Summertime: George Gershwin's Life in Music (USED)

Description: Product Description : Summertime: George Gershwin's Life in Music The life of a beloved American composer reflected through his music writings and lettersNew York City native and gifted pianist George Gershwin blossomed as an accompanist before his talent as a songwriter opened the way to Broadway where he fashioned his own brand of American music He composed a long run of musical comedies many with his brother Ira as lyricist but his aspirations reached beyond commercial successA lifetime learner Gershwin was able to appeal to listeners on both sides of the purported popularclassical divide In 1924when he was just twentyfivehe bridged that gap with his first instrumental composition Rhapsody in Blue an instant classic premiered by Paul Whitemans jazz orchestra as the anchor of a concert entitled An Experiment in Modern MusicFrom that time forward his work as a composer pianist and citizen of the Jazz Age made him in some circles a leader on Americas musical scene The late1920s found him extending the range of the shows he scored to include the United Kingdom and he published several articles to reveal his thinking about a range of musical matters Moreover having polished his skills as an orchestrator he pushed boundaries again in 1935 with the groundbreaking folk opera Porgy and Besshis magnum opusGershwins talent and warmth made him a presence in New Yorks musical and social circles and linked him romantically with pianistcomposer Kay Swift In 1936 he and Ira moved west to write songs for Hollywood Their work was cut short however when George developed a brain tumor and died at thirtyeight a beloved American artistDrawing extensively from letters and contemporaneous accounts acclaimed music historian Richard Crawford traces the arc of Gershwins remarkable life seamlessly blending colorful anecdotes with a discussion of Gershwins unforgettable oeuvre His days on earth were limited to the summertime of life But the spirit and inventive vitality of the music he left behind lives on 8 pages of photographs( it is an used product )

Price: 12.79 USD

Location: Houston, Texas

End Time: 2024-11-10T09:00:26.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD