Maurice Peress
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195098228
- eISBN:
- 9780199869817
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195098228.003.0011
- Subject:
- Music, History, Western
This chapter re-examines the circumstances and events leading up to Paul Whiteman's celebrated historic Aeolian Hall “Experiment in Modern Music”, at which was premiered Gershwin's seminal jazz ...
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This chapter re-examines the circumstances and events leading up to Paul Whiteman's celebrated historic Aeolian Hall “Experiment in Modern Music”, at which was premiered Gershwin's seminal jazz inspired work, the “Rhapsody in Blue”. The public and most critics were ecstatic; the chapter offers insights as to why some euro-centric music critics remained deeply divided for generations. It then details Whiteman's respect and passion for jazz, and for Ellington; and the role of skilled arrangers. The challenges faced by the author in recreating the Aeolian Hall event “same day, same hour, same block, sixty years later”, are described. Sleuthing out the scores and parts; assembling a replica band that included several unusual instruments such as hecklephone, sopranino saxophone, a serious slide whistle and 1920's drum kit; and relearning how to play ragtime style are explained. The recreated concert sets off a media storm, triumph and is repeated in cities elsewhere starting in Rome, Italy. The chapter finishes with a rethinking of the whole event as but a part of a very rich and textured American music story.Less
This chapter re-examines the circumstances and events leading up to Paul Whiteman's celebrated historic Aeolian Hall “Experiment in Modern Music”, at which was premiered Gershwin's seminal jazz inspired work, the “Rhapsody in Blue”. The public and most critics were ecstatic; the chapter offers insights as to why some euro-centric music critics remained deeply divided for generations. It then details Whiteman's respect and passion for jazz, and for Ellington; and the role of skilled arrangers. The challenges faced by the author in recreating the Aeolian Hall event “same day, same hour, same block, sixty years later”, are described. Sleuthing out the scores and parts; assembling a replica band that included several unusual instruments such as hecklephone, sopranino saxophone, a serious slide whistle and 1920's drum kit; and relearning how to play ragtime style are explained. The recreated concert sets off a media storm, triumph and is repeated in cities elsewhere starting in Rome, Italy. The chapter finishes with a rethinking of the whole event as but a part of a very rich and textured American music story.
Howard Pollack
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520248649
- eISBN:
- 9780520933149
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520248649.003.0016
- Subject:
- Music, History, American
About the time that Sweet Little Devil went into rehearsal, Gershwin started work on a composition—the Rhapsody in Blue—for Paul Whiteman and his Palais Royal Orchestra, a piece which became an ...
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About the time that Sweet Little Devil went into rehearsal, Gershwin started work on a composition—the Rhapsody in Blue—for Paul Whiteman and his Palais Royal Orchestra, a piece which became an important milestone in terms of not only the composer's career, but American music in general. The Rhapsody evokes not only the blues, but, quite generally, the sounds of New York: the hurdy-gurdies of the Lower East Side, the calliopes of Coney Island, the player pianos of Harlem, the chugging of trains leaving Grand Central Station, the noisy construction of midtown skyscrapers, and so forth. It combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects.Less
About the time that Sweet Little Devil went into rehearsal, Gershwin started work on a composition—the Rhapsody in Blue—for Paul Whiteman and his Palais Royal Orchestra, a piece which became an important milestone in terms of not only the composer's career, but American music in general. The Rhapsody evokes not only the blues, but, quite generally, the sounds of New York: the hurdy-gurdies of the Lower East Side, the calliopes of Coney Island, the player pianos of Harlem, the chugging of trains leaving Grand Central Station, the noisy construction of midtown skyscrapers, and so forth. It combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects.
Ryan Raul Bañagale
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- November 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199978373
- eISBN:
- 9780190201418
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199978373.003.0003
- Subject:
- Music, History, American, History, Western
The numerous ways that arrangements contributed to the iconicity of Gershwin and the Rhapsody in the years following the premiere of the piece are outlined in this chapter. Commercial arrangements, ...
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The numerous ways that arrangements contributed to the iconicity of Gershwin and the Rhapsody in the years following the premiere of the piece are outlined in this chapter. Commercial arrangements, including recordings and published sheet music, are considered alongside royalty and copyright information from the Library of Congress collections, divulging new information about prominent and lesser-known iterations of the Rhapsody in circulation during the decade following its 1924 premiere. The chapter also delves into the biographical arrangement of Gershwin in the years before his death from two angles. First, it considers constructions of Gershwin, the Rhapsody, and American music as treated in films such as St. Louis Blues, King of Jazz, and Rhapsody in Blue. Second, it explores how the unfulfilled musical ambitions and personal agency of Isaac Goldberg—Gershwin’s first biographer—shaped enduring conceptions of both Gershwin and the Rhapsody.Less
The numerous ways that arrangements contributed to the iconicity of Gershwin and the Rhapsody in the years following the premiere of the piece are outlined in this chapter. Commercial arrangements, including recordings and published sheet music, are considered alongside royalty and copyright information from the Library of Congress collections, divulging new information about prominent and lesser-known iterations of the Rhapsody in circulation during the decade following its 1924 premiere. The chapter also delves into the biographical arrangement of Gershwin in the years before his death from two angles. First, it considers constructions of Gershwin, the Rhapsody, and American music as treated in films such as St. Louis Blues, King of Jazz, and Rhapsody in Blue. Second, it explores how the unfulfilled musical ambitions and personal agency of Isaac Goldberg—Gershwin’s first biographer—shaped enduring conceptions of both Gershwin and the Rhapsody.
Ryan Bañagale
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- November 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199978373
- eISBN:
- 9780190201418
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199978373.001.0001
- Subject:
- Music, History, American, History, Western
This book approaches George Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue as an “arrangement”—a status it has held since its inception in 1924, yet one unconsidered until now. It shifts the emphasis away from a ...
More
This book approaches George Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue as an “arrangement”—a status it has held since its inception in 1924, yet one unconsidered until now. It shifts the emphasis away from a centralized composition and from the sole agency of a single composer, positing a broad vision of the Rhapsody. Based on a host of newly discovered manuscripts, this book significantly alters existing historical and cultural conceptions of the Rhapsody. Each chapter engages a different set of previously unknown documents, providing the reader with a dynamic and multifaceted reappraisal of this emblematic piece of American music. In the process of remapping the terrain of the Rhapsody, new light is shed on familiar and lesser-known musicians who each used arrangements of the piece to establish their musical identities: Ferde Grofé, Leonard Bernstein, Duke Ellington, Larry Adler, and Anthony Brown. Also considered over the course of the book is the role of visual media in the enduring status of both Gershwin and the Rhapsody, including forays into film, television, and the commercial advertising of United Airlines. The overlapping, divergent, and otherwise hidden narratives that emerge reveal how arrangements of Rhapsody in Blue have shaped the development and approach of musicians throughout the twentieth century and beyond. The reader emerges from the process with new conceptualizations of the Rhapsody, George Gershwin, and music-making in America.Less
This book approaches George Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue as an “arrangement”—a status it has held since its inception in 1924, yet one unconsidered until now. It shifts the emphasis away from a centralized composition and from the sole agency of a single composer, positing a broad vision of the Rhapsody. Based on a host of newly discovered manuscripts, this book significantly alters existing historical and cultural conceptions of the Rhapsody. Each chapter engages a different set of previously unknown documents, providing the reader with a dynamic and multifaceted reappraisal of this emblematic piece of American music. In the process of remapping the terrain of the Rhapsody, new light is shed on familiar and lesser-known musicians who each used arrangements of the piece to establish their musical identities: Ferde Grofé, Leonard Bernstein, Duke Ellington, Larry Adler, and Anthony Brown. Also considered over the course of the book is the role of visual media in the enduring status of both Gershwin and the Rhapsody, including forays into film, television, and the commercial advertising of United Airlines. The overlapping, divergent, and otherwise hidden narratives that emerge reveal how arrangements of Rhapsody in Blue have shaped the development and approach of musicians throughout the twentieth century and beyond. The reader emerges from the process with new conceptualizations of the Rhapsody, George Gershwin, and music-making in America.
Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195327113
- eISBN:
- 9780199851249
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195327113.003.0076
- Subject:
- Music, Popular
This chapter presents the text of an article in the September 27, 1938, issue of the New York Herald Tribune, which reported that George Gershwin left a net estate of $341,089 to his mother. The ...
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This chapter presents the text of an article in the September 27, 1938, issue of the New York Herald Tribune, which reported that George Gershwin left a net estate of $341,089 to his mother. The residuary value of Rhapsody in Blue was appraised at $50,125, his score An American in Paris at $5,000, Of Thee I Sing at $4,000 and his Concerto in F at $1,750.Less
This chapter presents the text of an article in the September 27, 1938, issue of the New York Herald Tribune, which reported that George Gershwin left a net estate of $341,089 to his mother. The residuary value of Rhapsody in Blue was appraised at $50,125, his score An American in Paris at $5,000, Of Thee I Sing at $4,000 and his Concerto in F at $1,750.
Howard Pollack
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520248649
- eISBN:
- 9780520933149
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520248649.003.0002
- Subject:
- Music, History, American
In the fourteen years or so from the time he began piano lessons to the time he composed the Rhapsody in Blue, his first extended concert work, Gershwin remained actively involved in the practice and ...
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In the fourteen years or so from the time he began piano lessons to the time he composed the Rhapsody in Blue, his first extended concert work, Gershwin remained actively involved in the practice and study of classical music. This included at least five years of piano instruction, including work with Charles Hambitzer on music from Bach through Debussy; probably four years or more of lessons in harmony, figured bass, analysis, and orchestration with Edward Kilenyi; courses at Columbia in orchestration and music history; and the study of form, composition, and orchestration with Rubin Goldmark. During the same years, Gershwin read widely about classical music and attended many concerts featuring eminent artists performing music from Palestrina to Schoenberg. These facts challenge the common notion of Gershwin as an untrained composer who, after the Rhapsody, attempted to redress his lack of schooling through some serious study.Less
In the fourteen years or so from the time he began piano lessons to the time he composed the Rhapsody in Blue, his first extended concert work, Gershwin remained actively involved in the practice and study of classical music. This included at least five years of piano instruction, including work with Charles Hambitzer on music from Bach through Debussy; probably four years or more of lessons in harmony, figured bass, analysis, and orchestration with Edward Kilenyi; courses at Columbia in orchestration and music history; and the study of form, composition, and orchestration with Rubin Goldmark. During the same years, Gershwin read widely about classical music and attended many concerts featuring eminent artists performing music from Palestrina to Schoenberg. These facts challenge the common notion of Gershwin as an untrained composer who, after the Rhapsody, attempted to redress his lack of schooling through some serious study.
Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195327113
- eISBN:
- 9780199851249
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195327113.001.0001
- Subject:
- Music, Popular
George Gershwin is one of the giants of American music, unique in that he was both a brilliant writer of popular songs and of more serious music. This book offers a collection of writings by ...
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George Gershwin is one of the giants of American music, unique in that he was both a brilliant writer of popular songs and of more serious music. This book offers a collection of writings by Gershwin, as well as those about Gershwin, written by a who's who of commentators. More than eighty chapters include the critical debate over Gershwin's concert pieces, especially “Rhapsody in Blue” and “An American in Paris”. There is a complete section devoted to the controversies over “Porgy and Bess”, including correspondence between Gershwin and DuBose Hayward, the opera's librettist, plus unique interviews with the original Porgy and Bess℄Todd Duncan and Anne Brown. Sprinkled throughout the book are excerpts from Gershwin's own letters, which offer insight into the man. Along with a detailed chronology of the composer's life, the book includes informative introductions to each entry.Less
George Gershwin is one of the giants of American music, unique in that he was both a brilliant writer of popular songs and of more serious music. This book offers a collection of writings by Gershwin, as well as those about Gershwin, written by a who's who of commentators. More than eighty chapters include the critical debate over Gershwin's concert pieces, especially “Rhapsody in Blue” and “An American in Paris”. There is a complete section devoted to the controversies over “Porgy and Bess”, including correspondence between Gershwin and DuBose Hayward, the opera's librettist, plus unique interviews with the original Porgy and Bess℄Todd Duncan and Anne Brown. Sprinkled throughout the book are excerpts from Gershwin's own letters, which offer insight into the man. Along with a detailed chronology of the composer's life, the book includes informative introductions to each entry.
Floyd Levin
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520213609
- eISBN:
- 9780520928985
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520213609.003.0003
- Subject:
- Music, History, American
This chapter explores the colorful history of jazz. It pieces together the origins of great jazz recordings, hit songs, and important performances. Next, it takes a look at some of the popular jazz ...
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This chapter explores the colorful history of jazz. It pieces together the origins of great jazz recordings, hit songs, and important performances. Next, it takes a look at some of the popular jazz groups and singers, such as the 369th Infantry Jazz band, Spud Murphy, and Jack Teagarden. It also studies the first recorded hit of the jazz age and the world premiere of “Rhapsody in Blue.” The chapter also studies the development of recording technology by studying Dick Hyman's recording session, which included the direct-to-CD production of Dick Hyman Plays Duke Ellington.Less
This chapter explores the colorful history of jazz. It pieces together the origins of great jazz recordings, hit songs, and important performances. Next, it takes a look at some of the popular jazz groups and singers, such as the 369th Infantry Jazz band, Spud Murphy, and Jack Teagarden. It also studies the first recorded hit of the jazz age and the world premiere of “Rhapsody in Blue.” The chapter also studies the development of recording technology by studying Dick Hyman's recording session, which included the direct-to-CD production of Dick Hyman Plays Duke Ellington.
Richard Barrios
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195377347
- eISBN:
- 9780199864577
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195377347.003.0008
- Subject:
- Music, Popular
Another distinctive trend was the all-star revue film, as produced by most of the major studios. Each would serve as a guidepost to its company's reigning aesthetic as it addressed the new world of ...
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Another distinctive trend was the all-star revue film, as produced by most of the major studios. Each would serve as a guidepost to its company's reigning aesthetic as it addressed the new world of sound films. With The Hollywood Revue, MGM triumphed through a wise use of stars and production knowhow. With Show of Shows, Warner Bros. failed through a misspent budget and indifferent material. While Fox's Happy Days was tepid, Paramount on Parade was witty and resourceful. Universal's King of Jazz, by far the most spectacular of the revues, found artistic success at the expense of diminished audience favor. Seldom, after 1930, would such work ever be tried again.Less
Another distinctive trend was the all-star revue film, as produced by most of the major studios. Each would serve as a guidepost to its company's reigning aesthetic as it addressed the new world of sound films. With The Hollywood Revue, MGM triumphed through a wise use of stars and production knowhow. With Show of Shows, Warner Bros. failed through a misspent budget and indifferent material. While Fox's Happy Days was tepid, Paramount on Parade was witty and resourceful. Universal's King of Jazz, by far the most spectacular of the revues, found artistic success at the expense of diminished audience favor. Seldom, after 1930, would such work ever be tried again.
Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195327113
- eISBN:
- 9780199851249
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195327113.003.0013
- Subject:
- Music, Popular
This chapter presents the text of music critic Olin Downes' article in the February 1924 issue of the New York Times about the concert the included the premiere of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. ...
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This chapter presents the text of music critic Olin Downes' article in the February 1924 issue of the New York Times about the concert the included the premiere of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Downes suggested that the composition showed extraordinary talent just as it showed a young composer with aims that go far beyond those of his ilk. She also noted that Rhapsody in Blue counteracted the weakness of the concert program that is the tendency to sameness of rhythm and sentiment in the music.Less
This chapter presents the text of music critic Olin Downes' article in the February 1924 issue of the New York Times about the concert the included the premiere of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Downes suggested that the composition showed extraordinary talent just as it showed a young composer with aims that go far beyond those of his ilk. She also noted that Rhapsody in Blue counteracted the weakness of the concert program that is the tendency to sameness of rhythm and sentiment in the music.
John C. Tibbetts
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- October 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780300106749
- eISBN:
- 9780300128031
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300106749.001.0001
- Subject:
- Music, Theory, Analysis, Composition
This book is about composer biographies in the likes of Amadeus, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Swanee River, and Rhapsody in Blue. Even before movies had sound, filmmakers dramatized the lives of composers. ...
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This book is about composer biographies in the likes of Amadeus, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Swanee River, and Rhapsody in Blue. Even before movies had sound, filmmakers dramatized the lives of composers. Movie biographies—or biopics—have depicted composers as diverse as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, George M. Cohan, Stephen Foster, and George Gershwin. This book surveys different styles and periods from the Hollywood of the 1920s and 1930s to the international cinema of today, exploring the role that film biographies play in our understanding of history and culture. It delves into such questions as: How historically accurate are composer biopics? How and why have inaccuracies and distortions been perpetrated? What strategies have been used to represent visually the creative process? The book examines the films in several contexts and considers their role in commodifying and popularizing music.Less
This book is about composer biographies in the likes of Amadeus, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Swanee River, and Rhapsody in Blue. Even before movies had sound, filmmakers dramatized the lives of composers. Movie biographies—or biopics—have depicted composers as diverse as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, George M. Cohan, Stephen Foster, and George Gershwin. This book surveys different styles and periods from the Hollywood of the 1920s and 1930s to the international cinema of today, exploring the role that film biographies play in our understanding of history and culture. It delves into such questions as: How historically accurate are composer biopics? How and why have inaccuracies and distortions been perpetrated? What strategies have been used to represent visually the creative process? The book examines the films in several contexts and considers their role in commodifying and popularizing music.
Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195327113
- eISBN:
- 9780199851249
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195327113.003.0006
- Subject:
- Music, Popular
This chapter discusses the success of George and Ira Gershwins during the 1920s. George composed the tunes while Ira wrote the lyrics. George's success was attributed to the commercial success of ...
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This chapter discusses the success of George and Ira Gershwins during the 1920s. George composed the tunes while Ira wrote the lyrics. George's success was attributed to the commercial success of their works including Yankee Doodle Blues, Rhapsody in Blue, and Do It Again. In addition, the press also helped to shape Gershwin into a celebrity, particularly Time magazine whose founder Henry Luce was Gershwin's friend. This chapter is based on an article originally published in the July 1925 issue of Time.Less
This chapter discusses the success of George and Ira Gershwins during the 1920s. George composed the tunes while Ira wrote the lyrics. George's success was attributed to the commercial success of their works including Yankee Doodle Blues, Rhapsody in Blue, and Do It Again. In addition, the press also helped to shape Gershwin into a celebrity, particularly Time magazine whose founder Henry Luce was Gershwin's friend. This chapter is based on an article originally published in the July 1925 issue of Time.
Philip Fuma
- Published in print:
- 1997
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195115703
- eISBN:
- 9780199853144
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195115703.003.0003
- Subject:
- Music, Popular
The Jazz Age came to full-blown adolescence at 3pm on February 12, 1924, at New York's Aeolian Hall. Until the wail of Ross Gorman's clarinet glissando opened the premiere performance of Rhapsody in ...
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The Jazz Age came to full-blown adolescence at 3pm on February 12, 1924, at New York's Aeolian Hall. Until the wail of Ross Gorman's clarinet glissando opened the premiere performance of Rhapsody in Blue, the afternoon's program had been a stuffy sequence of “jazzed”classics and “concertized jazz,” put together by Paul Whiteman, the self-anointed “King of Jazz.” Once George Gershwin strode to the piano to perform his Rhapsody, however, the program turned electric. Rhapsody in Blue captured the rhythmic vitality of New York at the height of the Roaring Twenties. By the end of that year George and Ira Gershwin had infused the same Jazz-Age spirit into musical comedy when Lady, Be Good!, their first successful musical, opened at the Liberty Theatre on December 1. In Lady, Be Good!, and a string of Jazz-Age musicals that followed in its wake, Ira Gershwin set that language—its terms like “crush” and “mush,” phrases such as “It's all bananas,” and even “'s wonderful” way of clipping syllables from words—to his brother's music.Less
The Jazz Age came to full-blown adolescence at 3pm on February 12, 1924, at New York's Aeolian Hall. Until the wail of Ross Gorman's clarinet glissando opened the premiere performance of Rhapsody in Blue, the afternoon's program had been a stuffy sequence of “jazzed”classics and “concertized jazz,” put together by Paul Whiteman, the self-anointed “King of Jazz.” Once George Gershwin strode to the piano to perform his Rhapsody, however, the program turned electric. Rhapsody in Blue captured the rhythmic vitality of New York at the height of the Roaring Twenties. By the end of that year George and Ira Gershwin had infused the same Jazz-Age spirit into musical comedy when Lady, Be Good!, their first successful musical, opened at the Liberty Theatre on December 1. In Lady, Be Good!, and a string of Jazz-Age musicals that followed in its wake, Ira Gershwin set that language—its terms like “crush” and “mush,” phrases such as “It's all bananas,” and even “'s wonderful” way of clipping syllables from words—to his brother's music.
Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195327113
- eISBN:
- 9780199851249
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195327113.003.0011
- Subject:
- Music, Popular
This chapter discusses the first mention of George Gershwin's most well-known concert work titled Rhapsody in Blue. It states that the report in the January 1924 issue of the New York Tribune titled ...
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This chapter discusses the first mention of George Gershwin's most well-known concert work titled Rhapsody in Blue. It states that the report in the January 1924 issue of the New York Tribune titled “Whiteman Judges Names: Committee Will Decide What Is American Music” reminded Gershwin about his commitment to the Paul Whiteman concert scheduled for February 12, 1924.Less
This chapter discusses the first mention of George Gershwin's most well-known concert work titled Rhapsody in Blue. It states that the report in the January 1924 issue of the New York Tribune titled “Whiteman Judges Names: Committee Will Decide What Is American Music” reminded Gershwin about his commitment to the Paul Whiteman concert scheduled for February 12, 1924.
Howard Pollack
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520248649
- eISBN:
- 9780520933149
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520248649.003.0007
- Subject:
- Music, History, American
Even after the great success of the Rhapsody in Blue, Gershwin continued his musical studies. To this end, he sought an outstanding composer-teacher, although this pursuit largely came to naught. As ...
More
Even after the great success of the Rhapsody in Blue, Gershwin continued his musical studies. To this end, he sought an outstanding composer-teacher, although this pursuit largely came to naught. As in the case of his other would-be composer-teachers, Gershwin apparently received an education of sorts from Igor Stravinsky's music itself. His continuing search for guidance led to another well-known encounter with a Russian composer, namely, Alexander Glazounov. Later, Gershwin showed extraordinary courage in making his 1929 conducting debut leading a world-class orchestra unsympathetic to his music in a performance of the challenging An American in Paris before an audience of many thousands. His conducting debut earned unanimously good press. During these later years, Gershwin continued his studies in music theory with Henry Cowell, Wallingford Riegger, and Joseph Schillinger.Less
Even after the great success of the Rhapsody in Blue, Gershwin continued his musical studies. To this end, he sought an outstanding composer-teacher, although this pursuit largely came to naught. As in the case of his other would-be composer-teachers, Gershwin apparently received an education of sorts from Igor Stravinsky's music itself. His continuing search for guidance led to another well-known encounter with a Russian composer, namely, Alexander Glazounov. Later, Gershwin showed extraordinary courage in making his 1929 conducting debut leading a world-class orchestra unsympathetic to his music in a performance of the challenging An American in Paris before an audience of many thousands. His conducting debut earned unanimously good press. During these later years, Gershwin continued his studies in music theory with Henry Cowell, Wallingford Riegger, and Joseph Schillinger.
Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195327113
- eISBN:
- 9780199851249
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195327113.003.0020
- Subject:
- Music, Popular
This chapter presents the text of music critic Carl Van Vechten's article which was published in the March 25, 1925, issue of Vanity Fair about the jazz composition of George Gershwin. In this ...
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This chapter presents the text of music critic Carl Van Vechten's article which was published in the March 25, 1925, issue of Vanity Fair about the jazz composition of George Gershwin. In this article, Van Vechten provides background on Gershwin's musical career and his efforts to improve his craft. It was published when the frenzy following the premiere of Rhapsody in Blue had finally settled and it struck the right tone by balancing serious and popular concerns about American jazz music.Less
This chapter presents the text of music critic Carl Van Vechten's article which was published in the March 25, 1925, issue of Vanity Fair about the jazz composition of George Gershwin. In this article, Van Vechten provides background on Gershwin's musical career and his efforts to improve his craft. It was published when the frenzy following the premiere of Rhapsody in Blue had finally settled and it struck the right tone by balancing serious and popular concerns about American jazz music.
Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195327113
- eISBN:
- 9780199851249
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195327113.003.0004
- Subject:
- Music, Popular
This chapter presents American composer and pianist Oscar Levant's comments on the music of George Gershwin. According to Levant, Gershwin began to impinge on his life even before he met or even ...
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This chapter presents American composer and pianist Oscar Levant's comments on the music of George Gershwin. According to Levant, Gershwin began to impinge on his life even before he met or even heard of him. He recalled his first meeting with Gershwin in a show titled Ladies First starring Nora Bayes and his recording of his version of Gershwin's compositions including Rhapsody in Blue and Rialto Ripples. This chapter is based on an original article published in the November 1939 issue of Town and Country magazine.Less
This chapter presents American composer and pianist Oscar Levant's comments on the music of George Gershwin. According to Levant, Gershwin began to impinge on his life even before he met or even heard of him. He recalled his first meeting with Gershwin in a show titled Ladies First starring Nora Bayes and his recording of his version of Gershwin's compositions including Rhapsody in Blue and Rialto Ripples. This chapter is based on an original article published in the November 1939 issue of Town and Country magazine.
Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195327113
- eISBN:
- 9780199851249
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195327113.003.0036
- Subject:
- Music, Popular
This chapter presents an excerpt from the 1930 book Revolt in the Arts edited by Oliver Saylor, which describes George Gershwin as a composer in the Machine Age. The book suggested that the Machine ...
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This chapter presents an excerpt from the 1930 book Revolt in the Arts edited by Oliver Saylor, which describes George Gershwin as a composer in the Machine Age. The book suggested that the Machine Age and jazz has influenced Gershwin's original creation or work art. This is particularly applicable to his Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris.Less
This chapter presents an excerpt from the 1930 book Revolt in the Arts edited by Oliver Saylor, which describes George Gershwin as a composer in the Machine Age. The book suggested that the Machine Age and jazz has influenced Gershwin's original creation or work art. This is particularly applicable to his Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris.
Howard Pollack
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520248649
- eISBN:
- 9780520933149
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520248649.003.0037
- Subject:
- Music, History, American
Twentieth-century depictions of Gershwin tended toward one of two scenarios. The first viewed him as a childlike genius who scaled the heights without benefit of formal instruction, a modest and ...
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Twentieth-century depictions of Gershwin tended toward one of two scenarios. The first viewed him as a childlike genius who scaled the heights without benefit of formal instruction, a modest and somewhat naive man scorned by disdainful critics and envious colleagues. The second regarded him, more darkly, as a flawed genius incapable of sustained study, but ambitious, vain and eager for critical approbation. However, it was clear that Gershwin placed great value on academic work, and diligently studied music throughout his short life. Irving Berlin proved to be a crucial linchpin who helped chart a path for him. In his varied work, Gershwin consistently aimed to reflect American life, in ways accessible to the listener, such as in Rhapsody in Blue and American in Paris. In any event, his music, with all its powerful emotions and novel ideas, proved to have broad universal appeal.Less
Twentieth-century depictions of Gershwin tended toward one of two scenarios. The first viewed him as a childlike genius who scaled the heights without benefit of formal instruction, a modest and somewhat naive man scorned by disdainful critics and envious colleagues. The second regarded him, more darkly, as a flawed genius incapable of sustained study, but ambitious, vain and eager for critical approbation. However, it was clear that Gershwin placed great value on academic work, and diligently studied music throughout his short life. Irving Berlin proved to be a crucial linchpin who helped chart a path for him. In his varied work, Gershwin consistently aimed to reflect American life, in ways accessible to the listener, such as in Rhapsody in Blue and American in Paris. In any event, his music, with all its powerful emotions and novel ideas, proved to have broad universal appeal.
Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195327113
- eISBN:
- 9780199851249
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195327113.003.0012
- Subject:
- Music, Popular
This chapter presents an excerpt from Paul Whiteman's autobiography titled Paul Whiteman and Mary Margaret McBride about the premiere of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue in his concert at the ...
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This chapter presents an excerpt from Paul Whiteman's autobiography titled Paul Whiteman and Mary Margaret McBride about the premiere of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue in his concert at the Aeolian Hall in New York in February 1924. Whiteman noted the difference between Rhapsody in Blue and Livery Stable Blues and stated that Gershwin's composition was regarded by critics as the most significant number of the program. This was because it was the first rhapsody written for a solo instrument and a jazz orchestra.Less
This chapter presents an excerpt from Paul Whiteman's autobiography titled Paul Whiteman and Mary Margaret McBride about the premiere of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue in his concert at the Aeolian Hall in New York in February 1924. Whiteman noted the difference between Rhapsody in Blue and Livery Stable Blues and stated that Gershwin's composition was regarded by critics as the most significant number of the program. This was because it was the first rhapsody written for a solo instrument and a jazz orchestra.
