Big Marv Plays George Gershwin

 Big Marv continues  to surprise us with his ability in so many different styles of music. Here he plays some of his favorite George Gershwin pieces. He gives a short biography and describes the pieces below:

 Gershwin didn't think much about music until he was about ten years old when he heard a friend play a violin recital. His natural abilities took over, and with some lessons and much practice, he became a 'song plugger' in Tin Pan Alley. He sold his first song in 1917 for 50 cents! He went to work for a piano roll company and created an unknown number of rolls for player pianos in his name and others. 

 His first national hit was 'Swanee' in 1919, a song taken up by Al Jolson which created notoriety for Gershwin. He went on to write music for 18 Broadway musicals, 6 scores for films, 1 London musical, and of course in 1924 the famous 'Rhapsody In Blue', 2 operas, and pieces for orchestra. Sadly, he died of a brain tumor in 1937, at only 38 years of age.

 The Man I Love - A song that is in The Great American Songbook, along with many other Gershwin compositions. Written for other musicals but not used until 'Strike Up The Band' in 1927. 

Three Preludes -Gershwin's intention was to write a complete set of 24 Preludes and call it The Melting Pot, and he worked on different ones with these three being the main result and were published in 1926. All three are examples of American Classical Music in the jazz idiom of the 1920's.

Number One - Allegro ben ritmato e deciso (Fast- Well rhythmic, and decisive) - Gershwin's use of traditional Italian tempo and descriptive terms shows how he was intent on writing serious pieces in a classical tradition. The prelude shows influence of Cuban syncopated rhythms, and well as harmonies that while sounding more commonplace to modern ears, were very revolutionary in the 1920's.

  Number Two - Blue Lullaby - Andante con moto (Walking pace, but with motion) - Written in C-Sharp minor, a bluesy prelude. In the second playing of the theme, there is a middle voice that needs to be brought out. Gives the impression of 3 hands playing.  Left hand has some difficult stretches of a tenth, a large hand definitely an asset. Gershwin must have had big hands! Has a middle section with the melody in the bass register of the piano.

Number Three - Spanish - Agitato (Agitated) - Agitated indeed! It's a puzzle for most people why Gershwin named it 'Spanish'! The three preludes ends with a flourish, a very difficult piece with hand crossings and leaps. Written in E-flat minor, the key of E-major has a battle that it finally wins in the end.

In my Modern Music class when I was in school, our teacher started out with two American composers that he said influenced modern music as much as Stravinsky or anyone else; Scott Joplin, and George Gershwin. We had to learn selected Scott Joplin pieces, and the same with Gershwin with the 3 Preludes as mandatory. Both composers taught us about rhythm and technique that stemmed directly from classical composers, as both Joplin and Gershwin knew the classics.