George Gershwin: His Life and Work

Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2004. xvii, 884 pages, [32] pages of plates, illustrations, music; 24 cm. Tight, clean copy. Dust jacket protected in a mylar cover. A fine copy of the first printing. OVERSIZE! No priority/international, except by arrangement. "This comprehensive biography of George Gershwin unravels the myths surrounding one of America's most celebrated composers and establishes the enduring value of his music. Gershwin created some of the most beloved music of the twentieth century and helped make the golden age of Broadway. Biographer Pollack draws from sketches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, books, articles, recordings, films, and other materials to create an expansive, lively chronicle. He describes Gershwin's family, childhood, and education; his early career as a pianist; his friendships and romantic life; his relation to various musical trends; his writings on music; his working methods; and his tragic death at the age of 38. He also surveys Gershwin's entire oeuvre, from his first surviving compositions to the melodies that his brother and principal collaborator, Ira Gershwin, lyricized after his death. Pollack concludes with a perceptive consideration of the important role Gershwin's music plays in our own time. / Howard Pollack is John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Music at the University of Houston. Among his books are Aaron Copland: The Life and Work of an Uncommon Man and John Alden Carpenter: A Chicago Composer." - Publisher. 1st. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. 8vo. Collectible.