Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-30
BY HYMAN SANDOW.

the reign of Queen Jazz at an end?
In the opinion of George Gershwin,
famous composer Of the Rhapsody in
Blue" and nationally recognized King of
Jazz. there is still plenty Of vitality in the
gay lady, and her throne has not yet
even begun to totter.
Thus did young MIR. Gershwin recently refute
the statement of r Scott Fitzgerald, author OF
ssT,his side of Paradise" and other stories de-
melting the Jazz era that the age Of jazz had
ended with the stock market crash Of 1929
TT seems to me that we are too close to
Queen Jazz and her lively era" says Mr..
Cershwin "for any one TO know definitely
whether her throne is already on its last legs
or TO forecast how long she win continue TO
rule IL the end has not yet arrived. Musically
speaking at least. don't see-perhapS should
say hear-any indications that the jazz age
has already sounded its last notes or Is lKeIy
to do so in the near future.
'If may hazard guess simply as must
clan, shouldn't be surprised If many years
from now American music Is still influenced by
the syncopated spirit which gives our songs
and orchestral pieces whatever individuality
they possess today.
81 can perhaps best explain why take issue
with Mr. F1tzgerald's statement by citing from
my own musical experience. I am just now
completing Second Rhapsody for orchestra.
more than seven years after I wrote the
Rhapsody in Blue
"As well as / can determine, my feeling for
the music writing today Is essentially no
different from what was for the pieces
composed seven and more years ago. 1t is true
that arm trying to get different quality Of
expression-simpIer and more unified-into the
new rhapsody than secured in the first, and
Of course 1 hope that during the intervening
years have gained greater powers Of musical
creation and technic.
But the so-called jazz effect is in this new
music as in my other compositions because the
musical idiom-the lingo If you prefer
which happens to be characteristic OF my work
is fundamentally the same today as it was
when hrst began writing for the orchestra.
At that time the stock market crash Of 1929
was still far beyond the horizon that not
even Roger Babson could have seen it with
telescope. and jazz was stin young If shock
ingiy yivacious upStart."
4 Ar. GERSHWIN's new rhapsody is ar an
wi piification for symphony orchestra OF
some incidental music he wrote for his first
musical talkie while in Hollywood last Winter.
This picture, which Fox Films will produce
during the Summer with Janet Gaynor and
Charles Farrell playing the leading roles is
entitled Delicious" after one of the songs
Mr.. Gershwin has composed for 1t to lyrics
by his brother. Ira.
The young composer Is only 81. Yet in ad-
dition to this first talkie score and the "Rhap-
sody in Blue" he has already written 80 musi-
Cd4 SOH4S0iSSF DpStH Cdhc0 AOOtA
Street." the symphonic sketch, AN American
in Paris" q piano concerto. three piano pref
udes and hundreds of Songs-an in less than
Is years.
His last two musical comedies, Girl Crazy
and Strike Up the Band!" were Broadway
hits and included the popular songs Soon"
81 Got Rhythm and "Bidin' My Time" Ever
since Paul Whiteman first played the "Rhap-
sody in Blue" for startled and explosively en-
thusiastic New York audience on February L.
1924, MIR. Gershwin has been indisputedly
King of Jazz
Continuing his comments On music, he says:
1T usually surprises most persons who think
Jazz reyolutionized American music over night
to learn that its roots go back at least until the
latter part Of the last century when the Negro
spirttuals, to which jazz owes great debt for
theme and mood, began affecting the music
Of the country
At think the history OF music backs up my