George Gershwin
(1898 - 1937)
This American composer had a foot in two camps: pop music and concert music. He innovated in both, writing songs and Broadway musicals which not only define the 20s and 30s (especially Oh, Kay!, Girl Crazy, and Lady Be Good) but break paths which would be fully exploited only later (Strike Up the Band, Of Thee I Sing, and Let 'Em Eat Cake) with the Rodgers and Hammerstein "book" musicals of the 40s. For the concert hall, he invented a distinctive and immediately identifiable idiom with the poetically-named Rhapsody in Blue (1924) and Piano Concerto in F (1925). Almost every one of his concert works has entered the repertory, and, just as important, the American psyche. In that regard, he is the American equivalent of Verdi. People with no interest in opera hum parts of his Porgy and Bess (1935) without knowing where the material comes from or even that it's part of something larger.
Enjoy classical concerts of Gershwin music in Prague. Book tickets online >>>
He showed an absolute passion for improving his work. He managed to travel a great artistic distance from the relatively simple tunes of Rhapsody in Blue to the great formal resource of American in Paris (1928), Cuban Overture (1932), and many scenes in Porgy and Bess.
Much has been made of his debt to African-American music, and it is indeed a primary source of his inspiration, but it's not the only one. Igor Stravinsky, Claude Debussy, Piotr Tchaikovsky, and even Jewish chant also contribute to his (paradoxically) entirely original music. Those who would learn from him have to be careful not to wind up "doing" Gershwin.
His critical reputation has suffered among American critics trying to find and nurture a "serious" native style. Even now, his works usually appear on Pops programs, rather than during the regular season, and it has long been the fashion for critics to patronize the music. A really good, committed performance is hard to come by, although one can detect serious interest beginning to be directed toward the musicals and concert works. Europeans, unencumbered by distinctions of "high" and "low" art, have long considered him one of the century's great songwriters. His fans included Arnold Schoenberg, Maurice Ravel (who modeled both his mature violin sonata and his Piano Concerto in G on Gershwin's idiom), and Francis Poulenc.
True junk has a short shelf life. Gershwin's works remain fresh and ravishing after 70 years.
Upcoming classical concerts of the composer's music in Prague:
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May
19
Sunday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
19
Sunday
Vivaldi Four Seasons
Time: 17:00
St. Giles Church
-
May
19
Sunday
Concert at Prague Castle - Mozart, Vivaldi and Pachelbel
Time: 17:30
Prague Castle, St. George's Basilica
-
May
19
Sunday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 17:30
Klementinum, St. Salvator Church (Charles Bridge)
-
May
19
Sunday
AROUND THE WORLD WITH CHRISTMAS CAROLS IN ORIGINAL LANGUAGES
Time: 18:00
St. Nicholas Church in the Old Town Square
-
May
19
Sunday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
19
Sunday
Bolero, Carmina Burana
Time: 19:00
Spanish Synagogue
-
May
19
Sunday
Famous Ave Maria, Czech Baroque Music
Time: 19:00
St. Francis Church
-
May
19
Sunday
WOW Show
Time: 20:00
WOW - Black Light Theatre
-
May
19
Sunday
The Great Classical Music
Time: 20:00
Municipal House (Obecní dům), Smetana hall
-
May
19
Sunday
The Four Seasons, Emperor Concerto & Chopin in Mirror Chapel
Time: 20:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
20
Monday
Vivaldi Four Seasons in Old Prague
Time: 16:30
St. Giles Church
-
May
20
Monday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
20
Monday
Hallelujah
Time: 19:00
Spanish Synagogue
-
May
20
Monday
The Best of Swan Lake - P. I. Tchaikovsky
Time: 19:00
Broadway Theatre
-
May
20
Monday
The Best of Classics
Time: 20:00
St. Nicholas Church in the Old Town Square
-
May
20
Monday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 20:00
Klementinum, St. Salvator Church (Charles Bridge)
-
May
21
Tuesday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
21
Tuesday
Concert at Prague Castle - Mozart, Vivaldi and Pachelbel
Time: 17:30
Prague Castle, St. George's Basilica
-
May
21
Tuesday
Music in the changes of the centuries with the soloists of the national theatre
Time: 18:00
St. Nicholas Church in the Old Town Square
-
May
21
Tuesday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
21
Tuesday
Bolero, Carmina Burana
Time: 19:00
Spanish Synagogue
-
May
21
Tuesday
Ave Maria and other arias for soprano and trumpet
Time: 19:00
St. Francis Church
-
May
21
Tuesday
Mozart Dinner - Your private opera in Prague
Time: 19:00
Boccaccio Ballroom
-
May
21
Tuesday
Vivaldi - The Four Seasons
Time: 19:00
Klementinum, St. Clement's Cathedral
-
May
21
Tuesday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 19:30
Church of Our Lady before Tyn (Tyn Church)
-
May
21
Tuesday
The Best of Mozart and Dvorak
Time: 20:00
Municipal House (Obecní dům), Smetana hall
-
May
21
Tuesday
Abrakadabra
Time: 20:00
Image - Black Light Theatre
-
May
21
Tuesday
The Four Seasons, Emperor Concerto & Chopin in Mirror Chapel
Time: 20:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
22
Wednesday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
22
Wednesday
Music of the Great Baroque Masters
Time: 18:00
St. Nicholas Church in the Old Town Square
-
May
22
Wednesday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
22
Wednesday
The Best of World and Czech Music
Time: 19:00
Spanish Synagogue
-
May
22
Wednesday
Famous Ave Maria, Czech Baroque Music
Time: 19:00
St. Francis Church
-
May
22
Wednesday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 19:30
Klementinum, St. Salvator Church (Charles Bridge)
-
May
22
Wednesday
The Best of Classics
Time: 20:00
Municipal House (Obecní dům), Smetana hall
-
May
22
Wednesday
The Best of Image
Time: 20:00
Image - Black Light Theatre
-
May
22
Wednesday
WOW Show
Time: 20:00
WOW - Black Light Theatre
-
May
23
Thursday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
23
Thursday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 17:30
Klementinum, St. Salvator Church (Charles Bridge)
-
May
23
Thursday
The Famous romantic songs, ballads and virtuoso organ toccatas
Time: 18:00
St. Nicholas Church in the Old Town Square
-
May
23
Thursday
The Famous romantic songs, ballads and virtuoso organ toccatas
Time: 18:00
St. Nicholas Church in the Old Town Square
-
May
23
Thursday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
23
Thursday
Hallelujah
Time: 19:00
Spanish Synagogue
-
May
23
Thursday
The Best of Swan Lake - P. I. Tchaikovsky
Time: 19:00
Broadway Theatre
-
May
23
Thursday
Ave Maria, Alleluja and Czech Music
Time: 19:00
St. Francis Church
-
May
23
Thursday
Mozart Dinner - Your private opera in Prague
Time: 19:00
Boccaccio Ballroom
-
May
23
Thursday
Vivaldi - The Four Seasons
Time: 19:00
Klementinum, St. Clement's Cathedral
-
May
23
Thursday
Afrikania
Time: 20:00
Image - Black Light Theatre
-
May
23
Thursday
The Four Seasons, Emperor Concerto & Chopin in Mirror Chapel
Time: 20:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
24
Friday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
24
Friday
The Best of Classics
Time: 18:00
St. Nicholas Church in the Old Town Square
-
May
24
Friday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
24
Friday
Mozart Dinner - Your private opera in Prague
Time: 19:00
Boccaccio Ballroom
-
May
24
Friday
Famous Ave Maria, Czech Baroque Music
Time: 19:00
St. Francis Church
-
May
24
Friday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 19:30
Klementinum, St. Salvator Church (Charles Bridge)
-
May
24
Friday
Vivaldi Four Seasons
Time: 20:00
St. Giles Church
-
May
24
Friday
Pachelbel, Mozart and Vivaldi in the Municipal House
Time: 20:00
Municipal House (Obecní dům), Smetana hall
-
May
24
Friday
Abrakadabra
Time: 20:00
Image - Black Light Theatre
-
May
24
Friday
The Four Seasons, Emperor Concerto & Chopin in Mirror Chapel
Time: 20:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
24
Friday
WOW Show
Time: 21:30
WOW - Black Light Theatre
-
May
25
Saturday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
25
Saturday
Vivaldi Four Seasons in Old Prague
Time: 17:00
St. Giles Church
-
May
25
Saturday
FAMOUS EASTER COMPOSITION BY FAMOUS COMPOSERS
Time: 18:00
St. Nicholas Church in the Old Town Square
-
May
25
Saturday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
25
Saturday
Ave Maria and other arias for soprano and trumpet
Time: 19:00
St. Francis Church
-
May
25
Saturday
Vivaldi - The Four Seasons
Time: 19:00
Klementinum, St. Clement's Cathedral
-
May
25
Saturday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 19:30
Church of Our Lady before Tyn (Tyn Church)
-
May
25
Saturday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 19:30
Klementinum, St. Salvator Church (Charles Bridge)
-
May
25
Saturday
W.A. Mozart Requiem Concert
Time: 19:30
St. Salvator Church (Salvatorska street)
-
May
25
Saturday
The Best of Image
Time: 20:00
Image - Black Light Theatre
-
May
25
Saturday
The Best of Classics & Opera with Ballet
Time: 20:00
Municipal House (Obecní dům), Smetana hall
-
May
25
Saturday
The Four Seasons, Emperor Concerto & Chopin in Mirror Chapel
Time: 20:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
26
Sunday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
26
Sunday
Vivaldi Four Seasons
Time: 17:00
St. Giles Church
-
May
26
Sunday
Concert at Prague Castle - Mozart, Vivaldi and Pachelbel
Time: 17:30
Prague Castle, St. George's Basilica
-
May
26
Sunday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 17:30
Klementinum, St. Salvator Church (Charles Bridge)
-
May
26
Sunday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
26
Sunday
Bolero, Carmina Burana
Time: 19:00
Spanish Synagogue
-
May
26
Sunday
Ave Maria, Alleluja and Czech Music
Time: 19:00
St. Francis Church