Simultaneously, two piano concertos crafted by Ravel also offer an influence of Gershwin. His orchestrations, especially his symphonic compositions, often bear a resemblance to Ravel’s work. George Gershwin was heavily influenced by various French composers of the early 20th century, especially Maurice Ravel. Hambitzer remained his musical mentor until his demise in 1918, introducing him to European classical traditions and encouraging him to frequent orchestral concerts. He received piano lessons under Charles Hambitzer and also learned composition under Joseph Brody, Henry Cowell, and Rubin Goldmark. George first became interested in music after hearing his friend’s violin performance and subsequently started spending more time on Ira’s piano. George and his brother Ira were regular at local Yiddish theaters, where George used to occasionally appear as an extra. The Gershwin family had settled in the Yiddish Theater District. Geroge was named after his grandfather, who was an army mechanic. Morris Gershovitz had changed the family name to “Gersh-vin” after arriving in New York which George later changed to “Gershwin.” He worked on both classical and popular genres and later shifted to Hollywood, composing for numerous movies. George Gershwin was a prominent member of the group of songwriters and music publishers who revolutionized American popular music during the era of “Tin Pan Alley.” Gershwin was born on the 26th of September, 1898, in Brooklyn, New York to Russian immigrants Morris and Rose Gershovitz.

George gershwin music compositions