Gershwin's Galligaskins

[Carolus]

And listening to his Lullaby for string quartet, I thought that he could have written a beautiful full SQ.

[Guido]

The Piano concerto is the only thing that approaches the inspiration of Porgy and Bess for me... I love the songs of course, but they're sort of in a difficult category...

[vandermolen]

I have just discovered Gershwin's 'Second Rhapsody' which came with BBC Music Magazine this month. I'm amazed that I never heard this work before - what a great piece, it really made me smile. Actually I prefer it to 'Rhapsody in Blue', probably because the latter has become rather jaded for me through over-familiarity. Gershwin's 'Variations on I've got Rhythm' is my other favourite Gershwin work alongside 'An American in Paris'.

[jowcol]

I'm very positive on Gershwin, but he's not one of my all great heroes.

I don't think I'll ever tire of Rhapsody in Blue, but I'm curious about the second rhapsody.

I'm pretty burned out on An American in Paris.   I find the opening annoying now, but like some of the directions it takes later on.

I LOVE parts of the Concerto in F, but it strikes me that  there seems to be too many ideas, and it is easy to get lost.  But then again, I could say the same about Bax or Scriabin-- both of whom I enjoy, and  neither of them had the talent for a melodic hook.

My absolute favorite work of Gershwin's is the Prelude #2, and I've been known to put that on infinite repeat.  One of the best uses of blues elements in the "classical" tradition, and also something that fits a playlist that includes the piano works of Debussy, Ravel and Satie.

Also, FWIW, I compulsively collect covers (particularly jazz and blues versions), of "Summertime" and "Ain't Necessarily So". 

[Scarpia]

It might be plausible to claim that a composer is not well known, and under-appreciation stems from lack of familiarity on the part of the public.  A composers works may fall out of favor because he is out of sync with the styles of his or her own era and await rediscovery at a later time. 

I don't think this can plausibly be claimed for Gershwin.  His works are well known, and has had ample opportunity to win appreciation.  I know many enjoy his music, but I for one, find his work uninteresting.

[Franco]

Although Gershwin was and still is a personal favorite, I tend to agree that to the extent he is "underappreciated" (wrong word) it is because his classical composing is not of the same level as his contemporaries. 

His songs and show scores are some of the best, but he did not have the same kind of training that most classical composers benefit from and was having to play catch up and sadly ran out of time.  I think he would have finally arrived since each piece he wrote seemed to be stronger and better put together then the previous works - and this, for me, is the tragedy, that there seemed to be so much unrealized potential in Gershwin, despite the very many fantastic scores he left behind, there seemed to be even greater work still to come.

I think his natural ability was of the highest order, but he needed to develop his craft of composition, and this is why I think his works, as strong as they are and containing wonderful themes and sections, exhibit real weaknesses of craft.

[jhar26]

He's popular within the world of classical music considering that his output as a classical composer was small. In terms of overall achievement - meaning including his broadway stuff he's even more highly regarded though. Dozens of his tunes have become standards that continue to be sung and played to this day and no doubt for many more decades to come. Everyone would settle for a legacy like his.

[The new erato]

Gershwin's best is in his "show" music. And there's nothing secondrate in that. His musicals are simply wonderful, and displays a genius for tunes, orchestration and fun second to none. I can think of tons of more serious stuff I could easily do without compared to Gershwins more lightheaded music. Along with particularly Rodgers and Kern (I think Showboat about the best music ever penned in the US) the Americans have a powerful troika of first rate, unmissable, composers.

[vandermolen]

I'm very positive on Gershwin, but he's not one of my all great heroes.

I don't think I'll ever tire of Rhapsody in Blue, but I'm curious about the second rhapsody.

I'm pretty burned out on An American in Paris.   I find the opening annoying now, but like some of the directions it takes later on.

I LOVE parts of the Concerto in F, but it strikes me that  there seems to be too many ideas, and it is easy to get lost.  But then again, I could say the same about Bax or Scriabin-- both of whom I enjoy, and  neither of them had the talent for a melodic hook.

My absolute favorite work of Gershwin's is the Prelude #2, and I've been known to put that on infinite repeat.  One of the best uses of blues elements in the "classical" tradition, and also something that fits a playlist that includes the piano works of Debussy, Ravel and Satie.

Also, FWIW, I compulsively collect covers (particularly jazz and blues versions), of "Summertime" and "Ain't Necessarily So".

Interesting, I must look out for Prelude #2.

[jowcol]

Interesting, I must look out for Prelude #2.

The Oscar Levant version may be definitive, and the sound quality isn't too bad.

There is a pretty good performance of the preludes on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4yLMxaqWIM&feature=related

Prelude #2 starts around the 1:56 mark.

Version with Heifetz on violin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz5bxLspFRA&feature=related  ( I love the double-stopping)

I also recall that when PBS (in the US) had their Gershwin Centennial program, they used the haunting figure at the beginning of Prelude #2 to lead into Summertime, and I really loved it.

[jowcol]

oops.  One more link.  This is the Gil Evans-Miles Davis arrangement of Prayer (oh Doctor Jesus)  from their Porgy and Bess album which I find really stunning.  There is a great sour dryness an bluesiness to it that just kills me, particularly at the climax.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e7ftQBv6R8

(Although, I were to run out and buy my first Miles Davis/Gil Evans album, it would need to be Sketches of Spain, but their Porgy and Bess is quite good.)

[vandermolen]

The Oscar Levant version may be definitive, and the sound quality isn't too bad.

There is a pretty good performance of the preludes on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4yLMxaqWIM&feature=related

Prelude #2 starts around the 1:56 mark.

Version with Heifetz on violin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz5bxLspFRA&feature=related  ( I love the double-stopping)

I also recall that when PBS (in the US) had their Gershwin Centennial program, they used the haunting figure at the beginning of Prelude #2 to lead into Summertime, and I really loved it.

Thanks ever so much John.  A girl at the school where I work gave a fantastic arrangement of Summertime on the piano a few weeks ago - best thing I have heard there.

PS Just watched it - the music was immediately familiar to me. Fine performance from Lars Roos.

[jhar26]

I think Showboat about the best music ever penned in the US.

Showboat is DEFINITELY a masterpiece in my opinion.

[karlhenning]

The Wikipedia article has some interesting bits: Rhapsody in Blue

[cilgwyn]

Bax had no melodic hook? I can hum 'Winter Legends' all the way through. Beats ABBA any day.

[karlhenning]

Knowing me and knowing you . . . .

[cilgwyn]

....there is nothing we can do!

[eyeresist]

Knowing me and knowing you . . . .

This weirded me out at first - I thought ABBA was a reference to musical structure!

[Mirror Image]

I don't think Gershwin is underappreciated. I thought he was well-known and a composer pretty much anybody familiar with 20th Century music knew? Anyway, I just think the notion that he's somehow undervalued is completely false because there are so many other composers who are more deserving of this title. Gershwin's music is well-known and well-loved by many.

[Sandra]

How is Gershwin underrated? He is probably the most famous American composer in Europe, and is still a household name in US. He might actually be considerably OVERrated if we realize that Gershwin belonged to a generation of composers like Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Britten, Stravinsky, Khachaturian, Copland, Bartok... Every one of these composers (and many others) were incomparably greater than Gershwin, but some are less known to general audiences.

His melodies are haunting and beautiful, and I love most of his works. I just don't see how he needs more recognition than he already has.