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
4
Saturday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
4
Saturday
Vivaldi Four Seasons in Old Prague
Time: 17:00
St. Giles Church
-
May
4
Saturday
FAMOUS EASTER COMPOSITION BY FAMOUS COMPOSERS
Time: 18:00
St. Nicholas Church in the Old Town Square
-
May
4
Saturday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
4
Saturday
Ave Maria, Bach-Air
Time: 19:00
St. Francis Church
-
May
4
Saturday
Mozart Dinner - Your private opera in Prague
Time: 19:00
Boccaccio Ballroom
-
May
4
Saturday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 19:30
Church of Our Lady before Tyn (Tyn Church)
-
May
4
Saturday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 19:30
Klementinum, St. Salvator Church (Charles Bridge)
-
May
4
Saturday
Afrikania
Time: 20:00
Image - Black Light Theatre
-
May
4
Saturday
Dvořák's New World Symphony in Smetana Hall, 60 musicians on stage
Time: 20:00
Municipal House (Obecní dům), Smetana hall
-
May
4
Saturday
The Four Seasons, Emperor Concerto & Chopin in Mirror Chapel
Time: 20:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
5
Sunday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
5
Sunday
Vivaldi Four Seasons
Time: 17:00
St. Giles Church
-
May
5
Sunday
Concert at Prague Castle - Mozart, Vivaldi and Pachelbel
Time: 17:30
Prague Castle, St. George's Basilica
-
May
5
Sunday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 17:30
Klementinum, St. Salvator Church (Charles Bridge)
-
May
5
Sunday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
5
Sunday
Bolero, Carmina Burana
Time: 19:00
Spanish Synagogue
-
May
5
Sunday
Great Arias for Soprano and Trumpet
Time: 19:00
St. Francis Church
-
May
5
Sunday
Strauss, Mozart, Dvorak & Opera with Ballet
Time: 20:00
Municipal House (Obecní dům), Smetana hall
-
May
5
Sunday
WOW Show
Time: 20:00
WOW - Black Light Theatre
-
May
5
Sunday
The Four Seasons, Emperor Concerto & Chopin in Mirror Chapel
Time: 20:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
6
Monday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
6
Monday
Vivaldi Four Seasons in Old Prague
Time: 16:30
St. Giles Church
-
May
6
Monday
Famous organ works and duets for soprano and trumpet
Time: 18:00
St. Nicholas Church in the Old Town Square
-
May
6
Monday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
6
Monday
Hallelujah
Time: 19:00
Spanish Synagogue
-
May
6
Monday
The Best of Swan Lake - P. I. Tchaikovsky
Time: 19:00
Broadway Theatre
-
May
6
Monday
The Best of Mozart with Opera and Ballet
Time: 20:00
Municipal House (Obecní dům), Smetana hall
-
May
6
Monday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 20:00
Klementinum, St. Salvator Church (Charles Bridge)
-
May
7
Tuesday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
7
Tuesday
Concert at Prague Castle - Mozart, Vivaldi and Pachelbel
Time: 17:30
Prague Castle, St. George's Basilica
-
May
7
Tuesday
The Fascinating world of music between baroque, oper and operette
Time: 18:00
St. Nicholas Church in the Old Town Square
-
May
7
Tuesday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
7
Tuesday
Bolero, Carmina Burana
Time: 19:00
Spanish Synagogue
-
May
7
Tuesday
Famous Ave Maria for Soprano and Violin
Time: 19:00
St. Francis Church
-
May
7
Tuesday
Mozart Dinner - Your private opera in Prague
Time: 19:00
Boccaccio Ballroom
-
May
7
Tuesday
Vivaldi - The Four Seasons
Time: 19:00
Klementinum, St. Clement's Cathedral
-
May
7
Tuesday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 19:30
Church of Our Lady before Tyn (Tyn Church)
-
May
7
Tuesday
Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Sarasate - Gypsy Airs op. 20
Time: 20:00
Municipal House (Obecní dům), Smetana hall
-
May
7
Tuesday
Abrakadabra
Time: 20:00
Image - Black Light Theatre
-
May
7
Tuesday
The Four Seasons, Emperor Concerto & Chopin in Mirror Chapel
Time: 20:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
8
Wednesday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
8
Wednesday
Music of the Great Baroque Masters
Time: 18:00
St. Nicholas Church in the Old Town Square
-
May
8
Wednesday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
8
Wednesday
The Best of World and Czech Music
Time: 19:00
Spanish Synagogue
-
May
8
Wednesday
Famous Ave Maria, Czech Baroque Music
Time: 19:00
St. Francis Church
-
May
8
Wednesday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 19:30
Klementinum, St. Salvator Church (Charles Bridge)
-
May
8
Wednesday
The Best of Classic and Opera with Ballet
Time: 20:00
Municipal House (Obecní dům), Smetana hall
-
May
8
Wednesday
The Best of Image
Time: 20:00
Image - Black Light Theatre
-
May
8
Wednesday
WOW Show
Time: 20:00
WOW - Black Light Theatre
-
May
9
Thursday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
9
Thursday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 17:30
Klementinum, St. Salvator Church (Charles Bridge)
-
May
9
Thursday
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
9
Thursday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
9
Thursday
Hallelujah
Time: 19:00
Spanish Synagogue
-
May
9
Thursday
Ave Maria, Alleluja and Czech Music
Time: 19:00
St. Francis Church
-
May
9
Thursday
Mozart Dinner - Your private opera in Prague
Time: 19:00
Boccaccio Ballroom
-
May
9
Thursday
Vivaldi - The Four Seasons
Time: 19:00
Klementinum, St. Clement's Cathedral
-
May
9
Thursday
Afrikania
Time: 20:00
Image - Black Light Theatre
-
May
9
Thursday
The Great Classical Music
Time: 20:00
Municipal House (Obecní dům), Smetana hall
-
May
9
Thursday
The Four Seasons, Emperor Concerto & Chopin in Mirror Chapel
Time: 20:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
10
Friday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
10
Friday
The Best of Classics
Time: 18:00
St. Nicholas Church in the Old Town Square
-
May
10
Friday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
10
Friday
Famous Ave Maria for Soprano and Violin
Time: 19:00
St. Francis Church
-
May
10
Friday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 19:30
Klementinum, St. Salvator Church (Charles Bridge)
-
May
10
Friday
Vivaldi Four Seasons
Time: 20:00
St. Giles Church
-
May
10
Friday
Abrakadabra
Time: 20:00
Image - Black Light Theatre
-
May
10
Friday
The Four Seasons, Emperor Concerto & Chopin in Mirror Chapel
Time: 20:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
10
Friday
WOW Show
Time: 21:30
WOW - Black Light Theatre
-
May
11
Saturday
Pearls of Classical Music in Prague Castle - Lobkowicz Palace
Time: 13:00
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace
-
May
11
Saturday
Vivaldi Four Seasons in Old Prague
Time: 17:00
St. Giles Church
-
May
11
Saturday
Beautiful Ave Maria Songs in the Changes of Time and much more
Time: 18:00
St. Nicholas Church in the Old Town Square
-
May
11
Saturday
Classic Spectacular in Mirror Chapel
Time: 18:00
Klementinum, Mirror Chapel
-
May
11
Saturday
Mozart Dinner - Your private opera in Prague
Time: 19:00
Boccaccio Ballroom
-
May
11
Saturday
Vivaldi - The Four Seasons
Time: 19:00
Klementinum, St. Clement's Cathedral
-
May
11
Saturday
Famous Ave Maria, Czech Baroque Music
Time: 19:00
St. Francis Church
-
May
11
Saturday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 19:30
Church of Our Lady before Tyn (Tyn Church)
-
May
11
Saturday
Classic Spectacular
Time: 19:30
Klementinum, St. Salvator Church (Charles Bridge)
-
May
11
Saturday
Music From Movies
Time: 20:00
Municipal House (Obecní dům), Smetana hall