George and Ira Gershwin Collection [finding aid ... - American Memory

1926, Dec. 4 George participates in a so-called Futurist concert with the somewhat exotic contralto Marguerite
D'Alvarez at New York's Hotel Roosevelt. George plays a set of preludes, some or all of which
he plays later in Buffalo and Boston, this later giving rise to considerable scholarly discussion
of precisely how many preludes were written and which of the surviving scores and sketches
(including and in addition to the three published preludes) might represent those works.
1927 Apr. George makes a second Victor recording of Rhapsody in Blue, again with the Whiteman
Orchestra, but with Nathaniel Shilkret conducting. This "new" electrical recording uses the
recently-developed microphone, as opposed to the acoustic horn technology used for George's
first recording of the work.
1927, July 23 George makes the first of six appearances with the New York Philharmonic at summer concerts at
Lewisohn Stadium, a sports arena on the campus of the City University of New York. This
performance, with George as soloist in both Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F, attracts a
record-breaking audience of some 15,000 people (the previous record was held by a concert
featuring Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony!).
1927, Aug. 27 The "1927 version" of Strike Up the Band begins its out-of-town tryouts at the Broadway Theatre
in Long Branch, New Jersey. Ten days later, it moves to the Shubert in Philadelphia where it
closes after two weeks. Although the critics are enthusiastic, the show's satire fails to attract
audiences. The show would be revised somewhat successfully in 1930.
1927, Oct. 11 The out-of-town tryouts begin for Smarty (eventually retitled Funny Face), featuring Fred and
Adele Astaire, who have just returned from the London run of Lady, Be Good! Although it
eventually produces such hits as He Loves and She Loves, 'S Wonderful, and How Long Has
This Been Going On (discarded), it goes through extensive revisions during its six weeks in
Philadelphia, Washington, Atlantic City, and Wilmington before finally opening at New York's
Alvin Theatre on November 22, for a successful run of 244 performances.
1928, Mar. 11 George, Ira, Lee, and Frankie sail for a vacation in Europe; the New York Times had announced
that George would work on a new composition during the visit. This is Ira’s first trip abroad,
and George’s fifth and last. The Gershwins' intinerary includes London, Paris, Berlin, and
Vienna. The announced "new work" would be An American in Paris
1928, May 10 At Elsa Maxwell's instigation, Frankie sings a set of her brothers' songs as part of a revue that Cole
Porter is preparing for the night club, Les Ambassadeurs. George accompanies her first-night
performance and Frankie continues on the program for two weeks.
1928, Dec. 13 An American in Paris is given its premiere performance at Carnegie Hall by the Philharmonic-
Symphony Society of New York, conducted by Walter Damrosch. The work is an immediate
popular success.
1929 Feb. The complete recording of An American in Paris is made by RCA Victor, with Nathaniel Shilkret
conducting. This is the first full-scale recording of a work by George, who plays the celesta
part for the recording and, it is often said, misses one cue because of his excitement.
1929, July 2 Show Girl opens at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York. The show stars Ruby Keeler Jolson and
generates considerable press and excitement, but runs for only 111 performances.
1929, Aug. 26 George makes his conducting debut at Lewisohn Stadium in An American in Paris with the New
York Philharmonic.
George and Ira Gershwin Collection 10