GERSHWIN, George

Date of Birth: 26/09/1886
Date of death: 11/07/1937
"Gershwin was and remains one of the greatest creative voices that knew the American urban culture". Leonard Bernstein, 1973
. George Gershwin (real name Jacob Gershovich) - American composer, paving the bridge between classical and popular music and had a great influence on the formation of such styles as jazz and blues.
. Gershwin was born on September 26, 1889 in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Russian immigrants
. Apart from him, in the family had three children: two boys and a girl. Elder, Aire, parents bought a piano, but really interested in their young George, who was then only twelve. "As soon as the sun penetrated through the curtains, George was sitting and picked up the popular melody" - told Ira. A year later, the parents hired a teacher for George, and in fifteen years, Gershwin left school to earn a living playing the piano - he received fifteen dollars a week
. Then he began to compose melodies, . and that in that period were written by subject, . processed them later: "Nobody By You" from the Full Monty "La La Lucille" (1919), . "Drifting Along With The Tide" from "White Scandals" (1921), . and "Some Rain Must Fall" and "Dancing Shoes" from "Dangerous Maid" (1921),
. In 1916 his efforts were rewarded when Harry Von Tilzer Music Company bought the rights to his song "When You Want 'Em You Can Get' Em", written jointly with Murray Roth-it was a debut for both. In addition, in 1919, Gershwin, along with poet Irving Sizerom wrote a song "Swanee", which was performed by a group of Arthur Pryor, but it became really popular after her singing El Dzholson. In the same year, George presented his first musicals on Broadway, "La La Lucille".
In the early twenties, George and his brother Ira, who was a good poet, became the most popular songwriter on Broadway. They belong to the pen of twenty-two comedies, including "Lady, Be Good!" (1924), "Oh, Kay!" (1926), "Funny Face" (1927), "Strike Up The Band" (1927/30), "Girl Crazy" (1930) and "Of Thee I Sing" (1931). Besides, . to somehow smooth out the line between its desire to classics and simultaneously to Monty, . on the advice of one of the friends of musicians named Paul Uaytmen George created a composition, . in which the classical framework were superimposed elements of jazz - this was the famous "Rhapsody In Blue", . arranged Ferdo Grof.,
. Premiere of "Rhapsody In Blue" was held in New York in February 1924 in the hall "Aeolian Hall", where Gershwin was at the piano, and conducted Uaytmen Palais Royal Orchestra
. In the same vein, other sound "serious" songs of Gershwin: "Conserto in F" (1925), "Preludes For Piano" (1926), "An American In Paris" (1928) and "Second Rhapsody" (1932).
Autumn of 1926 Gershwin demonstrated his secretary recently published a slim booklet called "Porgy" and said that someday will make of this opera. This is how the folk opera "Porgy and Bess" (written with Ira) - the most successful opera ever created by American composer. The stated for the first time in 1935, it became popular after the composer's death. The premiere was held at the Colonial Theatre in Boston, and two weeks later went to New York's Alvin Theatre.

In the early thirties, George and Ira moved to Hollywood, where they began to write music for films. Gershwin's first music heard in the movie "The King Of Jazz", then in the movie "Delicious". The love song "Blah-Blah-Blah" glorified brethren throughout the country.
In addition to playing music, Gershwin fond of drawing. Many art connoisseurs say that over time Gershwin's talent as an artist could develop to the same extent as his musical genius.
Life Gershwin broke suddenly and tragically. What began with a simple headache, suddenly turned into a chronic and serious illness. When Gershwin began to forget the whole part of his works, his friends and relatives were advised to see a doctor, who diagnosed a brain tumor and advised surgery. Surgeon, specializing in transactions of this kind, was already on the way to California to save the life of his famous patient, but it was too late -11 July 1937, George Gershwin died.
Heritage Gershwin never lost its relevance: only the last five years came two packed "star power" (Sting, Peter Gabriel, Sinead O 'Connor, Cher and many others. etc.) drive modern interpretations of his songs ( "Glory Of Gershwin" and "Red, Hot + Rhapsody").

. 1927 "Strike Up the Band"
. 1959 "Piano Roll Discoveries"
. 1990 "Manhattan"

. 1992 "Gershwin Songbook"
. 1992 "Lady, Be Good"
. 1993 "Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls"
. 1994 "Great American Songwriters"
. 1994 "George Gershwin"
. 1994 "Pardon My English"
. 1995 "Girl Crazy"
. 1995 "From Tin Pan Alley to Broadway"
. 1995 " 'S Wonderful"
. 1995 "Oh, Kay!"
. 1995 "The Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano"
. 1995 "Instrumental Favorites"
. 1996 "Favorite American Marches"
. 1997 "Sincerely, George & Ira Gershwin"
. 1998 "Porgy & Bess"
. 2000 "Rhapsody in Blue"