops, was an American jazz musician. ... Al Jolson was a highly acclaimed American singer, comedian and actor of Jewish heritage whose career lasted from 1911 until his death in 1950. ... Arthur Tatum Jr. ... Harry Lillis Bing Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. ... Coltrane redirects here. ... Sinatra redirects here. ... Billie Holiday (April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959), born Eleanora Fagan and later nicknamed Lady Day (see Jazz royalty regarding similar nicknames), was an American jazz singer, a seminal influence on jazz and pop singers, and generally regarded as one of the greatest female jazz vocalists. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926 – September 28, 1991) was an American jazz musician, widely considered to be one of the most influential of the 20th century. ... Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an Academy Award and multiple Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist and composer from Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Hancock is one of jazz musics most important and influential pianists and composers. ... Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922 - June 22, 1969) was an Academy Award-nominated American film actress and singer, best known for her role as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (1939). ... Dame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE (born Julia Elizabeth Wells[1] on 1 October 1935[2]) is an award-winning English actress, singer, author and cultural icon. ... Barbra Streisand (pronounced STRY-sand, IPA: ; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, theatre and film actress, composer, liberal political activist, film producer and director. ... Marni Nixon (born February 22, 1930) is a singer whose renown for dubbing the singing voices of featured actresses in movies earned her the sobriquet The Ghostess with the Mostess. She was born Margaret McEathron in Altadena, California and began singing at a young age in choruses. ... Natalie Maria Cole (born February 6, 1950), known professionally as Natalie Cole, is an American singer and songwriter. ... Eunice Kathleen Waymon, better known by her stage name Nina Simone (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger and civil rights activist. ... John Fahey (February 28, 1939 – February 22, 2001) was an American fingerstyle guitarist and composer who pioneered the steel-string guitar as a solo instrument. ... This article is about the musician. ...

Biography

Gershwin was born Jacob Gershowitz in Brooklyn, New York to Russian Jewish immigrant parents. His father, Morris (Moishe) Gershowitz, changed the family name to Gershwin sometime after emigrating from St. Petersburg, Russia. Gershwin's mother, Rosa Bruskin, also emigrated from Russia; she married Gershowitz four years later. This article is about the borough of New York City. ... This article is about the state. ... For other uses, see Jew (disambiguation). ... Saint Petersburg  listen (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991...

George Gershwin was the second of four children. He first displayed interest in music at the age of ten, when he was intrigued by what he heard at a friend's violin recital. The sound and the way his friend played captured him. His parents had bought a piano for his older brother Ira, but to his parents' surprise and Ira's relief, it was George who played it. Although his younger sister Frances was the first in the family to make money from her musical talents, she married young and became a housewife and mother, giving up her own singing and dance career—settling into painting, a hobby of George's.

Gershwin tried various piano teachers for two years, and then was introduced to Charles Hambitzer by Jack Miller, the pianist in the Beethoven Symphony Orchestra. Hambitzer acted as George's mentor until his death, in 1918. Hambitzer taught George conventional piano technique, introduced him to music of the European classical tradition, and encouraged him to attend orchestral concerts. (At home following such concerts, young George would attempt to reproduce at the piano the music he had heard.) He later studied with classical composer Rubin Goldmark and avant-garde composer-theorist Henry Cowell. 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Rubin Goldmark (August 15, 1872 (New York City) - March 6, 1936 (New York City)) was an American composer, pianist, and educator. ... Henry Cowell (March 11, 1897 – December 10, 1965) was an American composer, musical theorist, pianist, teacher, publisher, and impresario. ...

George Gershwin in 1937

His first job as a performer was as a "song plugger" for Remick's, a publishing company on New York City's Tin Pan Alley. His 1917 novelty rag "Rialto Ripples" was a commercial success, and in 1919 he scored his first big national hit with his song "Swanee." In 1916, he started working for Aeolian Company and Standard Music Rolls in New York, recording and arranging piano rolls. He produced dozens, if not hundreds, of rolls under his own and assumed names. (Pseudonyms attributed to Gershwin include Fred Murtha and Bert Wynn.) He also recorded rolls of his own compositions for the Duo-Art and Welte-Mignon reproducing pianos. As well as recording piano rolls, Gershwin made a brief foray into vaudeville, accompanying both Nora Bayes and Louise Dresser on the piano.^[1] Image File history File links George_Gershwin_1937. ... Image File history File links George_Gershwin_1937. ... Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City-centered music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... Look up ragtime in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... Al Jolson (born Asa Yoelson, May 26, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was an acclaimed American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1911 until his death in 1950. ... Example of a piano roll being punched. ... M. Welte & Sons, Freiburg and New York From 1832 until 1932, the firm produced mechanical musical Instruments of highest quality. ... The player piano is a type of piano that plays music without the need for a human pianist to depress the normal keys or pedals. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Nora Bayes Nora Bayes (1880 - 19 June 1928) was a popular United States entertainer of the early 20th century. ... Louise Dresser (October 5, 1878 - April 24, 1965) was a United States actress. ...

In 1924, George and Ira collaborated on a musical comedy, Lady Be Good which included such future standards as "Fascinating Rhythm" and "Lady Be Good." Lady Be Good (title sometimes presented with an exclamation point) is the title of a Broadway musical play that was written by Guy Bolton, Fred Thompson, featured music by George and Ira Gershwin. ... Jazz standard refers to a tune that is widely known, performed, and recorded among jazz musicians. ... Fascinating Rhythm is a popular song. ...

This was followed by Oh, Kay! (1926); Funny Face in (1927); Strike Up the Band (1927 and 1930); Show Girl (1929), Girl Crazy (1930), which introduced the standard "I Got Rhythm," and Of Thee I Sing (1931), the first musical comedy to win a Pulitzer Prize. Oh, Kay! is a Broadway musical with book by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and music by George Gershwin. ... Funny Face is a 1927 musical composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. ... Strike Up The Band may refer to: Strike Up The Band, a 1927 song by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin written for a Broadway musical by the same name Strike Up the Band, a 1940 MGM musical directed by Busby Berkeley and starring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney Strike Up... Show Girl is a musical with a book by William Anthony McGuire, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Gus Kahn, and music by George Gershwin. ... Girl Crazy is a theater musical with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book by Guy Bolton and John McGowan. ... I Got Rhythm is a song composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, published in 1930, which became a widely-known jazz standard. ... Of Thee I Sing is a musical set in the White House, with music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin, to a book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind. ... The Pulitzer Prize is an American award regarded as the highest national honor in print journalism, literary achievements, and musical composition. ...

In 1924, Gershwin composed his first major classical work, Rhapsody in Blue for orchestra and piano, which was arranged by Ferde Grofé and premiered with Paul Whiteman's concert band in New York. It proved to be his most popular work. Cover of the original sheet music of the two piano version of Rhapsody in Blue. ... Ferde Grofé in 1921 as pianist with Paul Whitemans orchestra. ... 1928 Columbia Records label with caricature of Paul Whiteman Paul Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was a popular american orchestral leader. ...

Gershwin stayed in Paris for a short period, where he applied to study composition with Nadia Boulanger. While there, he wrote An American in Paris. This work received mixed reviews. There are orchestral nods towards Ravel's piano concerto of the same period. Eventually he found the music scene in Paris supercilious, and returned to America. This article is about the capital of France. ... Nadia Boulanger (September 16, 1887 – October 22, 1979) was an influential French composer, conductor, and music professor. ... An American in Paris is a symphonic composition by American composer George Gershwin which debuted in 1928. ... Joseph-Maurice Ravel (March 7, 1875 – December 28, 1937) was a French composer and pianist, best known for his orchestral work, Boléro, and his famous 1922 orchestral arrangement of Modest Mussorgskys Pictures at an Exhibition. ...

His most ambitious composition was Porgy and Bess (1935). Called by Gershwin himself a "folk opera," the piece premiered in a Broadway theater and is now widely regarded as the most important American opera of the twentieth century. Based on the novel Porgy by DuBose Heyward, the action takes place in a black neighborhood in Charleston, South Carolina, and with the exception of several minor speaking roles, all of the characters are black. The music combines elements of popular music of the day, which was strongly influenced by black music, with techniques found in opera, such as recitative and leit motifs. The cast of Porgy and Bess during the Boston try-out prior to the Broadway opening. ... Binomial name Stenotomus chrysops (Linnaeus, 1766) The Scup or porgy, Stenotomus chrysops, is a fish which occurs primarily in the Atlantic from Massachusetts to South Carolina. ... DuBose Heyward (August 31, 1885 – June 16, 1940) was an American author best known for his 1924 novel Porgy. ... Nickname: Motto: Aedes Mores Juraque Curat (She cares for her temples, customs, and rights) Location of Charleston in South Carolina. ...

Early in 1937, Gershwin began to complain of blinding headaches and a recurring impression that he was smelling burned rubber. He had developed a brain tumor. In June, he performed in a special concert of his music with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra with French maestro Pierre Monteux. It was in Hollywood, while working on the score of The Goldwyn Follies, that he collapsed and, on July 11, 1937, died at the age of 38 at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital following surgery for the tumor. Coincidentally, just a few months later in 1937, Gershwin's idol Ravel also died following brain surgery. The San Francisco Symphony is a major orchestra based in San Francisco, California. ... Pierre Monteux (April 4, 1875 – July 1, 1964) was an orchestra conductor. ... ... Videotape cover of The Goldwyn Follies The Goldwyn Follies is a 1938 movie, written by Ben Hecht, Sam Perrin and Arthur Phillips, with music by George Gershwin, Ray Golden, Richard Rodgers, and Kurt Weill, and lyrics by Vernon Duke and Ira Gershwin. ... is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Maurice Ravel. ...

Gershwin had a 10-year affair with composer Kay Swift and frequently consulted her about his music. Oh, Kay was named for her. After George died, Swift arranged some of his music, transcribed some of his recordings, and collaborated with Ira on several projects. Gershwin also had an affair with actress Paulette Goddard. Kay Swift (1897–1993) was an American composer of popular and classical music who was first woman to score a complete musical. ... Paulette Goddard (June 3, 1910 – April 23, 1990),[1] an Oscar-nominated American film and theatre actress. ...

George Gershwin's mausoleum in Westchester Hills Cemetery

Gershwin died intestate, and all his property passed to his mother. He is buried in the Westchester Hills Cemetery in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. The Gershwin estate continues to bring in significant royalties from licensing the copyrights on Gershwin's work. The estate supported the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act because its 1923 cutoff date was shortly before Gershwin had begun to create his most popular works. The copyrights on those works expire at the end of 2007 in the European Union and will expire between 2019 and 2027 in the United States of America. Image File history File linksMetadata Gershwin_best_800. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Gershwin_best_800. ... The Westchester Hills Cemetery, approximately 20 miles north of New York City, was established at 400 Saw Mill River Road in Hastings-on-Hudson, Westchester County, New York. ... Intestacy is the condition of the estate of a person who dies owning property greater than the sum of his or her enforceable debts and funeral expenses without having made a valid will or other binding declaration; alternatively where such a will or declaration has been made, but only applies... The Westchester Hills Cemetery, approximately 20 miles north of New York City, was established at 400 Saw Mill River Road in Hastings-on-Hudson, Westchester County, New York. ... Not to be confused with copywriting. ... The Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998 extended copyright terms in the United States by 20 years. ... Year 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

According to Fred Astaire's letters to Adele Astaire, George whispered Fred's name before passing away.^[2] Fred Astaire (May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987), born Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha, Nebraska,[1] was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. ... Adele Astaire, 1927 Lady Charles Cavendish (September 10, 1896 -January 25, 1981) [1], better known as Adele Astaire was an American dancer and entertainer. ...

In 2005, The Guardian determined using "estimates of earnings accrued in a composer's lifetime" that George Gershwin was the richest composer of all time.[1] Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Guardian. ...

George Gershwin was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006. The George Gershwin Theatre on Broadway is named after him. The Long Island Music Hall of Fame is an organization located in Lake Grove, New York. ... The George Gershwin Theatre, located at 222 West 51st Street in New York City, was originally built as the Uris Theatre in 1972. ...

Musical style and influence

Gershwin was influenced very much by French composers of the early twentieth century. Maurice Ravel was quite impressed with the Gershwins' abilities, commenting, "Personally I find jazz most interesting: the rhythms, the way the melodies are handled, the melodies themselves. I have heard of George Gershwin's works and I find them intriguing."^[3] The orchestrations in Gershwin's symphonic works often seem similar to those of Ravel; likewise, Ravel's two piano concertos evince an influence of Gershwin. He also asked Ravel for lessons; when Ravel heard how much Gershwin earned, he replied "How about you give me some lessons?" (some versions of this story feature Igor Stravinsky rather than Ravel as the composer; however Stravinsky himself confirmed that he originally heard the story from Ravel).^[4] (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s The 20th century lasted from 1901 to 2000 in the Gregorian calendar (often from (1900 to 1999 in common usage). ... Maurice Ravel. ... Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for orchestra (or, more loosely, for any musical ensemble) or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium. ... Igor Stravinsky. ...

Gershwin's own Concerto in F was criticized as being strongly rooted in the work of Claude Debussy, more so than in the jazz style which was expected. The comparison didn't deter Gershwin from continuing to explore French styles. The title of An American in Paris reflects the very journey that he had consciously taken as a composer: "The opening part will be developed in typical French style, in the manner of Debussy and the Six, though the tunes are original." (Hyland 126) Concerto in F is a composition by George Gershwin for solo piano and orchestra which is closer in form to a traditional concerto than the earlier jazz-influenced Rhapsody in Blue. ... Claude Debussy, photo by Félix Nadar, 1908. ... An American in Paris is a symphonic composition by American composer George Gershwin which debuted in 1928. ... Le Groupe des Six, 1922, by Jacques-Emile Blanche. ...

Aside from the French influence, Gershwin was intrigued by the works of Alban Berg, Dmitri Shostakovich, Igor Stravinsky, Darius Milhaud, and Arnold Schoenberg. He also asked Schoenberg for composition lessons. Schoenberg refused, saying "I would only make you a bad Schoenberg, and you're such a good Gershwin already".^[5] (This quote may actually belong to Maurice Ravel, who is credited with essentially the same quote in the Wikipedia article for Maurice Ravel.) Bust of Alban Berg at Schiefling, Carinthia, Austria Alban Maria Johannes Berg (February 9, 1885 – December 24, 1935) was an Austrian composer. ... Dmitri Shostakovich   (Russian: , Dmitrij Dmitrievič Å ostakovič) (September 25 [O.S. September 12] 1906–August 9, 1975) was a Russian composer of the Soviet period. ... Igor Stravinsky. ... Darius Milhaud Darius Milhaud (IPA: ) (September 4, 1892 – June 22, 1974) was a French composer and teacher. ... Arnold Schoenberg, Los Angeles, 1948 Arnold Schoenberg (the anglicized form of Schönberg — Schoenberg changed the spelling officially when he left Germany and re-converted to Judaism in 1933; September 13, 1874 – July 13, 1951) was an Austrian and later American composer. ... Maurice Ravel. ... Maurice Ravel. ...

Russian Joseph Schillinger's influence as his teacher of composition (1932-1936) was substantial in providing him with a method to his composition. There has been some disagreement about the nature of Schillinger's influence on Gershwin. After the posthumous success of Porgy and Bess, Schillinger claimed he had a large and direct influence in overseeing the creation of the opera; Ira completely denied that his brother had any such assistance for this work. A third account of Gershwin's musical relationship with his teacher was written by Gershwin's close friend and another Schillinger student, Vernon Duke, in an article for the Musical Quarterly in 1947.^[6] Joseph Schillinger (1895-1943) was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine (at that time, part of Russia). ... The cast of Porgy and Bess during the Boston try-out prior to the Broadway opening. ... Vernon Duke (1903-1969), composer/songwriter, wrote such favorites as I Cant Get Started with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, April In Paris with lyrics by E.Y. (Yip) Harburg (1932), and What Is There To Say for The Ziegfeld Follies of 1934 also with Harburg. ...

What set Gershwin apart was his ability to manipulate forms of music into his own unique voice. He took the jazz he discovered on Tin Pan Alley into the mainstream by splicing its rhythms and tonality with that of the popular songs of his era. Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City-centered music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century. ...

George Gershwin's first published song was "When You Want 'Em You Can't Get 'Em, When You've Got 'Em, You Don't Want 'Em." It was published in 1916 when Gershwin was only 17 years old and earned him a sum total of $5, although he was promised much more.

In 2007, the Library of Congress named their Prize for Popular Song after George and Ira Gershwin. Recognizing the profound and positive effect of popular music on culture, the prize is given annually to a composer or performer whose lifetime contributions exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwins. On March 1st, 2007, the first Gershwin Prize was awarded to Paul Simon. Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Construction of the Thomas Jefferson Building, from July 8, 1888 to May 15, 1894. ... Named in honor of the legendary George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin, the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song recognizes the profound and positive effect of popular music on the world’s culture. ... March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, half of the folk-singing duo Simon and Garfunkel who continues a successful solo career. ...

Recordings

Early in his career Gershwin made dozens of player piano piano roll recordings and these were a main source of income for him. Many of these are of popular music of the period and many other are of his own works. Once his theatre-writing career took precedence his regular roll recording sessions dwindled as he was otherwise occupied. He did however record further rolls throughout the 1920s including a complete version of his Rhapsody in Blue. The player piano is a type of piano that plays music without the need for a human pianist to depress the normal keys or pedals. ...

Many fans of George Gershwin have found it strange that, in comparison to the piano rolls, there are very few accessible audio recordings of his live playing. His very first recording was his own Swanee with the Fred Van Eps Trio in 1919. The record is heavy on the banjo playing of Van Eps, and the piano is overshadowed. The recording took place before Swanee became famous as an Al Jolson specialty in early 1920. Example of a piano roll being punched. ...

Gershwin did record an abridged version of Rhapsody in Blue with Paul Whiteman and his orchestra for the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1924, soon after the world premiere. The same orchestra made an electrical recording of the same abridged version for Victor in 1927. However, a dispute in the studio over interpretation angered Paul Whiteman and he left. The conductor's baton was taken over by Victor's staff conductor Nathaniel Shilkret. Gershwin made a number of solo piano recordings of tunes from his musicals, some including the vocals of Fred and Adele Astaire, as well as his Three Preludes for piano. Cover of the original sheet music of the two piano version of Rhapsody in Blue. ... 1928 Columbia Records label with caricature of Paul Whiteman Paul Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was a popular american orchestral leader. ... Victor logo with the famous Nipper dog. ... Nathaniel Shilkret (1889-1992) was an American composer and conductor. ... Three Preludes are short piano pieces by George Gershwin and were first performed by the composer at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York in 1926. ...

In 1929, Gershwin "supervised" the world premiere recording of An American in Paris with Nathaniel Shilkret and the Victor Symphony Orchestra. Gershwin's role in the recording was rather limited, particularly because Shilkret was conducting and had his own ideas about the music. Then someone realized they had not hired anyone to play the brief celeste solo, so they asked Gershwin if he would or could play the instrument, and he agreed. Gershwin can be heard, rather briefly, on the recording during the slow section. Gershwin also appeared on various radio broadcasts, some of which have been preserved on transcription discs. Celeste is a womans first name. ... It has been suggested that Childrens gramophone records be merged into this article or section. ...

He appeared on several radio programs, including Rudy Vallee's program, and played some of his compositions, including the third movement of the Concerto in F with Vallee conducting the orchestra. Some of these performances were preserved on transcription discs and have been released on LP and CD. Rudy Vallee (July 28, 1901 - July 3, 1986) was a popular United States singer, actor, bandleader, and entertainer. ...

In 1934, in an effort to earn money to finance his planned folk opera, he hosted his own radio program titled "Music by Gershwin" in which he presented his own work as well as the work of other composers. Recordings from this and other radio broadcasts include his Variations on I Got Rhythm, portions of the Concerto in F, and numerous songs from his musical comedies. He also recorded a run-through of his Second Rhapsody, conducting the orchestra and playing the piano solos. RCA Victor asked him to supervise recordings of highlights from Porgy and Bess in 1935, which were his last recordings. Sony BMG Music Entertainment is the result of a 50/50 joint venture between Sony Music Entertainment (part of Sony) and BMG Entertainment (part of Bertelsmann AG) completed in August 2004. ...

A 33-second film clip of Gershwin playing I've Got Rhythm has survived and been featured on www.youtube.com; presumably it was taken from an early 1930s newsreel.^[7] There are also silent home movies, some in Kodachrome, of Gershwin that have been featured in tributes to the composer.

In 1975, Columbia Records released an album featuring Gershwin's piano rolls playing the Rhapsody In Blue, accompanied by the Columbia Jazz Band playing the original jazz-band accompaniment of conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. The flip side of the Columbia Masterworks release features Tilson Thomas leading the New York Philharmonic in An American In Paris. Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ... Michael Tilson Thomas (born December 21, 1944), nicknamed MTT, is an American conductor, pianist and composer. ... Columbia Masterworks Records was a record label started in 1927 as Masterworks Records, a subsidiary of Columbia Records. ... The New York Philharmonic is the oldest active symphony orchestra in the United States, organized during 1842. ...

In 1993, a selection of piano rolls originally produced by Gershwin were issued on 2 CDs by Nonesuch Records through the efforts of Artis Woodhouse and is entitled "Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls" (ASIN: B000005J1I). Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... CD may stand for: Compact Disc Canadian Forces Decoration Cash Dispenser (at least used in Japan) CD LPMud Driver Centrum-Demokraterne (Centre Democrats of Denmark) Certificate of Deposit České Dráhy (Czech Railways) Chad (NATO country code) Chalmers Datorförening (computer club of the Chalmers University of Technology) a 1960s... Nonesuch Records is currently allied with Warner Bros. ...

Compositions

Orchestra/Classical

• Rhapsody in Blue (for piano and orchestra, 1924)
• Piano Concerto in F (1925)
• An American in Paris (for orchestra, 1928)
• Second Rhapsody, originally titled Rhapsody in Rivets (for piano and orchestra, 1931)
• Cuban Overture (1932), originally entitled Rumba
• Variations on "I Got Rhythm" (for piano and orchestra)

Musicals/Broadway Cover of the original sheet music of the two piano version of Rhapsody in Blue. ... Concerto in F is a composition by George Gershwin for solo piano and orchestra which is closer in form to a traditional concerto than the earlier jazz-influenced Rhapsody in Blue. ... An American in Paris is a symphonic composition by American composer George Gershwin which debuted in 1928. ... Second Rhapsody is a concert piece for orchestra with piano by American composer George Gershwin in 1931. ... Cuban Overture is a symphonic overture for orchestra composed by American composer George Gershwin. ... Variations on I Got Rhythm is a set of variations for orchestra and piano solo composed by George Gershwin in 1933-34. ...

• Lady, Be Good (1924)
• Oh, Kay! (1926)
• Funny Face (1927)
• Girl Crazy (1930)
• Of Thee I Sing (1931)
• Porgy and Bess Folk Opera (1935)
• Crazy for You Revised Version of Girl Crazy (1992)

For a much more complete list, see: Lady, Be Good (title sometimes presented with an exclamation point) is the title of a Broadway musical play that was written by Guy Bolton, Fred Thompson, featured music by George and Ira Gershwin. ... Oh, Kay! is a Broadway musical with book by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and music by George Gershwin. ... Funny Face is a 1927 musical composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. ... Girl Crazy is a theater musical with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book by Guy Bolton and John McGowan. ... Of Thee I Sing is a musical set in the White House, with music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin, to a book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind. ... The cast of Porgy and Bess during the Boston try-out prior to the Broadway opening. ... Playbill cover and advertising poster. ... Girl Crazy is a theater musical with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book by Guy Bolton and John McGowan. ...

• List of compositions by George Gershwin

This is a list of compositions by George Gershwin. ...

See also

• List of compositions by George Gershwin
• List of notable brain tumor patients

This is a list of compositions by George Gershwin. ... United States Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania (right) is a long-term brain tumor survivor who continues to serve in public office. ...

References

• Hyland, William G. George Gershwin : A New Biography Praeger Publishers (August 30, 2003) ISBN 0-275-98111-8
• Mawer, Deborah (Editor). Cross, Jonathan (Series Editor). The Cambridge Companion to Ravel (Cambridge Companions to Music) Cambridge University Press (August 24, 2000) ISBN 0-521-64856-4
• Pollack, Howard George Gershwin. His Life and Work University of California Press, 2006, ISBN-13 978-0-520-24864-9
• Jablonski, Edward Gershwin Doubleday (1987) ISBN 0-385-19431-5
• Rimler, Walter A Gershwin Companion Popular Culture (1991) ISBN 1-56075-019-7

is the 242nd day of the year (243rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 236th day of the year (237th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

George Gershwin

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

George Gershwin

• George Gershwin: American Genius
• Official Site
• Classical.net Gershwin page
• Anecdotage: Gershwin Gershwin Anecdotes (with sources noted)
• GershwinFan.com - The Gershwin Educational Fanpage
• George Gershwin at the Internet Broadway Database
• George Gershwin at the Internet Movie Database
• George Gershwin Bio at Jewish-American Hall of Fame