名人轶事:George Gershwin: More of the Life and Music of One of A

George Gershwin: More of the Life and Music of One of America's Great

Songwriters

Written by - Shelley Gollust
(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

I’m Barbara Klein.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Steve Ember with People in America in VOA Special English. Today we

continue our report about the life and music of one of America's greatest

composers, George Gershwin.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

As we reported last week, George Gershwin published his first song when he was

just eighteen years old. During the next twenty years, until his death, he

wrote more than five hundred more songs. He also wrote an opera, and music for

piano and orchestra¹.

Many of George Gershwin's songs were first written for musical plays performed

in theaters in New York City. These comedies, with plenty of songs, were a

popular form of entertainment in the nineteen twenties and nineteen thirties.

One of Gershwin's musical plays, "Girl Crazy," introduced a young singer named

Ethel Merman. She became one of the most celebrated² performers in America. In

the play, Ethel Merman sang a song George Gershwin wrote just for her. It was

called "I Got Rhythm. "

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Many songs that George Gershwin wrote for musical plays and movies have

remained as popular as ever. Over the years, they have been sung and played in

every possible way -- from jazz to country.


One example is the song, "Someone to Watch Over Me."  It was written for the

nineteen twenty-six musical "Oh, Kay!"  Here is a modern version of the song,

sung by Willie Nelson.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

In the nineteen twenties, there was a debate in the United States about jazz

music. Could jazz, some people asked, be considered serious music?

In nineteen twenty-four, jazz musician and orchestra leader Paul Whiteman

decided³ to organize a special concert to show that jazz was serious music.

George Gershwin agreed to compose something for the concert before he realized

how little time he had to do it. The concert was just a few weeks away.

Gershwin got busy. And, in that short time, he composed a piece for piano and

orchestra. He called it "Rhapsody in Blue."

VOICE TWO:

Gershwin himself played the piano part of "Rhapsody in Blue" at the concert.

The audience included some of the greatest classical musicians of the time.

When they heard his music, they were electrified⁴. It seemed to capture, for

the first time, the true voice of modern American culture. Today, we can still

hear Gershwin playing "Rhapsody in Blue." An old mechanical piano recording⁵

has been reproduced⁶ exactly on this recording.

1 orchestra   

n.管弦乐队；vt.命令，定购

参考例句：

• He plays the violin in an orchestra.他在管弦乐队中演奏小提琴。
• I was tempted to stay and hear this superb orchestra rehearse.我真想留下来听这支高超的管弦乐队排练。

2 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 electrified   

v.使电气化( electrify的过去式和过去分词 )；使兴奋

参考例句：

• The railway line was electrified in the 1950s. 这条铁路线在20世纪50年代就实现了电气化。
• The national railway system has nearly all been electrified. 全国的铁路系统几乎全部实现了电气化。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

6 reproduced   

复制( reproduce的过去式和过去分词 )； 重现； 再版； 生殖

参考例句：

• a manuscript reproduced in facsimile 精确复制的手稿
• The article was reproduced by the special permission of the President. 由于总统的特殊允许，这篇文章被复印了一份。

7 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

8 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

9 tone   

n.语气，音调，气度，色调；vt.（up）增强

参考例句：

• There was a tone of mockery in his voice.他说话的语气含有嘲笑的意味。
• Holmes used an informal,chatty tone in his essays.霍姆斯在文章中语气轻松随便。

10 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。