George Gershwin’s jazz transcriptions in piano performance of academic tradition

Yakov Voskoboinikov

doi:10.34064/khnum2-19.25

Abstract

George Gershwin’s jazz transcriptions in piano performance of academic tradition

Highlights

Today, jazz transcriptions of works by George Gershwin can be heard around the world
How does a musician of academic direction, whose inner professional intentions and way of thinking are brought up on the classical repertoire, perceive Gershwin’s jazz compositions? What is the specificity of modern reading of his music? In which cultural traditions should we look for the key to understanding Gershwin’s musical language, its rhythmic and intonational specifics? can a jazz pianist consider himself completely free from the culture of the academic tradition by playing Gershwin? The search for answers to all these questions has identified the problematic perspective of this article
The purpose of the article is to reveal the characteristic features of the performance of G

Summary

Introduction

Jazz transcriptions of works by George Gershwin can be heard around the world. Works such as “The Man I Love”, “I Got Rhythm”, “Summertime”, “Liza”, “Fascinating Rhythm”, “Somebody Loves Me”, “Swanee”, included in the collection “Gershwin songs”, and “Seven virtuoso etudes on the themes of G. Widely known performance versions of piano transcriptions “Gershwin songs” by M.‐A. The evidence of growing interest of classical performers in the music of the American composer is the successful holding of the IV G. Gershvin International Music Competition in New York (on November 7–10, 2019). Director and main organizer of the competition, Michael Bulychev-Okser, is the American pianist, the main winner of many international competitions in the United States, Italy, Andorra, Spain and Mexico

Objectives

Conclusion