Born Jacob Gershwine on September 26, 1898, in a Brooklyn tenement, the future composer emerged from the Yiddish Theater District to bridge the divide between jazz, popular song, and orchestral music. Over a career spanning two decades, he transitioned from a teenage song plugger on Tin Pan Alley to a seminal figure in American musical composition.
Early Development and Mentorship
Gershwin showed little interest in music until age ten when he heard a violin recital by his friend Maxie Rosenzweig. Although his parents bought a piano for his brother Ira, George claimed the instrument. After brief early lessons, he began formal study around 1913 under Charles Hambitzer, a pianist who introduced him to the European classical tradition and conventional techniques. These sessions continued until Hambitzer's death in 1918.
Tin Pan Alley and Commercial Beginnings
In 1913, at age 15, Gershwin left school to work as a song plugger for Jerome H. Remick and Company in New York. His professional output expanded rapidly; he recorded piano rolls for the Aeolian Company and Standard Music Rolls, sometimes using pseudonyms like Fred Murtha or Bert Wynn. His first Broadway contribution appeared in 1916, and his novelty rag "Rialto Ripples" achieved commercial success in 1917. His first major national hit, "Swanee," arrived in 1919 with lyrics by Irving Caesar.
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Gershwin's output integrated jazz influences into sophisticated structures, resulting in works such as Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris, and the opera Porgy and Bess. While his stage musical Of Thee I Sing became the first of its genre to earn a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, his opera Porgy and Bess, written with Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward, evolved from an initial commercial disappointment into a recognized cultural classic. He later moved to Hollywood to compose for film.
Death and Recognition
Gershwin died in Hollywood on July 11, 1937, at the age of 38, due to a brain tumor. He is interred at the Westchester Hills Cemetery. Posthumous honors include the Grammy Trustees Award in 1986, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1998, a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation, and the Congressional Gold Medal. He remains recognized as a prolific composer, pianist, and painter.
Fast facts
- Born: September 26, 1898, Brooklyn, United States
- Died: July 11, 1937, Hollywood, United States
- Notable Works: Rhapsody in Blue, Porgy and Bess, An American in Paris
- Original Name: Jacob Gershwine
- Musical Collaborator: Ira Gershwin
- Burial Site: Westchester Hills Cemetery
- Career Start: Song plugger at age 15
- Primary Professional Fields: Music, Jazz, Musical Play
Questions readers ask
Did George Gershwin win a Pulitzer Prize?
Yes, he received a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation in 1998, and his musical Of Thee I Sing was the first to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1931.
Where is George Gershwin buried?
He is buried at the Westchester Hills Cemetery.
Did Gershwin ever study in Europe?
He attempted to study with Nadia Boulanger and Maurice Ravel, but both declined, citing concerns that classical training might dilute his jazz-influenced style.
Achievements
- Grammy Trustees Award — 1986
- Pulitzer Prize Special Citations and Awards — 1998
- Notable work: The Man I Love
- Worked as composer, songwriter and film score composer
