I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring a selection of George Gershwin’s works. As such this essay has turned out longer than expected or intended. I however feel the extra time was a sound investment, as I believe all four of the works I have looked at here are particularly relevant to the exercise, and each showcases an element of Gershwin’s innovation and development as a composer.
All four works were first performed in the inter-war years. Rhapsody in Blue was innovative in its fusion of classical music and the undervalued jazz style. A year later, Concerto in F provided an opportunity for Gershwin to orchestrate his own piece, a role which had previously been carried out by someone else. An American in Paris was Gershwin’s offering of a freer and more modern style of composition, and made use of a non-musical object – a French taxi horn. Porgy and Bess was an eclectic creation, drawing inspiration from American, African-American, and Russian-Jewish cultures. This work received a lukewarm reception, and was not fully accepted for many years. This work is now a part of the standard operatic repertoire and performed frequently worldwide, showing its journey through public opinion and intense controversy.
You can download a word document of my complete essay for this exercise, including references and bibliography here: George Gershwin.docx
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