Description:

Gershwin George

Hardcover book, Musical Form by Ebenezer Prout (Augener Ltd., London, 1893), signed “George Gershwin” in confident block letters in black ink on front end paper. “H”, “i”, and “n” of Gershwin slightly smeared and with faint ghost impression of signature on facing page. Maroon book covers with gilt embossed spine, 257 pages, in fine to very fine condition, 5.625” x 8.25”. Preface page pencil inscribed with University of Bridgeport, CT library accession number, donor name “Godowsky”, and donation date “2/14/[19]78” on cover page.


George Gershwin (1898-1937) dropped out of high school to pursue his musical career, working as a demonstration pianist for a Detroit-based piano roll publishing firm at age 15. He began arranging and composing while still a teenager. Gershwin collaborated with songwriters, lyricists and his older brother Ira (1896-1983) to compose popular Broadway musicals such as Lady, Be Good (1924), and many others. During the remainder of his short career, Gershwin composed classical, musical, and “folk opera” oeuvres, including Rhapsody in Blue (1924), An American in Paris (1928), Porgy and Bess (1935), and Hollywood music scores.

Although his interest in music started later than many other musical proteges, Gershwin made up for lost time. He received formal training from professional pianists, regularly attended concerts, practiced replicating complicated pieces entirely by ear, and studied educational resources like this book. Gershwin’s work was influenced by major turn-of-the-century French and Russian composers Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky, and Dmitri Shostakovich. In the mid-1920s, Gershwin traveled to Europe with the intent to study intensively under more well-established musicians, but on several occasions, he was pointedly turned away. Both Ravel and Schoenberg purportedly told Gershwin that while he would only be a poor imitator of their work, he could become “a good Gershwin”. Ultimately, Gershwin did forge his own distinct musical language. Gershwin once said, “true music must reflect the thought and aspirations of the people and the time. My people are Americans. My time is today.”


Books like this one in George Gershwin’s personal library provide overviews of music theory and music history. Gershwin might have consulted this book to learn more about musical phrasing and rhythm, as its contents explore musical motives, modulations, and forms. There are no annotations or margin markings throughout the text to indicate areas of special interest, but one can guess Gershwin might have lingered on “Chapter VIII: Irregular and Complex Rhythms”.


Provenance: George Gershwin’s sister Frances Gershwin Godowsky (1906-1999) donated this book to the Special Collections at the library of the University of Bridgeport (CT) in the winter of 1978.he printed handwriting has been verified and matched with other known examples, a sample of which can be provided.


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