Rhapsody in Blue: A Profile

George Gershwin was one of the preeminent American composers of all time, creating a distinctly American sound that survives to this day. His work was representative of the 1920's, an era known fittingly as the Jazz Age for its newfound interest in this soulful genre of music. Here, we explore his life and how the changing culture of the 1920's affected the sound that we know so well to be his.

Gershwin was born Jacob Gershowitz on September 26, 1898, in Brooklyn, New York. He was the second of four children of Russian-Jewish immigrants. We can deduce that he most likely changed his name to sound more American, in order to have success in his musical career later in life. He began playing the piano at age 11, and his various mentors instantly recognized his musical genius, prompting him to drop out of high school at age 15 to play piano professionally in nightclub stints.



Around this time, he began developing as a composer as well as a pianist, publishing his first song in 1916. He collaborated with his brother, songwriter Ira Gershwin, in 1924 in the first of many works they created together. At this time, he was asked by a bandleader to write a jazz piece that would increase the public affinity for the genre. What emerged was perhaps his most well-known piece, "Rhapsody in Blue", which established him as a serious composer and has since become one of America's most endearing and loved pieces of music. It was premiered to mixed reviews from critics who were not quite sure where to place the jazz-influenced composer on the classical spectrum.

Like a piano concerto, the piece is written for solo piano with orchestra, but differs in that its form is that of a single extended movement instead of separate movements. Already, we see deviation from the traditional classical patterns that had been established and followed for so long. This emphasizes the idea that at this time, jazz was truly on the forefront of the new wave of music and culture. It was the epitome of change in that music was a form of art and was an integral part of the culture of the people; this culture is representative of the people as a whole, and connects them in so many ways. This is why the unique nature of jazz is so significant in context. This uniqueness can be seen in other ways as well; Rhapsody in Blue displays both rhythmic and tonal innovation, and has a very contemporary style. There are several instruments that were considered "vernacular" (PBS), such as the accordion and the banjo, which further distanced the piece from standard orchestral repertoire.

It has been described as "a musical kaleidoscope of America", and has been thought of as a musical portrait of New York City. It is fascinating that this piece of music, as recognizable as it is, is so representative of the very people that it comes from. It is ubiquitous in culture today, showing the lasting impacts of the Jazz Age on what defines the American sound. Gershwin's most famous work cemented his place as a prominent composer, and it influenced music as we know it in our everyday culture.

http://www.biography.com/people/george-gershwin-9309643
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/george-gershwin-about-the-composer/65/