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A George Gershwin Tribute
A Guide to George Gershwin and Radio Tributes
Centennial of RHAPSODY IN BLUE performed by George Gershwin
"I Got Rhythm" - The Genius of George Gershwin lecture/ podcast
A Few Recommended CDs and DVDs
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This Guide was originally published
in celebration of the centennial of
George Gerhswin's birth in 1898This publication is now SOLD OUT
Excerpt from the essay in this Guide
Compiled by Roger L. Hall (PineTree Press, 1998)"George Gershwin was America's greatest musical genius. The word "genius" is thrown around too often today, but Gershwin firmly resided in that illustrious domain. How does he hold up when compared to other American musical giants of our country? He holds up extremely well. His concert music, especially Rhapsody in Blue, is performed regularly all over the world. Naturally other American composers are widely performed too, such as Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein. But Gershwin remains the most popular of them all."
"Music is a phenomenon that to me has a very marked effect on the emotions. It has the power of moving people to all the various moods. Through the emotions, it can have a cleansing effect on the mind, a disturbing effect, a drowsy effect, an exciting effect. I like to think of music as an emotional science."
--George Gershwin, 1933
For many years Roger Lee Hall, a former music teacher and current music presercvationist,
has been lecturing on the music of George Gershwin, especially his music heard on radio and in movies.
Over the years he has taught music classes on Gershwin's music and has lectured widely on the subject.
He has also produced radio tributes such as a Gershwin Gala special
on his former radio program, IN THE MOOD.
Here are the audio selections from his tributes on an AMRC CD
including music performed by pianist George Gershwin
Lecture or Podcast: "I Got Rhythm - The Genius of George Gershwin"
The focus will be on his songs written with his brother, Ira, for Broadway and Hollywood
You will hear samples of Gershwin songs played by him on rare recordings also a few rare video clips.
If you wish to contact Roger Lee Hall
about scheduling a possible lecture or webinar on the music of George Gershwin,
write to him -- click here
Name a
Gershwin Tune
Choose one of your
favoriteGeorge Gershwin tunes
for
October 4-10, 2026
100th Anniversary of RHAPSODY IN BLUE
The year 2024 marks the centennial anniversary of RHAPSODY IN BLUE,
premiered on February 12, 1924
at Aeolian Hall in New York with the orchestra conducted by Paul Whiteman.
Listen to the 1927 recording with George Gershwin performing RHAPSODY IN BLUE on YouTube -- click hereWatch the first film performance with Paul Whiteman conducting from KING OF JAZZ (1930) -- click here
100th anniversary of LADY, BE GOOD!
On December 1, 1924, the first musical with words & music by George and Ira Gershwin
opened in New York at the Liberty Theater and ran for over 300 performances.
A song from this musical, sung by Adele and Fred Astaire with George Gershwin at the piano is included in this webinar...
Rare Gershwin Performances In Illustrated Webinar:
Otto Hermann Kahn (1867-1934) was one of America's wealthiest citizens in the early 20th century
and his beautiful Oheka Castle on Long Island was the second largest private residence in Americaand is now the largest private residence which has been restored
after being almost completely destroyed by vandals after Eastern Military Academy closed down in 1979.
Otto Kahn spent considerable time and money in support of music and other arts.He was a major supporter and President of the Metropolitan Opera in New York
in its early years and brought major opera people from Europe,
such as the famous Italian tenor, Enrico Caruso, and the conductor, Arturo Toscanini.
Kahn also helped support many musicians and actors on Broadway,including composer, George Gershwin, and actor, Paul Robeson.
A webinar about Otto Kahn was presented by Roger Hall for the New York Adventure Club -- here.
In 2004, he was an invited guest at Oheka Castle
and sang a few Gershwin songs at the Friends of Oheka Garden Party.
Mr. Hall has also researched Roger Wolfe Kahn, Otto's son,
who had his own jazz orchestra in the 1920s
and was one of the songwriters
for this popular Roaring Twenties song which is the title of Mr. Hall's book --
The New York Times once called Kahn's Oheka Castle,
"the finest country home in America"
A Few Recommended CDs and DVDs
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Gershwin: Remembrances and Discovery (CD)
Recommended DVDs by Pianist Richard Glazier
A few recommended books
about George and Ira Gershwin
George Gershwin
Edited & Designed by Merle Armitage
George Gershwin: His Life and Work
by Howard Pollock
The George Gershwin Reader
by Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson
Name Those Tunes!
George Gershwin's first big hit
is included on this AMRC CD 0043
"I Got Rhythm" - George Gershwin Radio Tributes
Songwriters Series
"Ac-cent-tchu-ate The Positive"
Johnny Mercer in Hollywood
"High Hopes"
A Centennial Tribute To Sammy Cahn
"I Hear Music"
A Centennial Tribute To Frank Loesser
"The Last Roundup" -- Billy Hill
"Moon River" - Memories Of Henry Mancini
"River Of No Return" -- Ken Darby
CAMP Song Links
- America Song History Survey
- Lotsa Lanza!
- Popular Songwriters and The Great American Songbook
- Song Anniversaries
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