George Gershwin

George Gershwin (1898 - 1937) started out as a composer of songs and Broadway shows but also strove be a classical composer as well. Along with his brother, librettist Ira (1896 - 1983) was responsible for many of the classic songs of the American Songbook. The jazz bandleader Paul Whiteman commissoned Gershwin to compose Rhapsody in Blue (1924), which was later scored for orchestra by composer Ferdinand Grofé.

Stung by criticism of his orchestration skills, Gershwin orchestrated the Piano Concerto (1925) and American In Paris (1928) himself. Gershwin's masterpiece is his 'folk-opera' Porgy and Bess (1935). For his classical compositions Gershwin was most influenced by French music, Ravel, in particular, of whom he asked for lessons. Gershwin died tragically young at the age of 38 from a brain tumour. His music remains as popular today as it was in the 1920s and 1930s.

Key Works: An American in Paris, Piano Concerto in F, Rhapsody in Blue, Second Rhapsody, Variations on I Got Rhythm, Embraceable You, I Got Rhythm, Someone to Watch Over Me, The Man I Love, Porgy and Bess