The Gershwin Brothers were coming to Taichung. I would expand my education about their music not unlike Ingmar Bergman film festival from last summer's focus of attention,
But George and Ira, the Gershwin Brothers, encompasses more than the symphony, movie or Broadway adaptation of "An American in Paris" just ended at at the National Taichung Theater in late August, and it may not culminate with it, either.
I found out about the Broadway show from the Eslite bookstore display after I had purchased a three-record box set of the 1976 Houston Symphony production of "Porgy & Bess". There were numerous clippings someone had left in the box, from New York City periodicals and a Playbill from the show's Radio City Music Hall production. Funny, I know a crap shooter who I can lean on about anecdotes and details of crap-shooting ("rolling bones") central to Porgy & Bess's opening act.
There is a biographical book and a two-CD compilation of Gershwin tunes on the way along with a DVD of the Academy Award winning film version of "An American in Paris." and the Broadway soundtrack.The Gershwin Brothers multifaceted scope.
By the end of June, my "Summer of Gershwin" has begun with the arrival of The Gershwin Reader and the 1951 Academy Award winning Gene Kelly-Leslie Caron "An American in Paris" movie DVD that arrived by mail. The Reader gives a full close perspective on George with Ira taking the sidebar. The first section of the book is biographical in the best way; pieces from people who knew him personally; his brother, sister, lover, collaborator, and a nemesis with sour grapes, like the composer in "Amadeus". I knew hardly anything about Gershwin beforehand. It is simply the best way to appreciate him without biographers interfering with their two cents and second senses; from people who never met him and are far removed from his works. The film is another story. It was perfect to watch with a tequila sunrise and cocktail shrimp Friday evening.
The “An American in Paris” promotion at Eslite was the start. The George Gershwin summer emanated from there. The rack in the bookstore holding "Porgy & Bess" box set is gone; I rescued it just in time. Meanwhile, I am on page ninety-six in the Reader, testimonials, forming an opinion of the man, indexing him with people I've known; walking a little bit Groucho Marx, a little like an ex-colleague in his self-centeredness, though worthier of it. There's even a little bit of Gershwin in me in that he didn't study orchestration to write symphonies; I didn't need study linguistics to death to teach ESL. His trick was having a second pianist writing the score as he created it, like a stenographer. For all the Irving Berlin, Johnny Mercer, Bert Bacharach, Amos Milburn, Paul Williams songwriter great tunes, Gershwin was the greatest American songwriter though not the most prolific because his life was cut short. He wrote symphonies and was going to write more, one about Abraham Lincoln, before he passed away.
Gershwin's tunes are mostly syncopated rhythms. His instrumentals done with a symphony were something else. I looked on eBay at a 78 RPM of Rhapsody, the Whitehead-Gershwin version, for $50 shipping included. It would sound great scratching away on my Victrola, but I'd only play it once or twice; not worth it. I started watching "An American in Paris." There's a lot of corny dialogue but something has to hold the great tunes and dances together. I wonder how much the stage show is like the Gene Kelly film. I'll be getting the soundtrack CD soon so I'll know.
In mid-July, got “An American in Paris” the Broadway Musical, in the mail. We listened to it to and from the restaurant. It is the road show we'll be seeing the end of August, with a prerecorded orchestra, one that may just be the soundtrack. I trust they will at least be singing and dancing live. The soundtrack has a few more of Gershwin's symphonies, Second Rhapsody, Cuban Overture, and Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra. There even a song Ira Gershwin completed in 1946 using his brother's leftover score. I don't know how much book there'll be in the show but I do know there will be a lot of dancing, not as many songs. The Broadway show was based on the 1952 movie; we'll see how far it digressed.
Last weekend, "The summer of Gershwin" reached a climax at the theater to see "An American in Paris". The movie was more exciting than this adaptation, though the dancing was wonderful. The singing was okay. The worst part was the book; the dialogue. Both Leona and I almost fell asleep as they connected the story to the songs. If the musical was all singing and dancing and no story at all, it would have been better. A better selection of Gershwin songs would have made the show more exciting, too. I want to go back to the original film and see which songs they added or removed. I know they too liberties with the original score. The best part of the show was definitely the ballet to "An American in Paris," the tone poem. "Fidgety Feet" was also a highlight. I loved watching the troupe on chairs tap dancing to the tune. 
The
best part of the show was a "going out" for Leona who dropped her
surgical mask and shared two sushi before the evening was over. She even let me
take a photo of her outside the theater! And she looks swell! The summer is
ending but my appreciation of Gershwin goes on reading the articles
about "Porgy & Bess" yesterday. You can't take that away from me!
Copyright © 2019 by David Barry Temple. All rights reserved
