George Gershwin, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

George Gershwin

American composer and pianist

Date of Birth: 26-Sep-1898

Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Date of Death: 11-Jul-1937

Profession: composer, pianist, songwriter, film score composer, jazz musician

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Libra

George Gershwin (; born Jacob Bruskin Gershowitz, September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned both popular and classical genres.
Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions Rhapsody in Blue (1924) and An American in Paris (1928), the songs Swanee (1919) and Fascinating Rhythm (1924), the jazz standard I Got Rhythm (1930), and the opera Porgy and Bess (1935) which spawned the hit Summertime. Gershwin studied piano under Charles Hambitzer and composition with Rubin Goldmark, Henry Cowell, and Joseph Brody.
He began his career as a song plugger but soon started composing Broadway theater works with Buddy DeSylva and his brother Ira Gershwin.
He moved to Paris intending to study with Nadia Boulanger, but she refused him; he subsequently composed An American in Paris.
He then returned to New York City and wrote Porgy and Bess with Ira and DuBose Heyward.
It was initially a commercial failure but came to be considered one of the most important American operas of the twentieth century and an American cultural classic. Gershwin moved to Hollywood and composed numerous film scores until his death in 1937 from a malignant brain tumor.
His compositions have been adapted for use in films and television, and several became jazz standards recorded and covered in many variations.



Alternative names	Carl Van Vetchen; Carl van Vechten
Description	American writer and photographer
Date of birth/death	17 June 1880	21 December 1964
Location of birth/death	Cedar Rapids	New York City
Authority control	: Q312851 VIAF: 5056030 ISNI: 0000 0001 1558 7789 ULAN: 500058409 LCCN: n78095475 NLA: 35576955 WorldCat