Music Webmaster Len Mullenger |
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Music Webmaster Len Mullenger |
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GEORGE GERSHWIN (1898 -1937)
Selected Recordings for the Centenary
On 26th September 1998, we celebrate the centenary of the birth of George Gershwin. Gershwin was one of the first composers to write an original movie score, at the beginning of the 'talkies' era. He wrote music, which was eventually to be incorporated into his Second Rhapsody, for a forgettable 1931 film entitled Delicious. Gershwin's music was used in a number of Hollywood films in the 1930s notably for the RKO Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers musicals. Gershwin's life story was filmed by Warner Bros under the title, Rhapsody in Blue (described by Clive Hirschorn in his book The Warner Bros Story [Octopus 1979] - as 'fanciful to the point of absurdity...the screenplay was a veritable sardine-tin of clichés...), it included a complete performance of the title piece by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra plus a number of the composer's immortal songs. (Robert Alda [father of Alan] was woefully undercast as Gershwin.) Gershwin's music was used exclusively in MGM's musical masterpiece, An American in Paris (1951), directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guetary and Nina Foch.
A new profusely illustrated 240 page biography has arrived for review from PHAIDON PRESS - George Gershwin by Rodney Greenberg (semi-softback bargain price:$19.95 and £14:99). A review of this book may be seen here.
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George
GERSHWIN Porgy &
Bess
 Lawrence
Winters (Porgy); Camilla Williams (Bess); Inez Matthews (Serena); Warren
Coleman (Crown); Avon Long (Sportin’ Life); J. Rosamond Johnson Chorus;
Orchestra Conducted by Lehman Engel
SONY Classical (Masterworks Heritage) 2CDs MH2K 63322
[129:45] |
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George GERSHWIN
Porgy & Bess (Highlights) Blue Monday
(original version)
Gregg
Baker, Harolyn Blackwell, Angela Brown, William Henry Caldwell, Cab Calloway,
Lawrence Craig, Marquita Lister, Kirk Walker, Thomas Young, Central State
University Chorus, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra conducted by Erich Kunzel
TELARC CD-80434
[71:23] |
Blue Monday |
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George GERSHWIN
Porgy & Bess
(complete)
Willard White (Porgy);
Cynthia Haymon (Bess); Damon Evans (Sporting Life); with Cynthia Clarey,
Bruce Hubbard, Marietta Simpson; Gregg Baker; Harolyn Blackwell; Glyndebourne
Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Simon Rattle
EMI 3CD set CDS5 56220 2 [189:32] |
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George
GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue; 2nd Rhapsody; Piano
Concerto in F
Howard Shelley (piano); Yan Pascal Tortelier conducting
the Philharmonia Orchestra Chandos CHAN
9092 |
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George
GERSHWIN By George - The Ultimate Birthday
Tribute George
GERSHWIN Artists include: Peter Donohoe, Martin Roscoe, Richard Rodney
Bennett and Andrew Litton (pianists); Ruthie Henshall (vocalist); The Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Andrew Litton and Henry Lewis; The Picadilly
Concert Orchestra conducted by Rony Weiss. 2 CDS
CARLTON CLASSICS 30368 01297
[145:53]
Album includes: Rhapsody in Blue (Jazz version and version for two pianos); Piano Concerto in F (2nd movement only); Cuban Overture; An American in Paris; Piano transcriptions from The Gershwin Songbook for one and two pianos and vocal; Porgy and Bess (two piano transcription of Fantasy) |
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George GERSHWIN
The Complete Orchestral
Collection Erich Kunzel
conducting the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra TELARC
2CD-80445 Rhapsody in Blue; Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra; Variations on "I Got Rhythm" and Rialto Ripples Rag (William Tritt - piano); Second Rhapsody (Stewart Goodyear - piano); An American in Paris; Cuban Overture; Lullaby; Walking the Dog; Mexican Dance Catfish Row (Symphonic Suite from Porgy and Bess) (Double CD set) |
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George GERSHWIN
'The Very Best of George Gershwin' 28 Gershwin
Greats
Various artists
Decca 2CD 460 002-2
[140:35] |
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George and Ira
GERSHWIN IN HOLLYWOOD
OSTsEMI Premier soundtracks/TURNER Classic
Movies Music 8 21558 2 (2 CDS) [151:34] |
EDITOR'S CHOICE |
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George
GERSHWIN The Authentic Gershwin Vol 4 - The
Hollywood Years Jack
Gibbons (piano) ASV CD WHL 2110
[67:55] |
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Kurt WEILL/Ira GERSHWIN/Moss
HART Lady in the
Dark Royal National Theatre
Production TER CDTER 1244 Dolby Surround
[70:50] |
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George
GERSHWIN |
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George GERSHWIN
Gershwin plays Gershwin - The Piano
Rolls
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George GERSHWIN The Piano Rolls; Vol 2. |
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George & Ira
GERSHWIN
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George & Ira
GERSHWIN Standards & Gems
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George GERSHWIN
Rhapsody in Blue; Concerto in F; An American
in Paris |
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George
GERSHWIN An American in Paris; Concerto in
F*; Catfish Row Suite with scenes from Porgy and Bess; Second Rhapsody for
Piano and orchestra |
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George GERSHWIN
The Best of George
Gershwin
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George GERSHWIN
The Ultimate
GERSHWIN 4CD set |
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George and Ira
GERSHWIN Girl Crazy
Broadway Cast including
Mary Martin
SONY
SK 60704 (46:50) |
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Dr. Alicia Zizzo, one of America's most eminent classical pianists and scholars, discovered and restored Gershwin's classical piano music from his own hand-written fragments, sketches and original manuscripts. here for more information
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Garrick Ohlsson* (piano); Michael Tilson Thomas** (piano) and conducting
the San Francisco Symphony Orchestratar.gif){kind=small}
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