George Gershwin was one of the first composers to incorporate elements of jazz (upper extension chords, pitch-bending, Blues scales, etc.) into orchestral repertoire. He initially trained as a pianist, studying the works of Chopin, Debussy, and Liszt, but dropped out of high school in 1914 to compose music for a publishing company on Tin Pan Alley in New York City. He gained considerable wealth writing popular songs like "Fascinating Rhythm," "I've Got Rhythm," and "Somebody to Watch over Me."
In 1924, the jazz musician Paul Whiteman commissioned an orchestral work from Gerswhin, which became "Rhapsody in Blue," gaining him international fame. After a trip to Europe, he composed another hit piece for jazz orchestra called "An American in Paris," and the opera "Porgy & Bess." Many of his works were turned into motion picture musicals, complete with the dance productions popular at the time.
Sadly, Gerswhin died of a brain tumor at the age of 38.
Fascinating Rhythm
Someone to Watch Over Me
(performed by George Gershwin)
Someone to Watch Over Me
(performed by Ella Fitzgerald)
An American in Paris
Rhapsody in Blue
Is a composer's interpretation of his own work more valid than a performer's interpretation?