On the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin’s most popular piece, pianist Robert Taub delves into the story of the great composer ahead of a performance with the London Gershwin Players of the original piece

Although George Gershwin composed hit songs for Broadway, he also blended jazz and classical elements in varying degrees in his longer compositions. He had a unique melodic gift and his many works brought special joy and optimism to his audiences. So beloved was he throughout not only America, but numerous countries in Europe, that when he died in 1937, aged 38, of a brain tumour his fans echoed the sentiments of novelist John O’Hara: “Gershwin died on 11 July, but I don’t have to believe it if I don’t want to.”

The Brooklyn-born composer began his musical education early, with exposure to classical and popular pieces that he heard at school. His parents, Russian Jewish immigrants, bought a second-hand upright piano when he was 11 and he gravitated towards it. In his early teens, Gershwin broadened his experience by studying with several leading composers of the American musical community, specifically Henry Cowell and Wallingford Riegger.

After dropping out of school at 15, Gershwin earned an income by playing in New York nightclubs and making rolls for pianolas. In addition, he demonstrated sheet music by playing it “live” for the Remick music publishing company, which supplemented his income and enabled him to enhance his skills in improvising and transposing, and introduced him to a wide range of popular songs and jazz. He also worked as a rehearsal pianist for Broadway musicals. His first published song was 'When You Want ’Em You Can’t Get ’Em (When You’ve Got ’Em You Don’t Want ’Em)' in 1916 and, three years later, entertainer Al Jolson performed his song 'Swanee' in the musical Sinbad. It became an enormous success.

In the early 1920s, Gershwin wrote songs for various Broadway productions, including (I’ll Build a) Stairway to Paradise and Somebody Loves Me. From the 1920s and 30s, Broadway shows included many of his songs that became standards: 'Fascinating Rhythm' (Lady Be Good), 'Someone to Watch Over Me' (Oh, Kay!), 'Strike Up the Band' (Strike Up the Band) and '’S Wonderful' (Funny Face), to name but a few. He also composed several songs for Hollywood films, such as 'Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off' (Shall We Dance), 'Nice Work if You Can Get It' (A Damsel in Distress) and 'Love Walked In' (The Goldwyn Follies). Gershwin's older brother Ira was the lyricist for nearly all these songs. Ira’s witty, glib lyrics – often punctuated with word play and puns – received almost as much acclaim as the composer's own works, and were certainly fundamental to their success.

Throughout his career Gershwin also focused on creative orchestral compositions, often melding styles in ways that brought a freshness and enduring grace to his pieces. His larger works involving an orchestra include the opera Porgy and Bess, Rhapsody in Blue, a Piano Concerto, Cuban Overture and Second Rhapsody.

By many accounts, Gershwin was known as gregarious and always eager to learn from others, with a magnetic personality. He loved his work and approached every assignment with enthusiasm, but in early 1937 he began experiencing severe headaches and brief memory blackouts. Medical tests at the time did not reveal any health problems, but by early July his motor skills were impaired and he needed help walking. He slid into a coma on 9 July and a spinal tap revealed the presence of a brain tumour.

While in the coma, doctors tried to operate. Gershwin never regained consciousness and died during surgery. At this time he was at the peak of his powers. There were several new works underway, including a new symphony, a proposed ballet score, sketches for a new string quartet and musical comedy collaborations.

Paul Whiteman, the bandleader who had conducted the pit orchestra for the popular 1922 Broadway revues Scandals was impressed by Gershwin’s songs. He and the composer shared the notion of integrating elements of jazz and classical styles and, in late 1923, Whiteman asked Gershwin to compose something for a concert that he was planning, entitled An Experiment in Modern Music, which was to run at New York’s classical Aeolian Concert Hall. A popular legend is that Gershwin forgot about the request until early January 1924, when Ira brought him a newspaper article announcing the upcoming concert. Gershwin got to work shortly thereafter, composing Rhapsody in Blue in three weeks. This initial version was orchestrated by Ferde Grofé specifically for Whiteman’s band and it is this version that will be performed at Plymouth's Levinsky Hall on 27 January by the London Gershwin Players, conducted by Mark Forkgen and accompanied by myself on piano.

The premiere performance was attended by musical luminaries including Igor Stravinsky, Fritz Kreisler and Leopold Stokowski. Rhapsody in Blue was an immediate success and brought Gershwin worldwide fame. Incorporated into the Rhapsody were hallmarks of jazz, including blue notes, long passages of syncopated rhythms, and onomatopoeic musical effects. He later reflected: “There had been so much chatter about the limitations of jazz, not to speak of the manifest misunderstandings of its function. Jazz, they said, had to be in strict time. It had to cling to dance rhythms. I resolved, if possible, to kill that misconception with one sturdy blow… No set plan was in my mind, no structure to which my music would conform. The Rhapsody, you see, began as a purpose, not a plan.”

Owing to the popularity of Rhapsody in Blue, Grofé subsequently made an arrangement for a large orchestra in 1942, which has become the frequently performed version today. I have played this later version many times with various orchestras, but have also wanted to perform the original Whiteman band version, which I believe is tighter, edgier and, of course, closer to Gershwin’s initial idea. On this, the 100th anniversary of its composition, it will be a pleasure to play the original.

By Robert Taub

Header image: self-portrait by George Gershwin, 1934, courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery

The London Gershwin Players present Rhapsody in Blue on Saturday 27 January. 7-9.30pm. £12, £10 concs, students and under-18s free. Levinsky Hall, Roland Levinsky Building, University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA. plymouth.ac.uk

Dr Robert Taub is an internationally acclaimed concert pianist and director of music at The Arts Institute, University of Plymouth.