George Gershwin war ein Komponist und Pianist, der gemeinsam mit seinem Bruder und Texter Ira Gershwin unzählige Musicals und Songs komponierte, die heute zum „Great American Songbook“ zählen. Er komponierte auch klassiche Werke, wie die Oper Porgy & Bess, Rhapsody in Blue oder An American in Paris.
Gershwin war auch langezeit Nachbar von Arnold Schönberg in Los Angeles. Die beiden spielten gemeinsam Tennis.
„Many musicians do not consider George Gershwin a serious composer. But they should understand that, serious or not, he is a composer – that is, a man who lives in music and expresses everything, serious or not, sound or superficial, by means of music, because it is his native language. There are a number of composers, serious (as they believe) or not (as I know), who learned to add notes together. But they are only serious on account of a perfect lack of humor and soul.“ -Schönberg
(CW)
