Who here likes George Gershwin?

[elperromagico]

I've been listening a lot lately to Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls, and I was wondering what DUers think of George Gershwin.

I love his orchestral works, especially Rhapsody in Blue, Concerto in F, and An American In Paris.

Any thoughts?

[grasswire]

1. who wouldn't think he was a genius?

I admire the work of his brother, too.

There is a CD made by William Bolcom and his wife Joan Morris that is the definitive Gershwin show tune CD. He's a pianist, she's a singer. The recording was made in the 1970s on Nonesuch label, and it is a real winner.

If you like Gershwin, check it out.

http://music.mainseek.com/36361R504P470K4_George-Gershwin-Gershwin-Piano-Music-Traditional-Jazz--Ragtime-Ragtime.html

[Catshrink]

13. That is a great recording... got me hooked on Gershwin

Then I heard Ella. Wow... The Gershwin brothers made such a good team!

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

2. I LOVE GEORGE GERSHWIN !

I played George Gershwin for the first time when I was 12 years old - in performing band when we played " Rhapsody in Blue " and " Porgy and Bess " among other Gershwin pieces .

My senior year of high school I played the solo feature on my clarinet to " American In Paris " . I love his music . I am sad he died at such a young age - makes me wonder what else could have written .

[elperromagico]

3. "Porgy and Bess" shows how he was growing as a composer.

His brother lived to the age of 86, IIRC. Imagine what Gershwin might have achieved if he had lived to such a ripe old age.

[Kanary]

16. oooh, clarinet!

My very favorite instrument! I envy you, being able to play such great music!

Last year at this time, I took a friend to the Christmas program given by our symphony orchestra. They often have various groups entertaining in the lobby before performance. I will never forget the Clarinet Choir that performed last year! I had no idea it was going to be there, and I was in heaven...... What a beautiful sound!

Kanary, jealous again...

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

19. I have played the clarinet now since I was 10

making that 13 years of fun :)

[grasswire]

4. Can you imagine what it was like....

....in Aeolien Hall when Rhapsody in Blue was introduced? It must have been a night of nights.

[grasswire]

5. here's a nice bio

http://www.balletmet.org/Notes/GeorgeG.html

[Paul Hood]

6. Yes I'll confirm what everyone else has told you .

Gershwin's a genius.

[JackSwift]

7. Love his stuff

what fun it is to listen to!

And I've got access to the piano rolls and the piano to play them no. Rachmaninov playing his own rolls too.

[elperromagico]

25. Rachmaninov? That stuff is difficult to play.

Rachmaninov had these huge hands that could cover an octave and a fifth IIRC (I can barely cover an octave and a major second); most pianists have to use tricks like pedaling to play his more demanding passages.

I had no idea Rachmaninov made any piano rolls; I had assumed that he only cut 78s. Those would be fascinating to hear. I wonder if anyone is planning to cut a Rachmaninov Plays Rachmaninov: The Piano Rolls CD in the future.

[Bertha Venation]

8. Dig George Gershwin.

[TreasonousBastard]

9. Gershwin da Man!

But he didn't get no respect back then.

How dare this Jewish kid actually pretend to be a classical composer!

Writing an opera with <gasp> SONGS in it (and BLACK people, no less) a symphony with <gasp cough> BLUES riffs!

Yeah, the classical Mafia back then didn't know what to do with him, so they dumped him on Broadway and Hollywood. Well, Bing, the Times critics, and the rest are dead now, the classical world they built still hasn't gotten over the trauma they caused, but the genius of people like Ellington and Gershwin that they put down is still out there. Porgy and Bess is still selling out wherever it plays, and Rhapsody in Blue shows up at the strangest places, with Gershwin concerts selling well. Broadway and Hollywood ain't such bad places to be dumped, even if it does hurt a but.

The worst earworms I have are, Summertime, I Got Plenty o' Nuttin', and It Ain't Necessarily So. I find myself humming or whistling Summertime at the oddest times, and have noticed it is one of the more requested songs at piano bars.

Trivia--

One of the Russian orchestras was rehearsing An American in Paris, but no one had seen the movie, it being Stalinist Russia and all. When told they needed taxi horns, the concert master said "no problem," and came back with one. It took them two days to realize that "aahh-OOOHH-ga" wasn't working.

on edit-- of course they didn't see the movie, that came later.

DOH!

[supernova]

10. Be surprised if anyone here

didn't like either Gershwin. RiB and AiP are perhaps two of my fav modern classical pieces.

[Kanary]

17. welllll......

the "best sellers" kinda drown out composers like Gershwin. So, I'd like to agree with you, but I suspect we are in a minority.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a talent like that which gives people so much joy for so long after you're not even on the earth anymore?

Kanary

[trof]

11. George and Ira AND Cole Porter.

3 of my favorites.

[Raenelle]

12. Rhapsody in Blue!

Also I love Porgy and Bess, and just about everything else he wrote.

[bif]

14. I do

And my daughter decided to learn "Rhapsody in Blue" on the piano. It's an incredibly difficult piece. She says it'll probably take her 10 years to master it.

[Kanary]

15. What's not to like about Gershwin?!

I have that same cd, and haven't played it for a while. Thanks for reminding me!

Kanary

[Terran]

18. George Gershwin was so "of his time"

I think his music reflects an inner connection with and understanding of the times in which he lived--which is the hallmark of any great artist. You can just hear the sense of the new 1920's modernity in his music, the idea that big cities can be romantic, exciting places. It's all second nature now, but back then you'd have had a hard time convincing a lot of people.

[soleft]

20. I like Gina Gershwin

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

21. LOL !

runs out of post shaking head

[sistersofmercy]

22. Love Gershwin! I have a CD of Ella singing Gershwin songs, it's fantastic

I also have his orchestral works on CD. He's one of my favorites along with Vaughan Williams.

[Liberal Classic]

23. I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General

I am the very model of a modern Major-General
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I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical
From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical

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About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse

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I know the scientific names of beings animalculous
In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral
I am the very model of a modern Major-General

[trof]

26. Gilbert & Sullivan?

???

[TopesJunkie]

24. Gershwin rules --

[mitchum]

27. Yes...and don't forget Ira!

[NightTrain]

28. I do

And Ira wasn't so bad, either! ;)