Gersh’win

George, Brooklyn, N. Y., Sept. 26, 1898—Hollywood, July 12, 1937; one of the most talented pioneers in the creation of music with jazz idiom as basis, incl. orchestral works on symph. scale; studied piano Hambitzer, pop. Gold mark; c. revues; came into intern at’l. prominence with his “Rhapsody in Blue,” first heard at a Paul White man concert in N. Y., a work written for piano and orchestra, exploiting jazz idiom treated in elaborate form; this work heard widely in U. S. and in Europe; also c. “An American in Paris,” symph. poem; piano concerto in F (latter commi ioned by Walter Damrosch for N. Y. Symph. Orch.), and a Negro folk opera, “Porgy and Be ,” presented by N. Y. Theatre Guild, 1935. (See article, page 498.) Gerster (gér’-shtér), Etelka, Kaschau, Hungary, June r6, 1857—near Bologna, Aug. 20, 1920; one of the most remarkable coloratura-sopranos of her time; 1874-75, a pupil of Marchesi, Vienna Cons.; v. succ. début Venice, Jan. 8, 1876; m. her impresario Dr. Carlo Gardini and toured Europe and America after 1878 until her retirement in 1890; fost her voice suddenly and opened (1896) a singing-school in Berlin.