George Gershwin

by Rodney Greenberg

Overview

During his short but prolific career, George Gershwin (1898-1937) produced a varied body of work that combined symphonic composition with the musical styles popular in his era, including jazz and African-American spirituals. Known primarily for his jazz-tinged orchestral work Rhapsody in Blue, his folk opera Porgy and Bess, and his many wonderful songs featured in the films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Gershwin and his lyricist brother Ira were key figures in the songwriting circles of pre-war America. Rodney Greenberg's lively biography paints a vivid picture of this exciting era in the development of American music, and places Gershwin's life and career within the social and cultural contexts in which he flourished.

George Gershwin is part of Phaidon's successful 20th Century Composers series, which presents authoritative and engaging biographies of the great creative musicians of our time, augmented by striking visual material and essential reference information. This edition of the book features a whimsical new cover by Jean-Jacques Sempé, the world-renowned illustrator and cartoonist.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780714847726
Publisher:	Phaidon Press
Publication date:	04/21/2007
Series:	20th Century Composers Series
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.25(w) x 8.75(h) x 0.75(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Rodney Greenberg has produced and directed over 300 television music programs in Europe and America. Formerly executive producer of the BBC `Masterclass' series and of the televised Promenade Concerts, he has directed the Last Night of the Proms eight times. Among other honors, he has won multiple Emmy awards for live NBC telecasts in New York.