Introduction
Music is often termed as the “window” into the souls of the individuals and the cultures that make the many musical pieces people enjoy around the world today. There are many genres or kinds of music. The kinds of music can vary from the simple chants and beats of many ancient cultures to the electronic hip-hop music enjoyed by the younger people of today. It is said that the composers of the various forms of music are inspired to compose their pieces. This short essay will look at the life and music of one of the most popular composers of music – George Gershwin.
Life
George Gershwin was a popular composer and pianist. He was born in 1898 to Jewish-Russian parents in New York City, being the younger brother of the equally famous composer Ira, and the older brother of Arthur and Frances (Jablonski, 1987, 29-31). Along with his brother Ira, he took piano lessons, and became an exceptionally good piano player. At the age of 12, Gershwin had for his mentor Charles Hambitzer, who was the pianist of the Beethoven Symphony Orchestra. Hambitzer introduced the young George to European classical music, and to the standard piano techniques. He then became fond of attending piano concerts, and later on trained with the classical composer Rubin Goldmark and the avant-garde composer and theorist Henry Cowell (Hyland, 2003, 14). He then worked as a composer and producer of music rolls, and then worked as a composer for several Broadway shows. In these Broadway shows, he worked with composer and musical director William Daly. He also wrote several operas, and wrote classical music as well. Unfortunately, Gershwin died in 1937 after an operation to remove a brain tumor. He received the 1937 Oscar nomination for Best Song posthumously for the song “They Can’t Take that Away From Me” which was the theme of the movie “Shall We Dance” which starred the dancing and acting duo of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (Oscars, The 10th Academy Awards).
It is said that George Gershwin was able to bring out the best of the genres of classical, jazz, and popular music. For instance, in his famous piece “Rhapsody in Blue”, there is a spiel of the horns that could be said to be churning out strictly classical tunes. The main melody itself could also be said to be classical in terms of the melody, but then the way it is played is always “jazzed up”. Even when the oboe is played at the beginning of the piece, it is played in a jazzy way, with the little trickles of notes here and there. Towards the third quarter of the piece, when the strings’ sequence comes in, the feeling is truly one of listening to classical music. The following xylophone arrangements tend to be of the popular music genre. At the last movement, there is once again the main melody, but this time played in a more popular manner and beat.
Gershwin was a prolific songwriter. His brother Ira was his lyricist, and together they came up with wondrous and amazing pieces. “Someone to Watch Over Me” is a favorite popular tune to this very day. The song “Summertime” is another favorite among the pieces in “Porgy and Bess”, which Gershwin called a “folk” opera. Summertime is known to be a jazz standard song that has long been a favorite of jazz artists. There is a sense of the “Blues”, such as the folk songs sung by slaves during the colonial era. Thus in Gershwin’s songs, there is a feeling that classical, jazz and pop genres have all been included in his compositions and works. One could say that among his best works are Rhapsody in Blue as well as Summertime, although there are still a number of songs and pieces that one could say are timeless, as they are still played and sung to this very day.
Conclusion
It is truly saddening to note that Gershwin passed away after surgery to remove a brain tumor. His death at the very young age of 38 left a void in the music world at the time. His vibrant compositions made people who did not enjoy and listen to classical music listen to classical music. He made other people appreciate the classics as well as jazz and other popular genres. The fact that his songs are still played to this very day only means that his pieces are timeless and that any individual regardless of culture or background or age can appreciate the same. Gershwin was a talented individual who could write a song, an aria, an opera and just about anything he wanted to. It is said that he derived inspiration from ordinary objects such as trains, cars, buses, and just about anything else.
Works Cited
Hyland, William. George Gershwin: A Biography. 2003. NY: Praeger Publishers.
Jablonski, Edward. Gershwin. 1987. NY: Doubleday.
Oscars. The 10th Academy Awards. 2016. Web.
