George Gershwin

“True music must repeat the thought and inspiration of the people and the time. My people are Americans. My time is today.” The composer that said these words was George Gershwin. In the following paragraphs, I will review some historical facts, on this fine American composer, who took jazz to another dimension from classical music. I will critique one of his notable compositions, ‘Rhapsody in Blue’. Finally, I will review his contribution to the development of music during his time which has resilience in today’s music. (Art of Humanities, pg 199, 2009)

George Gershwin was born as Jacob Gershwin on September 26, 1898. His parents were immigrated from Russia prior to his birth. Of the four children in his family, George pursued his interest in music at an early age. George was mentored by a piano instructor named Charles Harbinger who introduced him to European classical tradition; whereby, the accompaniment was repeated with the left hand; therefore, making the accompaniment reinforcing the melody. George left high school and went to work in Tin Pan Alley. He eventually worked as a pianist for Renmick’s music publisher making roles for player piano; while at the same time, moonlighted as an accompanist and experimented with composition (G.G.: His life and work, pg 78, 2007)

While Moonlighting on his off-shift in Tin Pan Alley, he was exposed to the so-called “stride pianists”. These musicians were educated in the classics and combined the ‘intricate textures’ of the classics and blended ragtime melodies with their riff. What these musicians created was a ‘syncopated melody’ against a march like bass’, with an additional rhythmic accent. However, they gave the classics a little pizzazz where the right hand plays the melodies or riffs while the left hand plays the rhythm. Rhythm usually is improvised by “striding up and down the keyboard while sustaining notes on beats one and three until the following cord is played”. The riff could be played slow or fast. So to one’s ear – the person actually is hearing a festival sound of music with in a solid melody. On March 17, 1917, George Gershwin quit Remick Company and wanted to go into operetta or musical comedy. He was fond of Yiddish musical theater and Gilbert and Sullivan. His Fascinating Rhythm was also produced by Judy Garland, Jack Gibbons, Earl Himes, Mark Murphy, Benny Goodman, T he Spinners, Sarah Vaughan, Paul Whiteman, and 52 other artist. In 1923, a band leader named Paul Whiteman decided to do a concert in Aeolian Hall. Whiteman asked Gershwin to contribute to a concerto-like piece for an all-jazz concert. Rhapsody in Blue began in the “An Experiment in Music” in 1924. // [single purchase]Gershman’s methods or musical elements came through “Rhapsody in Blue”. It is one of the most popular concert pieces. The interesting fact of this composition is that Gershwin composed the piece while traveling on a train. “It was on the train, with its steely rhythms, its rattle-ty bang, that so often is so stimulating to a composer – I frequently hear music in the very heart of the noise...And there I suddenly heard, and even saw on paper – the complete construction of Rhapsody, from beginning to end.” The title of Rhapsody of Blue was actually collaborated with his brother Ira, who also did the lyrics for Rhapsody. The solo piano was played by Gershwin accompanied by Whiteman’s band which included an added section of string players. The opening measure of the concert was done by a clarinet. Originally, the clarinet was played as a joke during rehearsal; however, Gershmen enjoyed the whimsy so much that he told the clarinet player that he should open the concert with his performance, but “to do it with a lot of wail as possible.”(Wikipedia, 2009, GG: his life and work, pp 74-77, 2k7)

As you can see Gershwin incorporated many different styles into his work. He utilized the techniques of the stride and novelty (train) in his rhythmic – improvised piano style. “In the 1970s, this arrangement was revived by Michael Tilson Thomas and the Columbia Jazz Band in 1976 and by Maurice Peress with Ivan Davis as part of the 60th anniversary reconstruction of the entire 1924 concert.’ Even today, look at Youtube, Gershwin is still playing. (Wikipedia, 2009)
References

Anonymous. (2009). Rhapsody In Blue Part 1 [vorbis download]

Retrieved August 16, 2009, Archive website

http://www.archive.org/details/rhapblue11924

Anonymous. (2009). Rhapsody In Blue Part 2 [vorbis download]

Retrieved August 16, 2009, Archive website

http://www.archive.org/details/rhapblue21924

Anonymous. (2009). George Gershwin

Retrieved August 16, 2009, PBS website

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/george-gershwin/about-the-composer/65/

Anonymous. (2009). George Gershwin

Retrieved August 16, 2009, Wikipedia website

http://www.fanfaire.com/gershwin/

Janaro, R.P, Altshuler, T.C. (2009) Beginnings of Modernism: Emily Dickinson.

(pp. 199), The Art Of Being Human, Ninth Edition. Pearson Education, printed in

United States.

Khurana, S. (2009). George Gershwin

Retrieved August 14, 2009, Classicalnote website

http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics/gershwin.html

Anonymous. (2009). Stride Music

Retrieved August 16, 2009, Wikipedia website

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stride_%28music%29

Pollack H. (2007) Life. (pg. 74- 77),

The George Gershwin: his life and work. University of California, printed in

United States.