Last Night, Saturday 22 February, I attended the George Gershwin lecture and Recital at the Settlement, to expand my musical knowledge.
Derek Blyth and Rachel Thomas gave a sold out performance of the story and songs of George Gershwin, and as Derek explained, his lyricist brother Ira Gershwin.
Derek told the story of George from his childhood where he engaged in low level crime, to being, arguably, the greatest composer in the world, before his untimely death in 1939.
But not before the then president of the USA had mobilised the coast guard and chartered a plane to move a leading surgeon from the east to west coast to try and save his life.
As Derek concluded, “a life with a remarkable trajectory”.
Rachel’s sang a number of George, and Ira’s, songs including many well known tunes that have grown beyond the shows they came from.
Not least, In the Summertime, Nice work if you can get it and Lets call the whole thing off.
Derek is a retired teacher and set the appreciative audience some homework, listen to the complete versions of some of the Gershwin brothers best work, he guaranteed you will recognise sections from these;
Rhapsody in Blue
American in Paris
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong’s album of Porgy and Bess.
Thank you Derek and Rachel, it was a very enjoyable evening, and now I am off to do my homework….
Should these sounds move you, Derek has a course called ‘Exploring Opera’ from Friday 28 Feb – Friday 28 Mar, 2025 10:00am – 12:00pm, with the first opera being Porgy and Bess.
From the Back Row.
