NANOSNET

Happy Friday!

Greetings from Galveston, Texas! I arrived last night to give a talk to the Ophthalmology Residents this morning, which was super fun. They were enthusiastic and asked great questions.

On February 12, 1924, George Gershwin, who was known only for Broadway theater songs, sat down at the piano and accompanied an orchestra in New York City to perform his own composition, Rhapsody in Blue, for the first time.  New York Time critic Olin Downes wrote that the "audience packed a house that could have been sold out as twice the size". The concert was billed as an educational event called "Experiment in Modern Music". Gershwin was not the only performer in the program, but he was certainly the first to wake the audience up. Sergey Rachmaninoff (AKA Rach) and other luminaries were in the audience, and the performance was a musical triumph.

The opening of Rhapsody in Blue, a two-and-a-half octave clarinet glissando, is said to be as instantly recognizable as Beethoven's Fifth Symphony – I agree! Woody Allen used music from Rhapsody in Blue in his 1979 movie Manhattan and United Airlines used the ending in the 1980s. Even more amazing, legend has it that Gershwin forgot that the work had been commissioned. His brother Ira saw it advertised in the paper and asked George about the jazz concerto that he was reportedly composing for the event. Oops. George wrote it in less than 5 weeks, beginning on January 7 while he was traveling home from Boston on the train. Ferde Grofé, composer of Grand Canyon Suite, orchestrated it and Gershwin left his piano part to be party improvised during the world premiere!  It is the only Gershwin work that he did not orchestrate himself and the piano score was written later.

Ira Gershwin later recalled that George wanted to name it American Rhapsody but Ira suggested the title Rhapsody in Blue based on an art exhibit of James Whistler's work that he had recently seen.

George Gershwin (born in 1898) and his older brother Ira, were sons of Russian Jewish immigrants -  unlike most of the other musicians that I have written about, his parents and relatives were not musically inclined. His musical education started at age 11 when his family bought a used upright piano so  Ira could learn to play. George taught himself to play and surprised his family by performing a popular song that he had learned on a neighbor's player piano. George got the lessons. He studied classical music with Charles Hambitzer who refused payment because he recognized George's musical genius.

He dropped out of school at age 15 and earned money by making piano rolls for player pianos and performing in New York night clubs. He also "advertised" songs on sheet music for a music publishing company by playing them to help boost their sales. This 3-year period of his life was referred to as "pluggers purgatory". He was known as one of the most talented pianists in New York City as a teenager and published his first composed song "When You Want 'Em You Can't Get 'Em (When You've Got 'Em You Don't Want 'Em) in 2016.  His experience in jazz and popular music increased from experience.

He and Ira had illustrious careers, writing many famous songs together. Unlike other lyric-melody partnerships, George's music often came first. He once said that he had "more tunes in my head than I could put down on paper in a hundred years". When asked which came first, the words or the music, Ira replied, "the contract". His major compositions are much too long to begin to list but include An American in Paris, Porgy and Bess (which was selected by the U.S. State department to represent the U.S. on an international tour in 1952-54, politically controversial at the time) and Lady Be Good. George is considered one of the four greatest composers of American musical theater and the only one that made a significant contribution in classical music as well.

If you have a chance, listen to Rhapsody in Blue this weekend. If it's performed where you live, don't pass up the opportunity to hear it live. It is truly unique American classic.

Deb

Here's teaser with Leonard Bernstein conducting and playing with the New York Phil.

Happy Friday!

Greetings from Galveston, Texas! I arrived last night to give a talk to the Ophthalmology Residents this morning, which was super fun. They were enthusiastic and asked great questions.

On February 12, 1924, George Gershwin, who was known only for Broadway theater songs, sat down at the piano and accompanied an orchestra in New York City to perform his own composition, Rhapsody in Blue, for the first time.  New York Time critic Olin Downes wrote that the "audience packed a house that could have been sold out as twice the size". The concert was billed as an educational event called "Experiment in Modern Music". Gershwin was not the only performer in the program, but he was certainly the first to wake the audience up. Sergey Rachmaninoff (AKA Rach) and other luminaries were in the audience, and the performance was a musical triumph.

The opening of Rhapsody in Blue, a two-and-a-half octave clarinet glissando, is said to be as instantly recognizable as Beethoven's Fifth Symphony – I agree! Woody Allen used music from Rhapsody in Blue in his 1979 movie Manhattan and United Airlines used the ending in the 1980s. Even more amazing, legend has it that Gershwin forgot that the work had been commissioned. His brother Ira saw it advertised in the paper and asked George about the jazz concerto that he was reportedly composing for the event. Oops. George wrote it in less than 5 weeks, beginning on January 7 while he was traveling home from Boston on the train. Ferde Grofé, composer of Grand Canyon Suite, orchestrated it and Gershwin left his piano part to be party improvised during the world premiere!  It is the only Gershwin work that he did not orchestrate himself and the piano score was written later.

Ira Gershwin later recalled that George wanted to name it American Rhapsody but Ira suggested the title Rhapsody in Blue based on an art exhibit of James Whistler's work that he had recently seen.

George Gershwin (born in 1898) and his older brother Ira, were sons of Russian Jewish immigrants -  unlike most of the other musicians that I have written about, his parents and relatives were not musically inclined. His musical education started at age 11 when his family bought a used upright piano so  Ira could learn to play. George taught himself to play and surprised his family by performing a popular song that he had learned on a neighbor's player piano. George got the lessons. He studied classical music with Charles Hambitzer who refused payment because he recognized George's musical genius.

He dropped out of school at age 15 and earned money by making piano rolls for player pianos and performing in New York night clubs. He also "advertised" songs on sheet music for a music publishing company by playing them to help boost their sales. This 3-year period of his life was referred to as "pluggers purgatory". He was known as one of the most talented pianists in New York City as a teenager and published his first composed song "When You Want 'Em You Can't Get 'Em (When You've Got 'Em You Don't Want 'Em) in 2016.  His experience in jazz and popular music increased from experience.

He and Ira had illustrious careers, writing many famous songs together. Unlike other lyric-melody partnerships, George's music often came first. He once said that he had "more tunes in my head than I could put down on paper in a hundred years". When asked which came first, the words or the music, Ira replied, "the contract". His major compositions are much too long to begin to list but include An American in Paris, Porgy and Bess (which was selected by the U.S. State department to represent the U.S. on an international tour in 1952-54, politically controversial at the time) and Lady Be Good. George is considered one of the four greatest composers of American musical theater and the only one that made a significant contribution in classical music as well.

If you have a chance, listen to Rhapsody in Blue this weekend. If it's performed where you live, don't pass up the opportunity to hear it live. It is truly unique American classic.

Deb

Here's teaser with Leonard Bernstein conducting and playing with the New York Phil.

Happy Friday!

Greetings from Galveston, Texas! I arrived last night to give a talk to the Ophthalmology Residents this morning, which was super fun. They were enthusiastic and asked great questions.

On February 12, 1924, George Gershwin, who was known only for Broadway theater songs, sat down at the piano and accompanied an orchestra in New York City to perform his own composition, Rhapsody in Blue, for the first time.  New York Time critic Olin Downes wrote that the "audience packed a house that could have been sold out as twice the size". The concert was billed as an educational event called "Experiment in Modern Music". Gershwin was not the only performer in the program, but he was certainly the first to wake the audience up. Sergey Rachmaninoff (AKA Rach) and other luminaries were in the audience, and the performance was a musical triumph.

The opening of Rhapsody in Blue, a two-and-a-half octave clarinet glissando, is said to be as instantly recognizable as Beethoven's Fifth Symphony – I agree! Woody Allen used music from Rhapsody in Blue in his 1979 movie Manhattan and United Airlines used the ending in the 1980s. Even more amazing, legend has it that Gershwin forgot that the work had been commissioned. His brother Ira saw it advertised in the paper and asked George about the jazz concerto that he was reportedly composing for the event. Oops. George wrote it in less than 5 weeks, beginning on January 7 while he was traveling home from Boston on the train. Ferde Grofé, composer of Grand Canyon Suite, orchestrated it and Gershwin left his piano part to be party improvised during the world premiere!  It is the only Gershwin work that he did not orchestrate himself and the piano score was written later.

Ira Gershwin later recalled that George wanted to name it American Rhapsody but Ira suggested the title Rhapsody in Blue based on an art exhibit of James Whistler's work that he had recently seen.

George Gershwin (born in 1898) and his older brother Ira, were sons of Russian Jewish immigrants -  unlike most of the other musicians that I have written about, his parents and relatives were not musically inclined. His musical education started at age 11 when his family bought a used upright piano so  Ira could learn to play. George taught himself to play and surprised his family by performing a popular song that he had learned on a neighbor's player piano. George got the lessons. He studied classical music with Charles Hambitzer who refused payment because he recognized George's musical genius.

He dropped out of school at age 15 and earned money by making piano rolls for player pianos and performing in New York night clubs. He also "advertised" songs on sheet music for a music publishing company by playing them to help boost their sales. This 3-year period of his life was referred to as "pluggers purgatory". He was known as one of the most talented pianists in New York City as a teenager and published his first composed song "When You Want 'Em You Can't Get 'Em (When You've Got 'Em You Don't Want 'Em) in 2016.  His experience in jazz and popular music increased from experience.

He and Ira had illustrious careers, writing many famous songs together. Unlike other lyric-melody partnerships, George's music often came first. He once said that he had "more tunes in my head than I could put down on paper in a hundred years". When asked which came first, the words or the music, Ira replied, "the contract". His major compositions are much too long to begin to list but include An American in Paris, Porgy and Bess (which was selected by the U.S. State department to represent the U.S. on an international tour in 1952-54, politically controversial at the time) and Lady Be Good. George is considered one of the four greatest composers of American musical theater and the only one that made a significant contribution in classical music as well.

If you have a chance, listen to Rhapsody in Blue this weekend. If it's performed where you live, don't pass up the opportunity to hear it live. It is truly unique American classic.

Deb

Here's teaser with Leonard Bernstein conducting and playing with the New York Phil.

Happy Friday!

Greetings from Galveston, Texas! I arrived last night to give a talk to the Ophthalmology Residents this morning, which was super fun. They were enthusiastic and asked great questions.

On February 12, 1924, George Gershwin, who was known only for Broadway theater songs, sat down at the piano and accompanied an orchestra in New York City to perform his own composition, Rhapsody in Blue, for the first time.  New York Time critic Olin Downes wrote that the "audience packed a house that could have been sold out as twice the size". The concert was billed as an educational event called "Experiment in Modern Music". Gershwin was not the only performer in the program, but he was certainly the first to wake the audience up. Sergey Rachmaninoff (AKA Rach) and other luminaries were in the audience, and the performance was a musical triumph.

The opening of Rhapsody in Blue, a two-and-a-half octave clarinet glissando, is said to be as instantly recognizable as Beethoven's Fifth Symphony – I agree! Woody Allen used music from Rhapsody in Blue in his 1979 movie Manhattan and United Airlines used the ending in the 1980s. Even more amazing, legend has it that Gershwin forgot that the work had been commissioned. His brother Ira saw it advertised in the paper and asked George about the jazz concerto that he was reportedly composing for the event. Oops. George wrote it in less than 5 weeks, beginning on January 7 while he was traveling home from Boston on the train. Ferde Grofé, composer of Grand Canyon Suite, orchestrated it and Gershwin left his piano part to be party improvised during the world premiere!  It is the only Gershwin work that he did not orchestrate himself and the piano score was written later.

Ira Gershwin later recalled that George wanted to name it American Rhapsody but Ira suggested the title Rhapsody in Blue based on an art exhibit of James Whistler's work that he had recently seen.

George Gershwin (born in 1898) and his older brother Ira, were sons of Russian Jewish immigrants -  unlike most of the other musicians that I have written about, his parents and relatives were not musically inclined. His musical education started at age 11 when his family bought a used upright piano so  Ira could learn to play. George taught himself to play and surprised his family by performing a popular song that he had learned on a neighbor's player piano. George got the lessons. He studied classical music with Charles Hambitzer who refused payment because he recognized George's musical genius.

He dropped out of school at age 15 and earned money by making piano rolls for player pianos and performing in New York night clubs. He also "advertised" songs on sheet music for a music publishing company by playing them to help boost their sales. This 3-year period of his life was referred to as "pluggers purgatory". He was known as one of the most talented pianists in New York City as a teenager and published his first composed song "When You Want 'Em You Can't Get 'Em (When You've Got 'Em You Don't Want 'Em) in 2016.  His experience in jazz and popular music increased from experience.

He and Ira had illustrious careers, writing many famous songs together. Unlike other lyric-melody partnerships, George's music often came first. He once said that he had "more tunes in my head than I could put down on paper in a hundred years". When asked which came first, the words or the music, Ira replied, "the contract". His major compositions are much too long to begin to list but include An American in Paris, Porgy and Bess (which was selected by the U.S. State department to represent the U.S. on an international tour in 1952-54, politically controversial at the time) and Lady Be Good. George is considered one of the four greatest composers of American musical theater and the only one that made a significant contribution in classical music as well.

If you have a chance, listen to Rhapsody in Blue this weekend. If it's performed where you live, don't pass up the opportunity to hear it live. It is truly unique American classic.

Deb

Here's teaser with Leonard Bernstein conducting and playing with the New York Phil.