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Also available: lecture-demonstration The Life and Music of George Gershwin
Michael Arnowitt performs an all-Gershwin program featuring piano solo versions of two of Gershwin's greatest compositions, Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris. Also on the program will be a selection of Gershwin’s own piano arrangements of his finest songs, including The Man I Love, Summertime, That Certain Feeling, I Got Rhythm, and Someone To Watch Over Me.
Of special interest will be Michael Arnowitt’s performances of many of Gershwin’s own improvisations on his tunes as transcribed from piano rolls and early disc recordings of the 1920’s.
In all, over a dozen songs will be heard from throughout Gershwin's all too brief life, ranging from his breakthrough hit "Swanee" from his youthful days working as a "plugger" on Tin Pan Alley, to the sophisticated songs from "Porgy and Bess"and other compositions written at the end of his life.
The song arrangements are attractively grouped into sets and alternated with the music originally written for piano, to give the evening some contrast and shape. The program ends humorously with "Clap Yo' Hands," allowing the audience a chance to joyfully demonstrate the meaning of the title to conclude the evening.
Program -- Michael Arnowitt, piano solo