George Gershwin
Subtitle: His Life and Work
Edition: 1 edition
Publisher: University of California Press
Published: January 15, 2007
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 901
ISBN-13: 9780520248649
Subjects: Biography: film, television & music; Contemporary popular music; 20th century; Gershwin, George,; Biography And Autobiography; Biography & Autobiography; Biography / Autobiography; Biography/Autobiography; USA; Music; Composers & Musicians - Classical Composers; Music / General; Composers & Musicians - General; 1898-1937; Biography; Composers; United States
First sentence: George Gershwin's father, Morris, was born Moishe Gershovitz (Gershowitz) in St. Petersburg around January 1872.
Description: A comprehensive biography of George Gershwin (1898-1937).  It draws from sketches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, books, articles, recordings, films, and other materials—including Gershwin scores discovered in a Warner Brothers warehouse in 1982—to trace Gershwin's presence that, even today, extends from Broadway, jazz clubs, and film scores to symphony halls and opera houses.  Pollack describes Gershwin's family, childhood, and education; his early career as a pianist; his friendships and romantic life; his relation to various musical trends; his writings on music; his working methods; and his tragic death at the age of 38.  The author surveys Gershwin's oeuvre, from his first surviving compositions to the melodies that his brother and principal collaborator, Ira Gershwin, lyricized after his death. Pollack concludes with an exploration of the performances and critical reception of Gershwin's music over the years, from his time to ours. (publisher copy)
Table of contents: pagenum: xiii
title: Preface; title: Part One: Life; title: Gershwin and His Family
pagenum: 3
label: 1; title: Gershwin's Musical Education to the Rhapsody in Blue (1924)
pagenum: 22
label: 2; title: Gershwin and the New Popular Music
pagenum: 41
label: 3; title: The Popular Pianist
pagenum: 61
label: 4; title: Toward a Career in the Theater
pagenum: 81
label: 5; title: Later Studies
pagenum: 118
label: 7; title: Gershwin and the Great Tradition
pagenum: 136
label: 8; title: Gershwin and Popular Music and Jazz after 1920
pagenum: 157
label: 9; title: Working Methods
pagenum: 175
label: 10; title: Gershwin the Man
pagenum: 193
label: 11; title: Part Two: Work; title: From "Ragging the Traumerei" (ca. 1913) to The Capitol Revue (1919)
pagenum: 219
label: 12; title: From Morris Gest's Midnight Whirl (1919) to The Perfect Fool (1921)
pagenum: 242
label: 13; title: From The French Doll to Our Nell (1922)
pagenum: 263
label: 14; title: From The Sunshine Trial to Sweet Little Devil (1923)
pagenum: 279
label: 15; title: The Rhapsody in Blue (1924)
pagenum: 294
label: 16; title: The Scandals of 1924, Primrose, and Lady, Be Good! (1924)
pagenum: 316
label: 17; title: Short Story, Tell Me More, and the Concerto in F (1925)
pagenum: 337
label: 18; title: Tip-Toes and Song of the Flame (1925)
pagenum: 359
label: 19; title: Oh, Kay! and Other Works (1926)
pagenum: 377
label: 20; title: Srike Up the Band and Funny Face (1927)
pagenum: 395
label: 21; title: Rosalie and Treasure Girl (1928)
pagenum: 417
label: 22; title: An American in Paris (1928) and East Is West (1929)
pagenum: 431
label: 23; title: Show Girl and The Dybbuk (1929)
pagenum: 451
label: 24; title: Girl Crazy (1930)
pagenum: 465
label: 25; title: Delicious and the Second Rhapsody (1931)
pagenum: 482
label: 26; title: Of Thee I Sing (1931)
pagenum: 499
label: 27; title: George Gershwin's Song-Book (1932)
pagenum: 519
label: 28; title: The Cuban Overture (1932) and Pardon My English (1933)
pagenum: 534
label: 29; title: Let 'Em Eat Cake (1933) and Variations on "I Got Rhythm" (1934)
pagenum: 549
label: 30; title: Porgy and Bess (1935)
pagenum: 567
label: 31; title: The First Production of Porgy and Bess
pagenum: 592
label: 32; title: Porgy and Bess in Revival
pagenum: 609
label: 33; title: Porgy and Bess on Disc, Film, and the Concert Stage
pagenum: 641
label: 34; title: From Swing Is King (1936) to A Damsel in Distress (1937)
pagenum: 665
label: 35; title: From The Goldwyn Follies (1938) to Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
pagenum: 684
label: 36; pagenum: 701
title: Conclusion; pagenum: 707
title: Notes; pagenum: 817
title: Selected Bibliography; pagenum: 825
title: Index