George Gershwin TALKS about his music and plays "Fascinating Rhythm" and "Liza" Radio Show 1930's

[@johnireland6301]

He has been gone for so many years. But like William Shakespeare , George is not forgotten.

[@violamateo-on8pc]

It sent chills up and down my spine when he played "I Got Rhythm" and in the 2nd reprise some of the band's musicians joined in. Just....unbridled joy. A moment forever frozen in time!

[@elderherrera2238]

Who could ask for anything more?

[@relaxingsoundsforgoodsleep4653]

I grew up on Gershwin. I’m so happy to find this.

[@jazzguy1927]

Glad you enjoyed this. I posted this because it has Gershwin himself talking about his music instead of a music critic or writer which is usually the case.

[@Dylonely_9274]

May he rest in peace. He was born to change music history.

[@gbarthg]

How exactly did he change music history? Great composers like Mozart, Stravinsky, and Gershwin didn't change music history. They didn't change the way others composed music, because they couldn't be imitated.

[@owlfethurz8377]

@@gbarthg Why be snarky. He was just making a sincere compliment to a great genius.

[@shakapontiac3875]

Great to hear from the genius himself.

[@RedShedNick]

His Piano concerto in C is amazing, love it!

[@AlyraMoondancer]

I love his Piano Concerto in F, too. (I'm pretty sure he only wrote one, in F, unless something new has been unearthed in recent years - and if it has, please let me know!)

[@anyoutubeaccount]

The date of broadcast is Nov 10 1932 and the radio programme is Rudy Vallee's "Fleischmann Hour".

[@Dsmom367]

Nov. 10 is my birthday so this clip was a treat to hear!

[@theloreaxe]

Thank you for sharing this. I've never heard George Gershwin's voice before.

[@barbaraeffros4804]

Thank you for this rare radio clip transferred beautifully! I love hearing Gershwin’s voice. Other comments include this is indeed The Fleischman Radio Hour and proof is Rudy Vallee is interviewing Gershwin in last two minutes. 🎶🌹

[@scotnick59]

Marvelous that we can hear this musical legend speak!

[@jacktorrance9688]

You mean s'marvelous ;)

[@doctorwu222]

'S"wonderful! Thank you so much for posting.

[@Dsmom367]

My first exposure to Gershwin music (besides airline commercial) was when my sister accompanied a friend who was singing "Someone to Watch Over Me". Enamored with his music ever since.

[@robertrouzaud9814]

That short, bluesy composition is from his “Three Preludes”. George used to compose short pieces for practice, which he called “novelettes”. Once he was asked to accompany a famous singer (L. Price) at a concert performance. For his solo section of the evening, George took along and played six of these novelettes. Three of them became the “Three Preludes”.

[@ruthhellkamp926]

so intersting....what a wonderful glamous life he had...I cant get enough learning about this genius. I would have loved him if i lived in that era. His own version of Prelude II is played much faster than i usually play it. He wrote it..so i guess he knows best. IT'S one of all time favorite pieces.

[@MatthewDLDavidson]

Don’t forget that this was just a short radio bit and he had to fit it in. When he recorded this on 78 rpm record, he played it slower.

[@giovannirivoira5496]

A colossus!!thank you for this pearl!!

[@jazzguy1927]

Thanks for listening and for your observation. There is a lot of Gershwin’s music on KZbin represented by many recordings but none of him actually talking about his music and that is why I posted this. I have a lot of recordings and other material like pictures that many collectors don’t have because I have liked the music, bought records and books and magazines on it for over 60 years and talked with and recorded interviews with many 1920’s jazz musicians.

[@NickOleksiakMusic]

He had a nice speaking voice as well! It's soothing on the low end.

[@danawinsor1380]

I played the 2nd prelude in an arrangement for wind ensemble. Gershwin's tempo is interesting. I've always heard it played much slower. Like everyone else, it is a thrill to hear Gershwin's comments in his own voice.

[@louisvonbeethoven]

Despite the legend that Gershwin had a big ego, he was always supportive of other talents and quick to point them out. The props to Kern should come as no surprise.

[@p1anosteve]

I read a book great "Gershwin Remembered" by Edward Jablonski a collation of what Gershwin's friends said about him. He was by all accounts a very modest person and wanted ti learn from everyone he met!

[@elderherrera2238]

Big ego? Nah ...

[@elderherrera2238]

George was always a jewel. My ears say so. Please listen

[@AlyraMoondancer]

Thank you so much for posting this. I've been a Gershwin fan since I was in high school, way back in the last century. It's a yearly ritual for me to make sure I listen to something - or several somethings - by Gershwin on his birthday, and today this was one of the things I found to listen to. Happy Birthday, George. ❤

[@anthonydecarvalho652]

How wonderful to hear him speak, and oh how he plays his music 🎶.

[@randomchannel-px6ho]

Something to note is Gershwin wanted to be accepted / respected as a legitimate composer like those in the European classical tradition, not just a guy who wrote show tunes. He particularly admired Ravel and even asked for composition lessons from the great French composer. However it turned out the admiration ran equally both ways and Ravel declined for fear of encouraging him to become a pale imitation of himself when he loved Gershwins work. Sadly both also shared similar early fates thansk to neurological conditions. Ravel suffered from some unknown ailment in his late life which caused aphasia, not helped by a vehicle accident after which he never composed any more works. Apparently in his final year after attending a performance of his own work he broke down and said "I still have so much more music in my head". Gershwins case is more disturbing. He began suffer excruciating headaches and blackouts, and complained about smelling "burning rubber". Only after he collasped and fell into a coma did doctors suspect he had a brain tumor and it was already too late. Even today the prognosis in such cases is quite horrific. We lost him way to young at 38. Even with such a short career he is too this day remember quite possibly as the quintessential American composer

[@michaelgreen5206]

Glioblastoma (brain cancer) was the cause of his death on July 10th, 1937. Sadly, he died alone at Cedars Of Lebanon Hospital after doctors' removed a cyst and found a tumor deep in his brain.

[@skyemacallister1306]

I've had several strokes, and I smell burning rubber. Each time! So when I smell it now, I call someone over to see if it is really rubber burning somewhere.

[@elderherrera2238]

I love George.....for a long time. He left us way too young.

[@hennihabeck8502]

❤This clip is a true.gem.and.so.is.Gershwin himself..Just a great music.master.Credit.also.to.Ira.

[@valentin1808]

In training in classical music i was enraptured in hearing his classical compositions which created a new type of music combining jazz,blues and classical but was truly classical masterpieces cut short by his brain tumour.i only found out later that he wrote popular songs.

[@SUNNYWOLF27]

Thank you for posting this!

[@6152429600]

Gershwin is playing his Prelude #3 much more vigorously than what I had originally thought it written - a surprise. I prefer a slower tempo, but it is his piece ... and still, evocative sounds of the 30s, and one of my favorites.

[@p1anosteve]

I've read he liked quick tempos in general but probably the limited time available on radio broadcasts no doubt was a factor here.

[@mjsmcd]

Yes me too

[@colmoduffy6897]

Prelude #2!!!

[@Twentythousandlps]

No one else has played it this fast.

[@smalin]

@@Twentythousandlps It made me wonder if he was nervous.

[@GordonMacLeod87]

one of the godfathers of pop music

[@cindymaceda2999]

Genius.

[@Dylonely_9274]

Indeed.

[@markjulian8973]

Besides being. a great composer, he's one of the best piano players ever.

[@Slynell1]

Masterful

[@windingroad9678]

Yes thank you

[@jazzguy1927]

Glad you liked it. I had to post this because it has Gershwin himself talking about his music. I am not a collector who keeps rarities to himself and brags about having them. I started this channel to share recordings of importance that were not on KZbin.

[@spactick]

Jazzguy1927: Keep up the good work, it's people like yourself who educate today's youngsters about the creative achievements of their grand parents and great grand parents, by expanding their musical knowledge and appreciation. You do a great service to them

[@jazzguy1927]

Thanks for listening and for your compliment. Though I wonder if young people even want to learn about this music or even care about it. When I was young I was the only kid on my school who listened to this music and read books about it and went to jazz society meetings to hear the musicians. For many years I tried to teach a class on early jazz history at several colleges but was turned down every time because the head of those schools music departments said I was not qualified so I gave up. Considering that these department heads knew nothing about early jazz I wonder how they determined I was unqualified to teach it.

[@mikonatt]

​@@jazzguy1927 Personally, I would be interested. Although my favourite musical period is the Romantic period (1790-1910), I find early jazz a period I am curious to learn more about. Unfortunately, accessing sources is even more difficult for me since I am Italian, and music from that period both in Italy and elsewhere is often still little talked about.

[@jazzguy1927]

@@mikonatt if you want to learn more buy some jazz history books and read them and listen to the many fine channels devoted to this music on. KZbin. A lot of real serious collectors are sharing their recordings here. All of the important early jazz recording s are available on KZbin to hear. Good luck in your searches and I hope you find music that is fulfilling and makes you happy. Thanks for listening to recordings at my channel. I appreciate each and every one of my listeners.

[@mikonatt]

Thank you very much! What book can you suggest to get me started?, my only request is that it is not too technical and that it talks (perhaps) more generally about history.

[@jazzguy1927]

@@mikonatt I recommend Exploring Early Jazz by Daniel Hardie. A very good general history. I don’t recommend Early Jazz It’s Roots and Musical Development by Gunther Schiller. Too technical.

[@spactick]

These first generation popular composers were creating an art form out of the either. Gershwin, Berlin, Kern, Rogers etc; didn't have a large library of previous recordings by other artists to 'draw' from. All the more why they deserve the respect of all of today's composers. They laid the groundwork for all that came after

[@jazzguy1927]

Thanks for listening and for your perceptive comment. I have also uploaded to my channel many recordings by British dance bands from the 1920’s of well known and obscure Gershwin tunes. Check them out.

[@dominiquetatum7034]

You mean Fred Rogers , right from mister Roger's neighborhood, he was a good jazz pianist, and big jazz enthusiast.

[@spactick]

@@dominiquetatum7034 ha! no dominiquetatukm, Richard Rogers of Rogers & Hart or Rogers & Hammerstein

[@donaldsaigh8785]

​@@spactick It's Richard Rodgers, with a 'd'.

[@spactick]

@@donaldsaigh8785 sorry, my deepest apologies to you and members of Mr RoDgers family. I'll do better next time

[@WhackaWhacka]

ID for the version of Fascinating Rhythm heard at 00:01?

[@anyoutubeaccount]

looks like a version that only exists in this radio broadcast

[@thomastereszkiewicz2241]

sad that his life was so short yet his brother Ira lasted until the 1980's!

[@maestrobjwa90]

And not just Ira, but I just learned today that ALL three of his siblings lived to old age! And even his parents lived to at least 60 and 72 years old--So the whole dang family but him 🤦‍♂️ Why? Smh When an artist dies young it just doesn't make sense...only thing I can think of is that perhaps composers just...have their alloted time. But then more room needs to be made for the next composer so that one won't completely dominate the landscape for decades on end. And if you look at how prolific he and some of the other composers who died young were...they had already composed enough music for a lifetime! So perhaps their job was done. Maybe...just a wild theory I have. You just never know!

[@Melody-fk3qo]

I think he lead an imbalanced life - he suffered from constipation and would play music non-stop, all night at parties he attended.

[@simonvaughan6017]

The host of the show must have been Rudy Vallée, and (if Pardon My English was in rehearsal) the date must have been late 1932 or early 1933.

[@subplantant]

Excellent info!

[@jimdrake-writer]

The host was indeed Rudy Vallee, and the radio show was "The Fleischmann Yeast Hour," Vallee's long-running NBC variety program, the creation of which was masterminded by NBC programming executive Bertha Brainard, who in 1928 convinced David Sarnoff that Vallee's appeal to women listeners warranted giving him his own weekly program.

[@anyoutubeaccount]

Nov 10 1932 :)

[@idipped2521]

Greatest Jewish musician of all time

[@skyemacallister1306]

Greatest musician of all time, PERIOD!!!

[@bwsmyhero]

Why limit him to just Jewish musicians? I don’t think of him in those terms. He was just a great composer and musician.

[@skyemacallister1306]

@@bwsmyhero you said what I was wanting to say.

[@mjsmcd]

Oy vay!

[@davidhess6593]

Irving Berlin wasn't too shabby either, Helen Forrest could sing a little, and Benny Goodman did okay with his clarinet.

[@markjulian8973]

When you listen to the piano rolls, you can hear a lot of Scott Joplin honky Tonk type music. A lot of it was mediocre at best, but he composed enough to bring out the 20% great stuff. He played piano for a living at an early age to promote sheet music, which developed his chord capability and ear. He studied composition to become the complete artist. Thank you George.

[@mjsmcd]

Prelude 2 too fast? Is that him or tape?

[@Melody-fk3qo]

Gershwin didn't take care of his health very well. Playing continually at parties through the wee small hours of the night.

[@mjsmcd]

Dylan

[@Dylonely_9274]

1:31

[@wdd3141]

Didn't he die of a stroke at age 38?

[@jerryhunt8863]

a brain tumor

[@SatriaKowalewski]