George Gershwin

His FamilyHis father immigrated from Russia to the US in 1890.

His father Morris was looking to find a girl, Rose Bruskin, that he met and fell in love with in Russia but she had moved to New York with her family.

He found her and they married in 1895.

They lived in poor and overcrowded conditions in New York

The Beginning

George was born in Brooklyn New York on September 26, 1898

Parents were Russian immigrants

He had an older brother, Ira and a younger brother Arthur and only sister Frances.

He skipped school often and would rather play sports and roller-skate.

He often got into trouble around his neighborhood

His brother Ira would often talk to Georges teachers to get him out of trouble. George and Ira were very close as kids.

From delinquent to musician

He was exposed to many different styles of music by street musicians all around New York city.

When he was in fourth grade he skipped a school assembly to play on the playground. Through the windows he heard a younger boy playing the violin.

George was amazed that the boy could play so well and immediately sought the boy out as a friend.

George became friends with a couple of kids at school that played instruments, one had a player piano in their home

He would watch the keys plays and lay his hands on the keys. He learned how to play several songs this way.

Player Piano

Early Career# He started formal piano and theory lessons at 16 with Charles Hambitzer who became the first big musical influence on George.

#Hambitzer nurtured Georges love of jazz and popular music styles but insisted he learn Classical music and piano technique as well

#He caught on very fast and had a talent for being able to play anything he hear

Tin Pan Alley The term “Tin Pan Alley” is

recognized by historians as the name for the strip of row houses running between Fifth and Sixth Avenues on 28th Street in NYC.

These blocks are where the American popular music industry began and where it saw its most prolific and diverse output. 

Got its nickname because in the summer the music companies would leave the windows open and all the music playing would filter out to the street and sounded like people banging on pots and pans.

George and Tin Pan Alley

George dropped out of high school to become a professional piano player.

His first job was at a summer resort playing for the guests. He earned $5 a week!

He then landed a job at Jerome H. Remick and Company as a “piano plugger” where he played songs other people wrote for perspective singers, bandleaders and entertainers to purchase for their shows or records.

“Swanee”

His first big hit song (1919)

Wrote it with his friend Caesar Irving in 10 minutes!

Made famous by Al Jolson, a very popular singer in the early 20’s

“Rhapsody in Blue”

Written and first performed in 1924

He mixed elements of Blues music, a popular style with Classical music.

Inspired by the rhythms of the train and music he heard on the streets of NYCd

It was his most famous piece

Has been used by Delta airlines in a commercial

Played in various movies and at the opening of the 1984 Olympics

George and IraIra, Georges older brother, was a writer.

Ira wrote the words to many of Georges songs

They composed musicals together like “Of Thee I Sing”

They remained close and lived near each other their whole lives.

“Porgy and Bess”

Based off of the book “Porgy” about a man, who is crippled, living in the deep south and the woman, Bess who falls in love with him.

First American opera to include an all-black cast.

In his will, Gershwin stated that Porgy and Bess must always be performed by an all-black cast.

More Success

In 1925 Gershwin became the first American born musician to appear on the cover of Time Magazine.

He sometimes wrote as much as six songs a day.

His musical comedy “Of Thee I Sing” won a Pulitzer Prize

He was recognized as being a great composer by the most famous European composers of the day.

Failing health

In 1937 he began to have severe headaches and trouble concentrating

He continued to get worse and his brother, Ira convinced him to see a Doctor.

He was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

In July he collapsed at his brother Ira’s home and died a few days later.

Over 3,500 people attended his funeral at Temple Eman-El in New York.

1898-1937