Gershwin, George (1898-1937)

US composer. His musical comedies, mostly to lyrics by his brother Ira Gershwin (1896-1983), were among Broadway's most successful in the 1920s and 1930s, including Strike up the Band (1927), Funny Face (1927), and Girl Crazy (1930). He also wrote concert works including the tone poems Rhapsody in Blue (1924) and An American in Paris (1928). His opera Porgy and Bess (1935) used jazz rhythms and popular song styles in an operatic format.

Successful songs from the Gershwin brothers' musicals include ‘I Got Rhythm’, ‘'S Wonderful’, and ‘Embraceable You’.

Gershwin was born in Brooklyn, New York. He worked as a pianist in a music publisher's office in 1914-17, and wrote songs (his first was published in 1916) and a musical comedy, La, La, Lucille (1919). Although his scores to musicals made him famous, his ‘serious’ work, including Rhapsody in Blue (1924) and Piano Concerto in F (1925), earned him much critical acclaim. Of Thee I Sing (1931), a collaboration between the Gershwin brothers, was the first musical to win a Pulitzer Prize.

Although his melodic gift was long recognized, it took many years for his masterpiece, Porgy and Bess (1935), to reach a wide audience; it was not staged at the New York Metropolitan Opera House until 1985, and had to wait until 1986 for its premiere by a British company, at Glyndebourne. Interestingly, Gershwin was highly respected by Arnold Schoenberg.

Works Stage opera Porgy and Bess (1935); many musical comedies including Lady, Be Good (1924) and Of Thee I Sing (1931).

Orchestral Rhapsody in Blue (1924), concerto for piano and orchestra (1925), An American in Paris (1928), Cuban Overture (1932).

Songs a large number of popular songs, including ‘Oh, Lady, Be Good’, ‘I Got Rhythm’, ‘The Man I Love’, ‘Embraceable You’, and ‘Love Walked In’.

Other music for several films, including Delicious (1931), Shall We Dance (1937), and The Goldwyn Follies (1938). The film Rhapsody in Blue (1945) was semibiographical.