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Forum ~ General ~ My impressions of a concert, dedicated to George Gershwin |
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|  My impressions of a concert, dedicated to George Gershwin [GENERAL] | |
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Louigi Verona
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Topics: 384
Replies: 3827
Registered: 22.Aug.03 |
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The concert was held in Moscow on February 12th, 2006 and it had many intriguing digits to begin with: the first piece to be performed was Rhapsody in Blue, the debute of which was exactly 82 years ago, on 12 February 1924. To me it was additionaly significant, since I was born in 1982 and number 82 was featured 
Rhapsody in Blue was commissioned by Paul Whiteman for a 12 February 1924 concert entitled "An Experiment in Modern Music," which took place in Aeolian Hall in New York City. (Downes, 1924). The concert was actually a boring one and the audience was literally yawning. But the event has since become historic specifically because of its première of the Rhapsody. It was one of the last numbers and when Gershwin appeared on stage and went to the piano, something changed and boredom faded away. It was a miracle! Many famous composers and musicans were present on the concert.
82 years later Rhapsody was the first number, followed by many-many famous songs and improvisations on them by Valery Grohovskiy (very famous piano player) and his band, plus an orchestra.
At first I was rather indifferent. After the concert ended, I went home and thought that either I am not responsive to music or maybe it's not just my kind of stuff.
However, we know very little of ourselves. Thing is, my mind and heart were so filled with music that I probably needed time to feel what I really feel. Next morning (that's today ) I woke up with a feeling which you have when you are deeply in love and you wake up and get that warmth in body and soul.
Ten minutes later after I woke up I was singing the melody of the Rhapsody and countless other melodies played in my mind... So this is what great music really is!
On my way to work I couldn't find any discs with recordings of Gershwin music, however, I providently took a Maurice Ravel "Bolero", which saved me from dying of musical hunger.
After visiting CTG, I smiled as I thought how often we pay attention to those reviews and charts... Oh, my! Music is so big, it's much greater then what we think of it... And it is such a gift to touch upon the world of music that it doesn't matter at all if you will be recognized or not... There are really no words which can express what I feel, but I believe that my readers will understand.
By the way, I was surprised to find that Ravel was one of the biggest influences on Gershwin.
An interesting fact:
Upon meeting composer Maurice Ravel, Gershwin asked him of the possibility of becoming a student of composition under the master. Ravel is said to have replied, "Why should you be a second-rate Ravel when you can be a first-rate Gershwin?"
Some links.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhapsody_in_Blue
http://www.gershwin.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolero_%28Ravel%29
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PartySan
 Artist
Topics: 54
Replies: 6015
Registered: 20.Jun.04 |
Nice experience Louigi
(oh, I've already been to those Wiki articles. I'm a Wikipedia n00b, remember?  )
"You are what you is" - Frank Zappa |
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Louigi Verona
Member
Topics: 384
Replies: 3827
Registered: 22.Aug.03 |
I managed to buy a Gershwin cd during lunch break. Well, what can I say - it's magnificent! I never knew I would like such music. Usually I thought - what I don't like about classical music is that the composer puts out only one theme and the next 10 minutes all he does is repeats it with variations.
But now I seem to understand that these ten minutes of variations actually explore the theme deeply, turning it from side to side and creating something deeper... I remember feeling something like that when listening to Rahmanninoffs Concert #2.
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