Gershwin: Meaning Of Name Gershwin | Nameberry.com Pop Culture References for the name Gershwin Please add to or correct the information provided by other members of the Nameberry community. Cecil Gershwin Palmer, fictional host of podcast "Welcome to Night Vale" Cancel The Gershwin Legacy (September 1998) - Library of Congress Information Bulletin Library Celebrates Contributions of George and Ira By RAYMOND A. WHITE On Sept. 26, 1898, one of America's most important composers was born. George Gershwin of Brooklyn, N.Y., alone and with his brother, Ira, wrote many of the finest American popular songs and orchestral pieces. The premiere institution for Gershwin studies is the Library of Congress Music Division, which this year celebrates the Gershwin legacy. In March, the Gershwin room opened in the Library's Jefferson Building, where it serves as a permanent exhibition area for materials relating to the brothers. The following was written by the curator of the George and Ira Gershwin Collection. The music of George and Ira Gershwin has long been a part of the American consciousness.

The opening clarinet glissando from Rhapsody in Blue, the taxi horn theme from An American in Paris and the songs -- "I Got Rhythm," "Embraceable You," "The Man I Love," "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Fascinating Rhythm," and so many others -- are instantly recognizable. Even the mention of the name "Gershwin" brings to mind the glamour and sophistication of the 1920s and 1930s, personified by the brothers who helped to give a musical voice to the time. Left, Ira Gershwin's favorite photo of his brother George (by Edward Steichen) appeared in Vanity Fair in 1927; right, Ira works on the score for the film A Star Is Born, 1954. But if the Gershwins symbolize a time, their music and words transcend it. The proliferating performances and recordings of their music testify to its enduring popularity, and George and Ira continue to be the subjects of popular as well as scholarly study.

Yet, no matter how familiar one becomes with their music or the details of their lives, there remains a unique acquaintance and an immediacy that are gained only through seeing the original documents found in the George and Ira Gershwin Collection in the Library of Congress. Morris and Rose Gershwin at about the time of their wedding, July 21, 1895 This collection is the world's preeminent body of primary source materials for the study of the life and work of the Gershwins. Chief in importance is the music -- that written by George and Ira together, as well as songs composed by George and Ira with other collaborators, and George's concert pieces. There are orchestrations, piano-vocal scores, sketches, lyric sheets and librettos -- much of it in the handwriting of the Gershwins. George's beautiful manuscript full score for Porgy and Bess conveys his care in creating the opera and the importance he attached to it.

Song manuscripts with erasures and corrections present the youthful composer whom Edward Jablonski has called the "Jazz Age Meteor." Similarly, Ira's lyric sheets, with experimental rhymes, unused couplets and various corrections, show us Jablonski's "Contemplative Craftsman." No fewer than 17 pages of lyric drafts survive for the Ira Gershwin-Jerome Kern classic "Long Ago (And Far Away)." Also included are the so-called Secaucus manuscripts (scores and lyric sheets found in a Secaucus, N. J., Warner Bros. warehouse), George's harmony exercises, and eight of his musical sketchbooks. The continually expanding Gershwin Collection includes a wealth of correspondence that provides details of the brothers' lives and personalities. Twenty-four-year-old George (1898-1937) writes to Ira (1896-1983) from London on his first trip abroad: "When I reached shore, a woman reporter came up to me and asked for a few words.

I felt like I was [composer Jerome] Kern or somebody." To longtime friend Mabel Schirmer in 1936, George reports: "Of course, there are depressing moments too, when talk of Hitler and his gang creep into the conversation. For some reason or other the feeling out here [in California] is even more acute than in the East." To Emily Paley, sister of Ira's wife, Leonore, George writes: "Stravinsky and Mother got on famously. Isn't Hollywood wonderful?" The cast of Porgy and Bess is pictured during the first week of the show's Boston tryout, prior to its Broadway opening, Oct. 10, 1935 (photo by Richard Tucker); below, original cover art for Gershwin compositions reflected styles from Jazz to Art Deco. Ira's letters concentrate on his work: lyric writing and attending to matters Gershwin. Particularly informative is his correspondence with impresario and biographer Merle Armitage and composer Kurt Weill, with whom he collaborated on Lady in the Dark. Ira's meticulous attention to detail is always in evidence, along with his literary finesse.

He comments to Weill: "Naturally, I'm interested in anything you think might be the basis of a show that is at once novel and entertaining and yet commercial." He responded to an article by music critic Albert Goldberg: "I lived with my brother at the time he was composing Rhapsody and he was about as influenced by [Milhaud's ballet] Creation of the World as by Frescobaldi's Chaconne and Passacaglia or Patagonian Bebop." Reserved as he was, Ira never hesitated to set the record straight regarding his brother's work. The pictorial material in the collection includes many photographs of George and Ira and other members of their family and circle of friends. The brothers' skill in the visual arts is generously represented in the collection. Among the photographs are some 20 images taken by George, including exceptional portraits of Irving Berlin and Leonore Gershwin. As well, there are paintings and drawings by both George and Ira, including George's portrait of Arnold Schoenberg and a self-portrait oil painting of each brother. The scrapbooks, which number 34 volumes, record the Gershwin story as it was chronicled by the contemporary press.

Book 1 begins in 1913 with a number of poems and other short pieces that Ira wrote for and published in the Townsend Harris Hall high school Academic Herald, of which he was co-editor with lyricist E.Y. "Yip" Harburg. The scrapbooks continue until early 1986, 2-1/2 years after Ira's death, and cover projects that Ira had worked on. Seven books are devoted solely to Porgy and Bess; another book, to Ira's memoirs, Lyrics on Several Occasions; and two others, to fellow composers and lyricists, performers and the music industry in general. There is also a scrapbook of obituaries and editorials assembled after George's death by his mother, Rose Gershwin, and two scrapbooks compiled by the adolescent George and Ira: George's deals chiefly with music and Ira's, with topics of general interest. The legal and financial papers comprise contracts, business correspondence, royalty statements and bank statements, including a large cache of papers received in 1997 from the estate of Emanuel Alexandre, Rose Gershwin's attorney.

As well, there are programs, posters, scores from George's music library, the drafts and printer's galleys of Ira's Lyrics on Several Occasions, scripts for radio broadcasts, other biographical texts and the Congressional Gold Medals that were struck in honor of the brothers Gershwin and their contribution to American life and culture. Left, on the set of Shall We Dance, 1936, are dance director Hermes Pan, Fred Astaire, director Mark Sandrich, Ginger Rogers, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin and musical director Nathaniel Shilkret; right, George and Ira Gershwin leave for Hollywood from Newark Airport on Aug. 10, 1936. That this collection should be housed in the Library of Congress is the result of the interest and efforts of several people, foremost among them, Ira and Leonore Gershwin. After George's death in 1937, Ira devoted considerable energy to organizing his brother's documentary legacy. Early on, he recognized the importance of George's music and its preservation for future generations, but, with characteristic modesty, he was slow to be convinced of the significance of his own papers.

Nevertheless, he organized and preserved his lyric sheets along with George's music manuscripts and the correspondence, photographs and other documents that would become the core of the Gershwin Collection. The development of the collection at the Library traces its beginnings to a 1939 exchange of letters between Ira Gershwin and Harold Spivacke, then chief of the Music Division. The first item that Ira gave to the Library was George's sketch for "The Crap Shooter's Song" from Porgy and Bess, acknowledged on May 24 of that year. In 1953 came the manuscripts of the large-scale works, including Porgy and Bess, Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris, and the Concerto in F from the estate of George and Ira's mother, Rose.

These were followed by generous gifts from various other members of the Gershwin family and their friends, including the Gershwins' sister, Frances Gershwin Godowsky; their brother, Arthur Gershwin; sister-in-law, Judy Gershwin; nephews, Marc George Gershwin, Leopold Godowsky III and Michael Strunsky; cousins, Daniel Botkin and Dorothy Botkin Rosenthal; and friends Joseph Schillinger, Mabel Schirmer, Albert Sirmay, Kay Swift and Rosamond Walling Tirana. During the 1950s, '60s and '70s, Ira Gershwin made periodic donations to the Library of manuscripts and other materials -- along with his detailed descriptions of many of the items. The importance of this commentary, virtually unknown in other archival collections, can scarcely be overstated. From time to time, Ira purchased items for the Gershwin Collection, and his interest in the collection continued until his death in 1983. In the course of the next eight years, Leonore Gershwin sustained and expanded her husband's efforts on behalf of the collection and the Library.

In 1987 she donated the remainder of the music manuscripts and lyric sheets from their home; on a number of occasions she, too, purchased music manuscripts and correspondence for the collection. Since her death, her very generous bequest has enabled the Library to acquire additional materials, including the files relating to Porgy and Bess from the archives of the Theatre Guild. George and Ira Gershwin enriched millions of people with unforgettable music and lyrics. Those forward-looking and generous individuals who have supported the establishment and continuing growth of the Gershwin Collection in the Library of Congress have seen to it that generations to come will also enjoy the Gershwin legacy. Ira Gershwin - Songwriter - Biography.com Ira Gershwin Lyricist Ira Gershwin wrote for popular musicals like Porgy and Bess in the 1920s and '30s. He was in the first writing team to win a Pulitzer for songwriting.

IN THESE GROUPS quotes “Life is one long jubilee.” “I always felt that if George hadn't been my brother and pushed me, I'd have been contented to be a bookkeeper.” Ira Gershwin Synopsis Ira Gershwin was born on December 6, 1896, in New York City. Ira and his brothers' first collaboration came in 1918, with "The Real American Folk Song." In 1932, Ira shared the honor of a Pulitzer Prize for the score, "Of Thee I Sing." Over the course of their careers, the Gershwin brothers collaborated on more than 20 musicals and songs. Ira Gershwin died on August 17, 1983, in Beverly Hills, California. Early Life Lyricist Ira Gershwin was born as Israel Gershowitz in New York, New York, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, on December 6, 1896. The oldest of four children born to Russian Jewis immigrants Rosa Bruskin and Morris Gershovitz, the future lyricist was always a bookish child.

Unlike his brother George, whose interests were primarily musical, young Ira's ran more along literary lines. The family moved frequently throughout Gershwin's childhood due to his father's ever-changing job status. In 1914, the word-loving Gershwin enrolled as an English major at City College of New York, but dropped out after only two years. Early Career Gershwin spent the next several years taking after his father, moving from job to job. He worked at various times as a steam room attendant, a photographer's assistant and a business manager for a carnival. Occasionally, Gershwin would write theater reviews, but otherwise he did not show much promise as a writer. Meanwhile, his brother George was making a name for himself in the music business, composing and arranging, as well as making a brief foray into vaudeville. At his brother's prompting, Gershwin took a shot writing lyrics for one of his songs. Their first collaboration came in 1918 with "The Real American Folk Song," which appeared in Ladies First.

Ira Gershwin once said, "I always felt that if George hadn't been my brother and pushed me, I'd have been contented to be a bookkeeper." He continued writing lyrics, but often under the pen name Arthur Francis, a playful combination of the names of his younger brother and sister. Still using his pen name, Ira wrote his first published song, "You May Throw All the Rice You Desire but Please Friends, Throw No Shoes." He followed up in 1921 with his first stage success, providing lyrics for the show Two Little Girls in Blue. The critically acclaimed show was produced by Abraham Erlanger and co-composed by Vincent Youmans and Paul Lannin. The Gershwin Brothers In 1922, the Gershwin brothers came together again creatively to write the first major hit of their career, I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise. In 1924, they followed up with the hit show Lady, Be Good! The next decade of collaboration would cement the brothers firmly in American musical history; combining their talents, they wrote for Broadway musicals, operettas and even vaudeville.

In the 1920s, their big hits included Tip Toes (1925), Oh, Kay (1926) and Funny Face (1927). On September 14, 1926, Ira Gershwin married Leonore Strunsky. Around the same time, the Gershwin brothers decided to combine their personal lives as well as their professional careers, moving both families into one five-story house in Manhattan. During this time, the house served as a creative nerve center for the brothers; artists, musicians and friends could be seen coming and going at all hours of the day and night. Soon, however, the frantic pace became too much and Ira Gershwin retreated to spend some time on a farm north of the city. His brother would join him in the spring and summer to work and collaborate. It was there that the two wrote and re-wrote Funny Face and Smarty. Biographers and music historians note that the brothers' huge popularity was due, in part, to their innovative new style and combinations. Ira Gershwin in particular was adept at implementing new lyrical styles, playing with timing and unusual word combinations.

Charles Schwartz once said that the brothers had "the uncanny knack for coming up with the fresh and the novel ballads appropriate for their time and genre with wonderfully creative lyrics, songs of chivalric love and gallantry." Pulitzer Prize-Winning Work In 1928, the Gershwins went on a trip to Europe that included stops in Vienna, London and Paris. Their journey across the Atlantic ended up becoming the inspiration for the iconic orchestral, "An American in Paris." Four years later, Ira Gershwin shared the honor of a Pulitzer Prize with writers George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind for the score of the musical comedy, "Of Thee I Sing." The award gave the men the distinction of the first ever Pulitzer Prize for songwriting. Critically Acclaimed Music The Gershwin brothers' biggest triumph came in 1935 with their famous "folk opera," Porgy and Bess. The characters in the musical are almost exclusively African-Americans hailing from Charleston, South Carolina. The Gershwins insisted on hiring only black singers to play the parts, a progressive move at a time when blackface entertainment was still common.

Musically, the composition was the brothers' most ambitious and successful, and it remains a popular production even today. After Porgy and Bess, Ira Gershwin began working almost exclusively on motion pictures, spending much of his time in Hollywood. For his work on "They Can't Take That Away From Me" (1937), "Long Ago and Far Away" (1944) and "The Man That Got Away" (1954), the lyricist was nominated for three Academy Awards. Death and Legacy In 1937, Ira Gershwin's beloved brother and partner, George Gershwin, died of a brain tumor. Throughout their lives, Ira had functioned as his brother's business manager and always looked after his finances. After George's death, Ira devoted himself to organizing his brother's legacy in the hopes of preserving it for future generations. His work paid off and the Library of Congress now has an extensive Gershwin Collection dedicated to that end. 1940, Ira Gershwin began writing and collaborating again with the likes of Jerome Kern, Kurt Weill and Harold Arlen.

The famed lyricist said his goodbye to Broadway in 1946 with his last work for the stage, Park Avenue. He spent the rest of his life working on the family archive with historian Michael Feinstein. Though he died on August 17, 1983 in Beverly Hills, California, symbols of his legacy and contribution continue to live on. In the Gershwin Room of the Library of Congress, curious visitors can see George's piano and Ira's typewriter on display. Despite his more bookish nature, the older brother and lyricist of the famed pair was just as invested in the joy of music, once saying, "Life is one long jubilee." Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Citation Information Ira Gershwin (1896 - 1983) - Genealogy Ira Gershwin Share your family tree and photos with the people you know and love Build your family tree online Share photos and videos in Beverly Hills, CA, USA Immediate Family: NewspaperARCHIVE.com Text: "...was the music of George and Ira Gershwin.

while Gershwin standards make up the score of One and the songs weren't eligible for an awa... Date: Dec 6 1896 - New York City Death: Cause of death: Cardiovascular disease - Aug 17 1983 - Beverly Hills Parents: George Gershwin, Arthur Gershwin, Frances Gershwin Wife: Dec 6 1896 - New York Death: Aug 17 1983 - Los Angeles, California, USA Mother's maiden name: NewspaperARCHIVE.com Text: ... Ethel Mermans first Broadway per formance was in 1930 in the Gershwin brothers Girl and Ira Ger shwins collaboration with Weill on Lady ... Date: NewspaperARCHIVE.com Text: ... to sell their clients as stars in his forth coming original Ira George Gershwin which he will produce and direct for 20th Cen tury The p... Date: NewspaperARCHIVE.com Text: ... Andrews will sing Dear Little which was Dear Little Girl as Ira Gershwin wrote its tender lyric so ..." Date: NewspaperARCHIVE.com Text: ...

here s an to see it whole 8 30-10 00 The Music of George and Ira Gershwin takes over the show when Mel Torme Sarah Vaughan Roger William... Date: NewspaperARCHIVE.com Text: "...appear here are In the handwriting of Ira Gershwin (famous lyricist and brother of As Miss Benjamin remarks, "This offering, apparent... Date: NewspaperARCHIVE.com Text: "...one an alburn of Ira Gershwin songs He wrote some beautiful with others besides his who adores working In New hopes to do a Broad way... Date: NewspaperARCHIVE.com Text: ... were kind enough to point that line is from the George and Ira Gershwin classic.

Man I and not from When I checked with the Ul ..." Date: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ira Gershwin Also known as Israel Gershvin Arthur Francis Died August 17, 1983(1983-08-17) (aged 86) Beverly Hills, California, USA Occupations Lyricist Years active 1910s-1980s Ira Gershwin (December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century.[1] With George he wrote more than a dozen Broadway shows, featuring songs such as "I Got Rhythm", "Embraceable You", "The Man I Love" and "Someone to Watch Over Me", and the opera Porgy and Bess. The success the brothers had with their collaborative works has often overshadowed the creative role that Ira played. However, his mastery of songwriting continued after the early death of George.

He wrote additional hit songs with composers Jerome Kern ("Long Ago (and Far Away)"), Kurt Weill and Harold Arlen. His critically acclaimed book Lyrics on Several Occasions of 1959, an amalgam of autobiography and annotated anthology, is an important source for studying the art of the lyricist in the golden age of American popular song.[2] Contents * 8 External links Biography Gershwin was born Israel Gershovitz in New York City to Morris (Moishe) and Rose Gershovitz who changed the family name to Gershvin well before their children rose to fame (it was not spelled "Gershwin" until later). Shy in his youth, he spent much of his time at home reading, but from grammar school through college, he played a prominent part in several school newspapers and magazines. He graduated from Townsend Harris High School in 1914, where he met Yip Harburg.

He attended the City College of New York but dropped out.[3][4] While his younger brother began composing and "plugging" in Tin Pan Alley from the age of eighteen, Ira worked as a cashier in his father's Turkish baths.[5] It was not until 1921 that Ira became involved in the music business. Alex Aarons signed Ira to write the music for his next show, Two Little Girls in Blue (written under the pseudonym "Arthur Francis"), ultimately produced by Abraham Erlanger, with co-composers Vincent Youmans and Paul Lannin. Gershwin's lyrics were well received and allowed him to successfully enter the theatre world with just one show.[4] It was not until 1924 that Ira and George Gershwin teamed up to write the music for their first Broadway hit Lady, Be Good!. Once the brothers joined together, their combined talents became one of the most influential forces in the history of American Musical Theatre. "When the Gershwins teamed up to write songs for Lady, Be Good, the American musical found its native idiom".[6] Together, they wrote the music for more than twelve shows and four films.

Some of their more famous works include "The Man I Love", "Fascinating Rhythm", "Someone to Watch Over Me", "I Got Rhythm", and "They Can't Take That Away from Me".[2] Their partnership continued until George's sudden death from a brain tumor in 1937. Following his brother's death, Ira waited nearly three years before writing again. After this interlude, he teamed up with such accomplished composers as Jerome Kern (Cover Girl); Kurt Weill (Where Do We Go from Here? and Lady in the Dark); and Harold Arlen (Life Begins at 8:40; A Star Is Born).[4] Over the next fourteen years, Gershwin continued to write the lyrics for many film scores and a few Broadway shows.

But the failure of Park Avenue in 1946, a "smart" show about divorce, co-written with composer Arthur Schwartz, was his farewell to Broadway.[7] As he wrote at the time, "Am reading a couple of stories for possible musicalization (if there is such a word) but I hope I don't like them as I think I deserve a long rest."[8] In 1947, eleven songs he and George had written but never used were incorporated into the Betty Grable film The Shocking Miss Pilgrim and he later wrote comic lyrics for Billy Wilder's movie Kiss Me, Stupid. American singer, pianist, musical historian Michael Feinstein worked for Gershwin in the lyricist's latter years, helping him with his archive.

Several lost musical treasures were unearthed during this period, and Feinstein performed some of the material.[9] Awards and honors Three of Gershwin's songs ("They Can't Take That Away From Me" (1937), "Long Ago and Far Away" (1944) and "The Man That Got Away" (1954)) were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, though none won.[10] Gershwin, along with George S Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, was a recipient of the 1932 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Of Thee I Sing.[11] The George and Ira Gershwin Lifetime Musical Achievement Award was established in 1988 by UCLA to honor the brothers for their contribution to music and for their gift to UCLA of the fight song "Strike Up the Band for UCLA". Past winners have included Angela Lansbury (1988), Ray Charles (1991), Mel Torme (1994), Bernadette Peters (1995), Frank Sinatra (2000), Stevie Wonder (2002), k.d.

lang (2003), James Taylor (2004), Babyface (2005), Burt Bacharach (2006), Quincy Jones (2007), Lionel Richie (2008) and Julie Andrews (2009).[12] Legacy The work of Ira and George Gershwin runs deep in the American consciousness. The opening clarinet glissando from George's Rhapsody in Blue, the taxi horn theme from his An American in Paris and the brothers' songs – "I Got Rhythm", "Embraceable You", "The Man I Love", "Someone to Watch Over Me", "Fascinating Rhythm", and many others – are instantly recognizable. Ira Gershwin was a joyous listener to the sounds of the modern world.

"He had a sharp eye and ear for the minutae of living." He noted in a diary: "Heard in a day: An elevator's purr, telephone's ring, telephone's buzz, a baby's moans, a shout of delight, a screech from a 'flat wheel', hoarse honks, a hoarse voice, a tinkle, a match scratch on sandpaper, a deep resounding boom of dynamiting in the impending subway, iron hooks on the gutter."[13] In 1987, Ira's widow, Leonore Gershwin, established the Ira Gershwin Literacy Center at University Settlement, a century-old institution at 185 Eldridge Street on the Lower East Side, New York City. The Center is designed to give English-language programs to primarily Hispanic and Chinese Americans. Ira and his younger brother George spent many after-school hours at the Settlement.[14] The George and Ira Gershwin Collection is at the Library of Congress Music Division.[15] The Edward Jablonski and Lawrence D.

Stewart Gershwin Collection at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin holds a number of Ira's manuscripts and other material.[16] In 2007, the Library of Congress named its Prize for Popular Song after him and his brother George. Recognizing the profound and positive effect of popular music on the world's culture, the prize will be given annually to a composer or performer whose lifetime contributions exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwins. On March 1, 2007, the Library of Congress announced that Paul Simon, one of America's most respected songwriters and musicians, was the first recipient of the annual Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.[17] The second Gershwin Prize for Popular Song was awarded to Stevie Wonder by U.S. President Barack Obama on February 25, 2009.[18] Personal life He married Leonore (née Strunsky) in 1926.[19] He died in Beverly Hills, California, and is interred at Westchester Hills Cemetery, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

[edit] Notable songs * "They Can't Take That Away From Me" * "Someone to Watch Over Me" * "'S Wonderful" * "The Man That Got Away" * "Strike Up the Band" 1. ^ Obituary Variety, August 24, 1983. 2. ^ a b Ira Gershwin biography pbs.org, March 17, 2009 3. ^ Furia, pp.3-4, 11 4. ^ a b c Ira Gershwin biography allmusic.com, accessed March 17, 2009 5. ^ Furia, p. 26 6. ^ Furia, p. 45 7. ^ The Stage 8. ^ Ira Gershwin quoted by Edward Jablonski in Gershwin: A Biography, New York: Simon & Schuster (1988) ISBN 0-671-69931-8 9. ^ Feinstein biography musicianguide.com, accessed March 17, 2009 10. ^ Gershwin (1959) 11.

^ Brennan, Elizabeth A., "Who's who of Pulitzer Prize winners" (1999), Greenwood Publishing Group, ISBN 1573561118, p. 100 12. ^ Gershwin Award Winners uclalumni.net, accessed May 11, 2009 13. ^ Rosenberg, p.31 14. ^ Staff.Widow of Ira Gershwin Endows Literacy Center",The New York Times, March 25, 1987 15. ^ The Library of Congress Gershwin Collection The Library of Congress, accessed March 17, 2009 16. ^ Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin 17. ^ LoC: "Paul Simon To Be Awarded First Annual Gershwin Prize for Popular Song by Library of Congress" 18. ^ LoC: "President Obama Gives Gershwin Prize for Popular Song to Stevie Wonder Feb. 25" 19. ^ Brennan, p.100 Sources * Gershwin, Ira (1959).

Lyrics on Several Occasions (First ed.). New York: Knopf. OCLC 538209. * Rosenberg, Deena (1991). Fascinating Rhythm: The Collaboration of George and Ira Gershwin. Penguin Books USA. ISBN 0-525-93356-5. * Gershwin, Ira; Kimball, Robert (1993). The Complete Lyrics of Ira Gershwin (First ed.). New York: Alfred A Knopf. ISBN 0394556518. * Furia, Philip (1996). Ira Gershwin: The Art of the Lyricist (First ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195082990.

External links Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Ira Gershwin * Ira Gershwin at Find a Grave * Ira Gershwin at the Internet Broadway Database * Ira Gershwin at the Internet Movie Database * Library of Congress Gershwin collection * Ira Gershwin Collection at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin * Official Gershwin site v • d • e Pulitzer Prize for Drama George Kelly (1926) · Paul Green (1927) · Eugene O'Neill (1928) · Elmer Rice (1929) · Marc Connelly (1930) · Susan Glaspell (1931) · George S. Kaufman / Morrie Ryskind / Ira Gershwin (1932) · Maxwell Anderson (1933) · Sidney Kingsley (1934) · Zoe Akins (1935) · Robert E. Sherwood (1936) · Moss Hart / George S. Kaufman (1937) · Thornton Wilder (1938) · Robert E.

Sherwood (1939) · William Saroyan (1940) · Robert E. Sherwood (1941) · Thornton Wilder (1943) · Mary Chase (1945) · Russel Crouse / Howard Lindsay (1946) · Tennessee Williams (1948) · Arthur Miller (1949) · Richard Rodgers / Oscar Hammerstein II / Joshua Logan (1950) Complete list: (1918-1925) · (1926-1950) · (1951-1975) · (1976-2000) · (2001-present) v • d • e Gershwin: The Prize and The Legacy (April 2009) - Library of Congress Information Bulletin Expand image The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song celebrates the work of an artist whose career reflects lifetime achievement in promoting song as a vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding.

Like many of the Gershwins’ compositions, the works of the recipients will cross social, racial and national boundaries, and reflect myriad contemporary traditions such as rock, jazz, country, pop, blues, folk and gospel. Whether he or she is a composer, singer/songwriter or interpreter, the recipient of the prize will be recognized for entertaining and informing audiences, for drawing on the acknowledged foundations of popular song and for inspiring new generations of performers on their own professional journeys. Billington said, “Named after one of America’s most beloved songwriting teams, George and Ira Gershwin, the prize will be awarded annually to a composer or interpreter of popular song whose life’s work has had a significant and uplifting influence on the world of music and on our society as a whole.” He added, “The prize is part of the Library’s renewed effort to recognize, celebrate and encourage musical creativity, the wellspring of the vast music collections housed at the Library of Congress.” In making the selection for the prize, the Librarian of Congress turned for advice to leading members of the music and entertainment communities. This year’s advisory committee consisted of Michael Feinstein, Lorne Michaels, Phil Ramone, Paul Simon and Allen Toussaint.

The creators of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song are Dr. James H. Billington, Peter and Bob Kaminsky, Mark Krantz and Cappy McGarr. Left: George Gershwin. Right: Ira Gershwin. Expand images The medal was adapted from the design of the Congressional Gold Medal that the Gershwin brothers received posthumously in 1985. It features George and Ira in profile, along with the now-famous inscription Ira wrote in the guestbook of the Librarian of Congress in 1966. Quoting from his Pulitzer Prize-winning show “Of Thee I Sing,” he wrote, “Shining star and inspiration, worthy of a mighty nation—and I do mean the LOC [Library of Congress].” Edgar Z. Steever and Charles Y. Martin, sculptors and engravers at the U.S. Mint, designed the medal. The Gershwin Legacy Why name the award for the Gershwins? Certainly American music has had its fair share of uniquely talented and influential composers. But perhaps none have left quite so indelible a mark on the musical landscape of popular song as the Gershwin brothers.

Their music was considered revolutionary in its time—crossing cultural boundaries by infusing ragtime in “Swanee,” blues in “Summertime” and even jazz in “I Got Rhythm.” All of their songs, instantly recognizable, are still performed today—proof of their enduring popularity. After George’s death in 1937, Ira devoted considerable time and energy to organizing his brother’s papers. Early on, he recognized the importance of preserving George’s music and making it available for scholarly research by future generations.

In 1939 Ira wrote to Harold Spivacke, then chief of the Library’s Music Division, asking if “the manuscripts of George were worthy of the national library.” Spivacke replied, “As a great admirer of your brother’s work—and you played such an important part in it all—it is my sincere belief that any and every part of it is suitable material for the collection of our national library.” The first item Ira gave to the Library in 1939 was George’s sketch for “The Crap Shooter’s Song” from “Porgy and Bess.” With typical modesty, Ira expressed his concern about the suitability of this particular item, saying that with a little more time he might be able to “dig up something more satisfactory.” Following in 1953 were manuscripts of large works from the estate of George and Ira’s mother, Rose. These included “Porgy and Bess,” “Rhapsody in Blue,” “An American in Paris” and the “Concerto in F.” Other family members and friends also contributed to the Library’s burgeoning Gershwin collection.

Left: President Obama asked to present the Gershwin Prize to Wonder at the White House, and got an amazing command performance in return. - Pete Souza Right: Librarian of Congress James Billington, in a Feb. 23 press conference in the Members’ Room, announces Wonder as the recipient of the Library’s 2009 Gershwin Prize. - Derrel Todd Expand images During the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, Ira made periodic donations of manuscripts and other materials to the Library. One of the most remarkable features of these gifts was the accompanying pages of his annotations and remarks, which provided detailed descriptions of many of the items. Ira’s contributions to the Library’s collection continued until his death in 1983. In the course of the next eight years until her death in 1991, his widow Leonore sustained and expanded Ira’s efforts. In 1987, she donated the remainder of the music manuscripts and lyric sheets from their home; on a number of occasions, she also purchased items for the collection. Established in 1992, the Ira and Leonore S.

Gershwin Fund enables the Library to acquire additional materials and to fund programs that extend the legacy of the Gershwin brothers. The George and Ira Gershwin Collection is rich in primary-source materials documenting the brothers’ lives and work. Chief in importance in the collection are the music (including orchestrations, piano-vocal scores and sketches), lyric sheets, and librettos—many in the Gershwins’ handwriting. The collection also includes a wealth of correspondence, providing a firsthand view of the brothers’ daily lives, creative processes and personalities. Visual materials include photographs of George, Ira, family members and friends, as well as paintings and drawings by both brothers. Legal and financial papers, 34 scrapbooks, programs, posters, scores from George’s music library and scripts for radio broadcasts add up to an unparalleled resource for the study of the Gershwins and their medium. Opened in 1998, the George and Ira Gershwin Room in the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building is dedicated to materials from the collection.

Included in the display are George’s piano and desk, Ira’s typing table and typewriter, and self-portraits in oil by each brother, as well as music manuscripts and other documents that chronicle their lives and careers. George & Ira Gershwin: The Brothers Songwriting Team | Piano Lessons for Adults George & Ira Gershwin: The Brothers Songwriting Team please wait... Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast) George Gershwin was born on the 26th of September, 1986 in Brooklyn, New York. His roots were a mix of Ukrainian and Jewish roots, from Russia. The key to his interest was a violin recital by his childhood pal Max Rozen. He liked what he had heard. His parents bought a piano for his brother and future lyricist, Ira Gershwin. He took it from there and took to it more than his brother Ira. Gershwin came from a family that had music in their blood. In addition to his brother getting into music, his sister too, started taking it up early in life, but gave it up in favor of a family life.

Gershwin was tutored by a number of tutors who didn’t make much of an impact on him and his music until he met his last piano teacher – Charles Hambitzer. Hambitzer taught him to the proper way of playing a piano. Paving his knowledge of European music history, introduced him to the music of the past and encouraged him to attend a concert when he could. When he eventually did this, he was quick at reproducing the same music note of note after returning home after the concert. He also studied with Rubin Goldmark and Henry Cowell. When 15, George quit school and started working at Jerome H. Remick and Company as a ‘song-plugger’ where he took a salary of $15 a week. His first commercial success was tasted with Rialto Ripples in 1917 but he really hit it big time in 1919 with his composition Swanee, which shot him to fame all over the United States. In 1916, he worked with Aeolian Company and Standard Music Rolls doing the recording and arranging piano rolls.

There is no official count of the rolls that he came up with, but it is said that he has hundreds of piano rolls to his credit. He credited his work here with number of aliases – some which were Fred Murtha and Bert Wynn. He made rolls for reproducing pianos made by Duo Art and Welte Mignon. He had a small little stint getting into vaudevilles playing pieces by Nora Bayes and Louise Dresser most often at the vaudeville shows that he performed at. In 1924, he and brother Ira worked on their first musical together – a comedy – Lady be Good. The songs from Lady Be Good – Fascinating Rhythm and the title track Lady Be Good – were soon to be standards. Then on, a string of musical followed with most of them being very successful. Some of them are Girl Crazy, Strike Up the Band, Funny Face, Show Girl and Oh, Kay!. From among these, Girl Crazy became the first ever musical to win a Pulitzer Prize apart from spurning the hits I Got Rhythm and Of Thee I Sing. The same year he made music for a musical, he also composed his first classical piece – Rhapsody In Blue.

The piece was, orchestrated by Ferde Grofe, played by Paul Whiteman’s band. He tried a hand at learning something from greats like Nadia Boulanger and Maurice Ravel rejected the proposition to teach him saying that bring his technique mainstream would ruin his jazz specialty. His stay there inspired the piece An American In Paris. The piece didn’t do well at the press and with critics, when he played for the first time on the 13th of April in Carnegie Hall. But it, like some of his other early hits, became many jazz band’s standard repertoire. After getting fed up with the music scene in Paris, he decided to return home to the United States. His best was yet to come. Two years before his death in 1937, he composed his most appreciated work yet. Porgy and Bess premièred on Broadway in 1935. The music was a hit mainly because it had a little bit of all kinds of musical culture of the time – a little black music, opera induced recitative and leitmotifs – which was understandable as all the characters were black people.

In 1937, Gershwin began complaining of being able to smell burnt rubber and of headaches. He was diagnosed with a condition of a brain tumor called glioblastoma multiforme. Despite the condition, he continued to work. He played with the San Francisco Philharmonic Orchestra in the same year. This was his last performance before he collapsed and died and dies while working on the score of The Goldwyn Follies. Two months after his death, the score of They Can’t Take That Away From Me, from the film Shall We Dance won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. VN:F [1.9.22_1171] A rare rift in George and Ira Gershwin's harmony - tribunedigital-chicagotribune A rare rift in George and Ira Gershwin's harmony The songwriting brothers were famously compatible. Their heirs, however, are disputing the split of foreign royalties.

November 05, 2009|By Mike Boehm, Tribune Newspapers LOS ANGELES — The heirs of George and Ira Gershwin, creators of "I Got Rhythm" and many other standards that helped define the grand tradition of American popular song, have fallen badly out of step over who gets how much from the lucrative pot of royalties still being generated 72 years after George's death ended songwriting's greatest brother act. The dispute -- over how to divide foreign royalties -- is spelled out in lawsuits in separate Los Angeles courts. In a Superior Court case that could be titled "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," the trust that controls lyricist Ira Gershwin's estate is suing Warner/Chappell Music. Ira's nephew and trustee, Michael Strunsky, accuses the publisher of favoring George's side of the family at Ira's side's expense and wants to sever ties with the company that has administered the multimillion-dollar catalog for more than 60 years. Warner/Chappell, in turn, portrays itself as caught between dueling Gershwin factions.

The publisher has thrown up its hands and filed its own suit, asking a federal judge to step in and resolve who should get what from foreign royalties generated by the huge trove of songs the Gershwin brothers created between the early 1920s and 1937, when George died from a brain tumor at age 38. Their hits include "'S Wonderful," "Embraceable You," "Someone to Watch Over Me," "They Can't Take That Away From Me," "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" and, with novelist DuBose Heyward sharing credit on the lyrics, the songs from the opera "Porgy and Bess." The contentiousness in court stands in contrast to one of the most harmonious creative partnerships imaginable, notes Howard Pollack, author of "George Gershwin: His Life and Work." The Gershwin brothers "worked very well together and were extremely close and supportive," the University of Houston music professor says. "I don't recall any instance of friction over (money) or anything else" -- apart from a single illuminating spat.

In 1932 Ira was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in drama for his lyrics to the musical "Of Thee I Sing," along with librettists George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind. George Gershwin, who wrote the music, was snubbed by the Pulitzers, and older brother Ira wanted to boycott the ceremony in protest -- until George forced him to go. "That's about as dramatic as the relationship between those two got," Pollack says. In another recent biography, "George Gershwin: An Intimate Portrait," Walter Rimler notes that the brothers spent not only their childhood but nearly all their adult lives together as housemates in New York and Los Angeles or, at most, across-the-street neighbors. The arrangement enabled them to run song ideas by each other.

Ira's creative output dwindled after his brother's death; Pollack's book cites Michael Feinstein's account of discovering, upon being hired by Ira in the late 1970s, that "Ira's home had become a veritable shrine to his brother's memory, and that he talked to George in his sleep, carrying on conversations, 'filled with anger, centering around Ira's desire not to stay here on earth, and George's insistence that he stay.'" The fact that Ira Gershwin outlived his brother by 46 years, dying in 1983 at age 86, is at the core of the lawsuits. At stake are foreign royalties that, extrapolating from partial information in the federal case, come to about $200,000 a year. In all, the Gershwin catalog appears to generate about $8 million a year in royalties, based on the public tax returns of two charitable trusts fed by Ira's share of the earnings.

In the United States, where they share jointly in the proceeds of their teamwork, there's no dispute; both George and Ira's estates will divide American earnings until the songs gradually enter the public domain, with the last copyrights due to expire in 2032. Here, copyrights for songs published before 1978 run out 95 years after their initial appearance. But, as noted in the lawsuits filed in June and July, it's different in the European Union and elsewhere. There, lyricists' and composers' copyrights are separate -- and in Europe they expire 70 years after a songwriter's death. The suit filed by Ira's side says that George's earning power vanished in the European Union in 2007, his music entering the public domain, while royalties from Ira's lyrics continue to flow. While the two family sides haven't sued each other directly, the court cases allude to an impasse between them over this overseas disparity. On one side is Ira's nephew, Strunsky, who controls royalties from his uncle's work that primarily benefit the Library of Congress -- repository of George and Ira Gershwin's papers -- and a Jewish charity.

On the other are George's five heirs, the children of the songwriters' younger brother and sister. Neither George nor Ira Gershwin had children. According to the Strunsky suit, Warner/Chappell earns more from its deal with George's heirs, so the publisher, while obligated to treat both sides equally, had a motive to favor George heirs' interests. Strunsky, who wouldn't comment on the suits or whether they reflect broader discord between the two sides of the family, seeks punitive damages against Warner/Chappell, saying it has an "irreconcilable conflict" while it represents both George's and Ira's estates. The team that helped define American popular song may be writing a posthumous, albeit discordant, new chapter in law because of the copyright issues raised by the longevity of their songbook, and the nearly half-century between their deaths. "I'm not aware of a previous case like this one," says Lawrence Iser, the veteran intellectual property attorney who's representing Strunsky. "There aren't many catalogs like the Gershwin brothers' catalog." MORE: Singer Billy Joel to be honored with U.S.

Gershwin Prize | Reuters Tue Jul 22, 2014 | 7:07 PM EDT Singer Billy Joel to be honored with U.S. Gershwin Prize NEW YORK Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter Billy Joel, who penned hit tunes such as "Piano Man" and "New York State of Mind," will receive the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, the U.S. national library said on Tuesday. Joel, 65, is the sixth recipient of the prize that honors individuals for lifetime achievement in popular music. It is named after songwriting brothers George and Ira Gershwin. "Billy Joel is a storyteller of the highest order," Librarian of Congress James H. Billlington said in a statement. "There is an intimacy to his song writing that bridges the gap between the listener and the worlds he shares through music." Joel, whose career has spanned 50 years, is one of the most popular recording artists and has had 33 top-40 hits.

His multiple Grammy wins include song and album of the year in 1978 for "Just the Way You Are." He was also presented with a Grammy Legend Award in 1990 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. "The great composer, George Gershwin, has been a personal inspiration to me throughout my career. And the Library's decision to include me among those songwriters who have been past recipients is a milestone for me," Joel said. The New York-born singer will receive the prize in Washington, D.C. in November and will be honored at a series of events. Carole King, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Sir Paul McCartney and the songwriting duo Burt Bacharach and the late Hal David are previous recipients of the award. (Reporting by Patricia Reaney; Editing by Nick Zieminski) ADVERTISEMENT Singer Billy Joel Honored as next Recipient of Gershwin Prize - YouTube Singer Billy Joel Honored as next Recipient of Gershwin Prize Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading...

Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Nov 19, 2014 Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter Billy Joel is honored at the Library of Congress ahead of receiving the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Full Story: Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter Billy Joel, who penned hit tunes such as "Piano Man" and "New York State of Mind," was honored at the Library of Congress on Tuesday as the next recipient of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Joel, 65, is the sixth recipient of the prize that honors individuals for lifetime achievement in popular music. It is named after songwriting brothers George and Ira Gershwin. The national library hosted a luncheon for the singer in advance of the prize ceremony, which will be held on Wednesday night. "Your music is the soundtrack to all of our lives. And we bless you for your talent and for your humanity. Thank you for being with us today," musician Michael Feinstein said, in welcoming remarks. The luncheon began with a performance of Joel's hit "The Longest Time" by the Library of Congress Chorale. U.S.

Representative Gregg Harper presented Joel with an American flag that was flown over the Capitol. Joel said the prize was especially meaningful, because it reminded him of his performances in the late 1980's in what was then the Soviet Union, in which he used the George Gershwin tune "Rhapsody in Blue" to begin his historic shows. "We wanted people to know - we're American, this is our stuff and this is what we're going to give you," Joel told the audience, and added: "I have to say those are probably the most exciting concerts we've ever done, everything after that has been somewhat anticlimactic, but knowing that I was there with George was, was a big help, so this means a lot to me. I thank you very much," he said. Joel, whose career has spanned 50 years, is one of the most popular recording artists and has had 33 top-40 hits.

His multiple Grammy wins include song and album of the year in 1978 for "Just the Way You Are." He was also presented with a Grammy Legend Award in 1990 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. The New York-born singer will join Carole King, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Sir Paul McCartney and the songwriting duo Burt Bacharach and the late Hal David, all previous recipients of the Gershwin Prize. For more news and videos visit ☛ Follow us on Twitter ☛ Add us on Facebook ☛ Category

Question: What was the surname of US songwriting brothers George and Ira?
Answer: Gershwin