George Gershwin

The Profile

George Gershwin (1898–1937) was an American composer and pianist who fused jazz idioms with classical forms. He wrote for Broadway and Hollywood with lyricist Ira Gershwin and composed concert works including Rhapsody in Blue, the Piano Concerto in F, An American in Paris, and the opera Porgy and Bess. He died at 38.

American composer-pianist; key works include Rhapsody in Blue (1924), Piano Concerto in F (1925), An American in Paris (1928), and the opera Porgy and Bess (1935). Frequent collaborator with lyricist Ira Gershwin. Died in 1937.

The reviews celebrate Gershwin’s fusion of jazz energy with symphonic form, spotlighting Rhapsody in Blue, Piano Concerto in F, and An American in Paris. They underline his influence on musicals and film, his partnership with Ira Gershwin, and the enduring pull of songs like Summertime. One review offers a historical sweep; another surveys a greatest-hits set. Overall tone: admiring, expansive, and reverent.