George Gershwin Free Sheet Music, program notes, biography and recordings

In early 1924, the popular bandleader Paul Whiteman was planning an ambitious concert titled "An Experiment in Modern Music," aimed at elevating jazz to the level of serious art. He knew the perfect man for the job: the 25-year-old Broadway sensation George Gershwin. Gershwin initially declined the commission for a "jazz concerto," citing a lack of time. Weeks later, he was shocked to read a newspaper article announcing that he was, in fact, hard at work on a major new piece for Whiteman's concert. The deadline was now just weeks away. Panicked but inspired, Gershwin began composing at a feverish pace. On February 12, 1924, at New York’s Aeolian Hall, a lone clarinet wailed a now-legendary two-and-a-half-octave glissando, and Rhapsody in Blue exploded into the world. The audience, which included titans like Sergei Rachmaninoff and Leopold Stokowski, was ecstatic. With that one audacious, brilliant piece, George Gershwin had not only become an overnight star of the concert hall but had also forged a new, uniquely American sound.

From Tin Pan Alley to Broadway Stardom

George Gershwin was born Jacob Gershwine in Brooklyn, New York, in 1898, to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents. He was an energetic, athletic boy who showed little interest in music until a piano was purchased for his older brother, Ira. George quickly took it over, demonstrating an astonishing natural talent.

Instead of pursuing a formal conservatory education, the 15-year-old Gershwin dropped out of high school to become a "song-plugger" on Tin Pan Alley, New York's hub for music publishers. For hours a day, he would play sheet music for potential buyers, a job that gave him an unparalleled education in American popular song. He began writing his own songs, and in 1919, he scored a massive hit with "Swanee," made famous by the entertainer Al Jolson. This success launched his career on Broadway, where he would become one of the most sought-after musical theater composers of his generation.

The Gershwin Brothers and the Great American Songbook

The most important partnership of George’s life was his collaboration with his older brother, Ira Gershwin, who became his primary lyricist. The Gershwin brothers were a perfect team; George’s brilliant, rhythmically inventive melodies were matched by Ira’s witty, sophisticated, and heartfelt lyrics.

Throughout the 1920s and 30s, they crafted a string of hit Broadway shows, including Lady, Be Good!, Funny Face, and Girl Crazy. These productions, often starring superstars like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, introduced songs that would become standards of the Great American Songbook. Tunes like "I Got Rhythm," "'S Wonderful," "Embraceable You," and "Someone to Watch Over Me" captured the optimism and energy of the Jazz Age with a melodic and harmonic sophistication that set them apart from their peers.

Porgy and Bess: An American Folk Opera

Despite his immense success on Broadway, Gershwin harbored ambitions to be a "serious" composer. Following the triumph of Rhapsody in Blue and his tone poem An American in Paris, he embarked on his most ambitious project: a full-length American opera. He found his source material in DuBose Heyward's novel Porgy, which was set in a Gullah community in Charleston, South Carolina.

To ensure authenticity, Gershwin spent the summer of 1934 on Folly Island, South Carolina, immersing himself in the local music and culture. He absorbed the sounds of the spirituals, blues, and work songs, weaving these influences into his score. The resulting "American folk opera," Porgy and Bess, premiered in 1935. It was a landmark achievement, featuring an all-African American cast and containing some of Gershwin’s most enduring music, including the iconic aria "Summertime." While some critics at the time were unsure how to categorize the work—was it a grand opera or an ambitious musical?—it has since been recognized as a masterpiece of American theater and a cornerstone of the international operatic repertoire.

Hollywood and a Tragic Finale

In the mid-1930s, George and Ira followed the call of many Broadway talents and moved to Hollywood to write for movie musicals. They penned the scores for several films, most notably the Fred Astaire vehicle Shall We Dance, which included the classic song "They Can't Take That Away from Me."

By 1937, George began to experience debilitating health problems. He suffered from severe headaches, dizzy spells, and coordination issues, which were initially dismissed as psychosomatic. On July 9, 1937, he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. It was only then that doctors discovered the cause: a large, malignant brain tumor. He underwent emergency surgery but never regained consciousness. George Gershwin died on July 11, 1937, at the tragically young age of 38.

Legacy: The Sound of America

George Gershwin's death stunned the world, cutting short one of the most brilliant careers in American music. His legacy, however, is monumental. More than any other composer, he successfully and authentically bridged the worlds of popular music and the classical concert hall. He took the rhythms of jazz and the soul of the blues and gave them a symphonic voice, creating a sound that was sophisticated, joyful, and unmistakably American. His work has been a profound influence on generations of composers, from Leonard Bernstein to countless jazz musicians, and his melodies remain a fundamental part of the cultural fabric of the United States.

Section 4: References and Further Reading

• Jablonski, Edward. Gershwin: A Biography. Doubleday, 1987.

• Peyser, Joan. The Memory of All That: The Life of George Gershwin. Billboard Books, 2007.

• Pollack, Howard. George Gershwin: His Life and Work. University of California Press, 2006.

• Gershwin, Ira. Lyrics on Several Occasions. Limelight Editions, 1997.