George Gershwin History and Biography (Lire version française)

George Gershwin in 1937. George Gershwin (September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer. He was born Jacob Gershowitz in Brooklyn, New York to Russian Jewish immigrant parents, the second of four children. George wrote most of his vocal and theatrical works together with his elder brother lyricist Ira Gershwin. Gershwin composed both for Broadway and for the classical concert hall. He also wrote popular songs with success. Many of his compositions have been used on television and many are recognized jazz standards; the jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald recorded many of the Gershwins' songs on her 1959 Gershwin Songbook (arranged by Nelson Riddle), and the very greatest singers and musicians have recorded Gershwin songs, most notably Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Judy Garland, Nina Simone and countless others. Biography In 1910, the Gershowitzes had acquired a piano for Ira's music lessons, but younger brother George took over, successfully playing by ear. He tried out various piano teachers for two years, then was introduced by Max Rosenzweig to Charles Hambitzer, who acted as George's mentor until Hambitzer's 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. His first job as a performer was as a piano pounder for Remick's, a publishing company on Tin Pan Alley. His 1916 novelty rag "Rialto Ripples" was a commercial success, and in 1918 he scored his first big national hit with his song "Swanee". 1916 was also the year 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 Welte-Mignon reproducing piano of M. Welte & Sons, Inc. of New York City, the inventor and first producer of reproducing pianos. In 1924, George and Ira collaborated on a musical comedy, Lady Be Good. It included such future standards as "Fascinating Rhythm" and "The Man I Love." This was followed by Oh, Kay! (1926); Funny Face in (1927); Strike Up the Band (1927 & 1930); 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. "I Got Rhythm", interestingly, was accepted as a Jazz Standard, and its chord progression has incredible significance in Jazz. These chord changes known as "Rhythm changes" have been frequently adopted in Jazz literature. Gershwin stayed in Paris for a short period of time where he wrote An American in Paris. This work received mixed reviews. Eventually he found the music scene in Paris too supercilious and left for America to do more work. Though he hugely admired the French style of music - and did until the day he died - Gershwin was thoroughly American to the core. He could be generous, warm, and a friend-in-need to anyone, but he was also vain and more than just a little egotistical. His friend and champion, the concert pianist Oscar Levant once asked him: "George, if you had it to do all over again, would you still fall in love with yourself?" Early in 1937, Gershwin began to complain of blinding headaches, and a recurring impression that he was smelling burned rubber. Unbeknownst to him, he had developed a brain tumor. It was in Hollywood, while working on the score of The Goldwyn Follies, that he collapsed and, on July 11, 1937, died during surgery for the tumour at the age of 38. He was interred in the Westchester Hills Cemetery, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. Gershwin had a ten-year affair with composer Kay Swift. Swift was a frequent consult of Gershwin; he named the musical Oh, Kay after her. Posthumously, Swift arranged some of his music, transcribed some of his recordings, and collaborated with Ira on several projects. He had also had an affair with Simone Simon.   George Gershwin's mausoleum in Westchester Hills CemeteryGershwin died intestate, and all his property passed to his mother. He is interred at 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 in 2007 in the European Union and between 2019 and 2027 in the United States of America. Musical style and influence Gershwin was influenced very much by French composers of the early twentieth century. Upon meeting composer Maurice Ravel, Gershwin asked him of the possibility of becoming a student of composition under the master. Ravel is said to have replied, "Why should you be a second-rate Ravel when you can be a first-rate Gershwin?" Ravel was already quite impressed with the ability of Gershwin, 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." (Mawer 42) 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 Igor Stravinsky for lessons; when Stravinsky heard how much Gershwin earned, he replied "How about you give me some lessons?" Gershwin's own Concerto in F was criticised 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) Gershwin was intrigued by the works of Alban Berg, Dmitri Shostakovich, Igor Stravinsky, Darius Milhaud and Arnold Schoenberg. Russian Joseph Schillinger's influence as his teacher of composition was substantial in providing him with a method to his composition. 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. In analysis, Schillinger's student Vernon Duke found that while many of Gershwin's works certainly were reviewed by Schillinger, Porgy does not seem to be one of them. The indirect influence of his study with the teacher was apparent in the opera's even more clear orchestrations but it is characteristically Gershwin in ways that Schillinger would not have approved of. (Hyland 167) 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. Classical works Note: All orchestral/operatic pieces are orchestrated by Gershwin unless otherwise specified. Lullaby (1919), a meditative piece for string quartet. Originally, a class assignment from his music theory teacher. Blue Monday, a one-act opera featured in George White's Scandals of 1922, orchestrated by Will Vodery. A Suite from Blue Monday for two pianos was later arranged and has been recorded. Reorchestrated by Ferde Grofé and retitled 135th Street in 1925. Rhapsody in Blue, (1924), his most famous work, a symphonic jazz composition for Paul Whiteman's jazz band & piano , better known in the form orchestrated for full symphonic orchestra by Ferde Grofe. Featured in numerous films and commercials. Short Story, (1925), for violin and piano, an arrangement of two other short pieces originally intended to be included with the Three Preludes. Concerto in F, (1925), three movements, for piano and orchestra Three Preludes, (1926), for piano An American In Paris (1928), a symphonic poem with elements of jazz and realistic Parisian sound effects Second Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra (1931), for Piano and Orchestra, based on the score for a musical sequence from Delicious. Working title for the work was Rhapsody in Rivets. The form most commonly heard today is a re-orchestrated version by Robert McBride; most of Gershwin's orchestrations have been simplified. Also, eight measures not by the composer were added to the recapitulation. Michael Tilson Thomas has been a promulgator of Gershwin's original version. Cuban Overture (1932), originally titled Rumba, a tone poem featuring elements of native Cuban dance and folk music; score specifies usage of native Cuban instruments Piano Transcriptions of Eight Songs (1932) I Got Rhythm Variations (1934), a set of interesting variations on his famous song, for piano and orchestra Includes a waltz, an atonal fugue, and experimentation with Asian and jazz influences Porgy And Bess, a folk opera (1935) (from the book by DuBose Heyward) about African-American life, now considered a definitive work of the American theater. Contains the famous aria "Summertime", in addition to hits like "I Got Plenty of Nothin'" and "It Ain't Necessarily So". Porgy and Bess has also been heard in the concert hall, mostly in two orchestral suites, one by Gershwin himself entitled Catfish Row; another suite by Robert Russell Bennett, Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture is also relatively popular. Walking the Dog, (1937), a humorous piece for orchestra featuring the clarinet. Originally a musical sequence entitled Promenade from the movie Shall We Dance for piano and chamber orchestra. Many other incidental sequences from Shall We Dance were written and (for the most part) orchestrated by Gershwin, among them: Waltz of the Red Balloons and a final extended 8-minute orchestral passage based on the title song with an intruiging coda hinting at Gershwin forging a new musical path. It is unknown why any of these compositions have not seen the light of day in the concert hall. Most of the musicals Gershwin wrote are also known for their instrumental music, among them the March from Strike Up The Band and overtures to many of his later shows. Impromptu in Two Keys, published posthumously in (1973), for piano Two Waltzes in C, published posthumously in (1975), for piano Originally a two-piano interlude in Pardon My English on Broadway. Musical theater credits Note: All works are musicals produced on Broadway unless specified otherwise. 1919 - Half Past Eight (lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Edward B. Perkins). Premiered in Syracuse. 1919 - La La Lucille (lyrics by Arthur Jackson, B. G. DeSylva and Irving Caesar) 1919 - Morris Gest "Midnight Whirl" (lyrics by B. G. DeSylva and John Henry Mears) 1919 - Limehouse Nights (lyrics by B. G. DeSylva and John Henry Mears) 1920 - Poppyland (lyrics by B. G. DeSylva and John Henry Mears) 1920 - George White's Scandals of 1920 (lyrics by Arthur Jackson) 1921 - A Dangerous Maid (lyrics by Ira Gershwin). Premiered in Atlantic City. 1921 - The Broadway Whirl (co-composed with Harry Tierney, lyrics by Buddy DeSylva, Joseph McCarthy, Richard Carle and John Henry Mears 1921 - George White's Scandals of 1921 (lyrics by Arthur Jackson) 1922 - George White's Scandals of 1922 (lyrics by E. Ray Goetz, Ira Gershwin and B. G. DeSylva) The premiere performance featured the one-act opera Blue Monday with libretto and lyrics by B. G. DeSylva, set in Harlem in a jazz idiom. However, after only one performance, the opera was withdrawn from the show. Gershwin also wrote seven other songs for the show. 1922 - Our Nell (co-composed with William Daly, lyrics co-written by Gershwin and Daly) 1922 - By and By (lyrics by Brian Hooker) 1923 - Innocent Ingenue Baby (co-composed with William Daly, lyrics by Brian Hooker) 1923 - Walking Home with Angeline (lyrics by Brian Hooker) 1923 - The Rainbow (lyrics by Clifford Grey and Brian Hooker). Premiered in London. 1923 - George White's Scandals of 1923 (lyrics by E. Ray Goetz, B. G. DeSylva and Ballard MacDonald) 1924 - Sweet Little Devil (lyrics by B. G. DeSylva) 1924 - George White's Scandals of 1924 (lyrics by B. G. DeSylva and Ballard MacDonald) 1924 - Primrose (lyrics by Desmond Carter and Ira Gershwin). Premiered in London. 1924 - Lady, Be Good! (lyrics by Ira Gershwin) 1925 - Tell Me More! (lyrics by Ira Gershwin and B. G. DeSylva) 1925 - Tip-Toes (lyrics by Ira Gershwin) 1925 - Song of the Flame (operetta, lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II, and musical collaboration by Herbert Stothart) 1926 - Oh, Kay! (lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Howard Dietz) Includes the famous song, "Someone to Watch Over Me" Revived in 1928 and 1990 (the latter with an all-Black cast) 1927 - Strike Up The Band (lyrics by Ira Gershwin). Premiered in Philadelphia. Revised and produced on Broadway in 1930 1927 - Funny Face (lyrics by Ira Gershwin) 1928 - Rosalie (lyrics by Ira Gershwin and P. G. Wodehouse, co-composed with Sigmund Romberg) 1928 - Treasure Girl (lyrics by Ira Gershwin) 1929 - Show Girl (lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Gus Kahn) 1930 - Girl Crazy (lyrics by Ira Gershwin) 1931 - Of Thee I Sing (lyrics by Ira Gershwin) Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for 1932 and was the first musical to win that award, although only Ira Gershwin and the bookwriters were awarded the Prize and not George Gershwin Revived in 1933 and 1952 1933 - Pardon My English (lyrics by Ira Gershwin) 1933 - Let 'Em Eat Cake (lyrics by Ira Gershwin), sequel to Of Thee I Sing 1935 - Porgy and Bess (lyrics by Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward) Revived on Broadway in 1942, 1943, 1953, 1976 (Houston Grand Opera winner of the Tony Award for Most Innovative Revival of a Musical), and 1983 Works featuring original Gershwin songs for shows by other composers 1916 - The Passing Show of 1916 - "Making of a Girl" co-composed with Sigmund Romberg, lyrics by Harold Atteridge 1918 - Hitchy-Koo of 1918 - "You-Oo just You", lyrics by Irving Caesar 1918 - Ladies First - "(The Real) American Folk Song (is a Rag)", lyrics by Ira Gershwin and "Some Wonderful Sort of Someone", lyrics by Schuyler Greene 1919 - Good Morning, Judge - "I was so young (you were so beautiful)", lyrics by Irvine Caesar and Alfred Bryan and "here’s more to the kiss than the x-x-x", lyrics by Irving Caesar 1919 - The Lady in Red - "Some Wonderful Sort of Someone", lyrics by Schyler Greene and "Something about Love", lyrics by L. Paley 1919 - The Capitol Revue - "Come to the Moon", lyrics by L. Paley and Ned Wayburn, "Swanee", lyrics by Irvine Caesar 1920 - Dear Mabel - "We’re pals", lyrics by Irving Caesar, first performed in Baltimore 1920 - Ed Wynn's Carnival - "Oo, how I love you to be loved by you", lyrics by L. Paley 1920 - The Sweetheart Shop - "Waiting for the Sun to Come Out", lyrics by Ira Gershwin 1920 - Sinbad - "Swanee" (as performed by Al Jolson) 1920 - Broadway Brevities of 1920 - "Lu Lu" and "Snowflakes", lyrics by Arthur Jackson and "Spanish love", lyrics by Irving Caesar 1920 - Piccadilly to Broadway, songs unpublished 1921 - Blue Eyes, songs unpublished 1921 - Selwyn's Snapshots of 1921, songs unpublished 1921 - The Perfect Fool - "My Log-Cabin Home", lyrics by Irving Caesar and Buddy De Sylva, "No One Else but that Girl of Mine", lyrics by Irving Caesar 1922 - The French Doll - "Do it again!", lyrics by Buddy De Sylva 1922 - For Goodness Sake - "Someone" and "Tra-la-la", lyrics by Ira Gershwin 1922 - The Dancing Girl - "That American Boy of Mine", lyrics by Irving Caesar 1922 - Spice of 1922 - "The Yankee Doodle Blues", lyrics by Irving Caesar and Buddy De Sylva 1923 - Little Miss Bluebeard (play) - "I won’t say I will but I won’t say I won’t", lyrics by Ira Gershwin and Buddy De Sylva 1923 - Nifties of 1923 - "At Half Past Seven", lyrics by Buddy De Sylva, and "Nashville Nightingale", lyrics by Irving Caesar 1926 - Americana of 1926 - "That Lost Barber Shop Chord" 1930 - 9:15 Revue 1936 - The Show is On - "By Strauss" Revived in 1937 Works interpolating Gershwin songs posthumously: 1953 - At Home With Ethel Waters - "Lady Be Good" 1956 - Mr. Wonderful 1967 - "I Got Rhythm" a hit single for pop vocal group The Happenings 1983 - My One And Only - an adaptation of the music from Funny Face 1986 - Uptown...It's Hot! - "Lady Be Good" 1992 - Crazy For You - musical adapting George and Ira Gershwin Tin Pan Alley and Broadway songs Awarded the Tony Award for Best Musical 1999 - The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm - revue with songs by George and Ira Gershwin 2001 - George Gershwin Alone - one-man play by Hershey Felder, who portrayed Gershwin, incorporating "Swanee" from Sinbad (lyrics by Irving Caesar), "Embraceable You" from Girl Crazy (lyrics by Ira Gershwin), "Someone to Watch Over Me" from Oh, Kay! (lyrics by Ira Gershwin), "Bess, You is My Woman Now" from Porgy and Bess (lyrics by DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin), An American in Paris and Rhapody in Blue. 2002 - Elaine Stritch at Liberty - But Not For Me 2002 - Back From Broadway - one-time concert featuring songs by George Gershwin Musical films 1923 - The Sunshine Trail - theme song of same title (lyrics by Ira Gershwin), as well as accompaniment music for silent film 1931 - Delicious (lyrics by Ira Gershwin) 1937 - Shall We Dance (lyrics by Ira Gershwin) 1937 - A Damsel in Distress (lyrics by Ira Gershwin) 1938 - Goldwyn Follies (lyrics by Ira Gershwin) Gershwin died during the filming. Vernon Duke completed and adapted Gerhwin's songs, and composed some additional ones. 1947 - The Shocking Miss Pilgrim (Kay Swift adapted a number of unpublished Gershwin melodies and Ira Gershwin wrote the lyrics.) 1964 - Kiss Me, Stupid (adaptations of unpublished Gershwin songs with lyrics by Ira Gershwin.) Miscellaneous Songs 1916 - When you want ’em, you can’t get ’em, when you’ve got ’em, you don’t want ’em (lyrics by M. Roth) 1919 - The Love of a Wife (lyrics by Arthur Jackson and B. G. De Sylva) 1920 - Yan-Kee (lyrics by Irving Caesar) 1921 - Dixie Rose (lyrics by Irving Caesar and B. G. De Sylva) 1921 - In the Heart of a Geisha (lyrics by Fred Fisher) 1921 - Swanee Rose (lyrics by Irving Caesar and B. G. De Sylva) 1921 - Tomale (I’m hot for you) (lyrics by B. G. De Sylva) 1925 - Harlem River Chanty and It’s a great little world! (lyrics by Ira Gershwin, originally composed for Tip-Toes on Broadway but not used) 1925 - Murderous Monty (and Light-Fingered Jane) (lyrics by Desmond Carter, composed for London production of Tell Me More.) 1926 - I’d rather charleston (lyrics by Desmond Carter, composed for London production of Lady Be Good.) 1928 - Beautiful gypsy and Rosalie (originally composed for Rosalie on Broadway, but not used) 1929 - Feeling Sentimental (originally composed for Show Girl on Broadway, but not used) 1929 - In the Mandarin’s Orchid Garden 1931 - Mischa, Yascha, Toscha, Sascha (originally composed for the musical film Delicious, but not used. This is Gershwin's only finished work based on a Jewish theme, and the title is a reference to the first names of four Jewish-Russian violinists, Mischa Elman, Jascha Heifetz, Toscha Seidel and Sascha Jacobsen. 1932 - You’ve got what gets me (composed for the first film version of Girl Crazy. 1933 - Till Then 1936 - King of Swing (lyrics by Al Stillman) 1936 - Strike up the band for U.C.L.A (to the same music as the song Strike Up The Band) 1937 - Hi-Ho! (lyrics by Ira Gershwin, originally composed for Shall We Dance, but not used) 1938 - Just Another Rhumba (lyrics by Ira Gershwin, originally composed for The Goldwyn Follies, but not used) 1938 - Dawn of a New Day Commercial Works for Piano 1918 - Rialto Ripples - rag early 1920s - Three-Quarter Blues (Irish Waltz) 1926 - Swiss Miss (arrangement of a song from Lady Be Good) 1928 - Merry Andrew (arrangement of a dance piece from Rosalie) 1932 - George Gershwin’s Song-Book (arrangements of refrains from Gershwin songs) Source : Wikipedia.org

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