Yesterday evening, I went to the BSO to see the Gershwin concert. I wasn’t going to see the show just because it was the next show on my subscription but because I’m an admirer of the work of George and Ira Gershwin. The number of tunes they wrote that reads like a Best of American Music Songbook. The songs they wrote include; They Can’t Take That Away From Me, I Got Rhythm, Someone To Watch Over Me, Swanea, Of Thee I Sing, Strike Up the Band, Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off, Funny Face, But Not For Me, Our Love Is Here to Stay, Nice Work If You Can Get It, S’ Wonderful, and the tone poem, An American In Paris. As you can see the list goes on and on. They even did a folk opera, a little thing called, Porgy and Bess which includes the hits, Summertime, I Got Plenty of Nothin’, It Ain’t Neccessarily So, and Bess You is My Woman Now. True, Porgy and Bess wasn’t very successful during George Gershwin’s lifetime but it’s popularity has grown throughout the years.

Of all their work my favorite piece of all time is, what I consider to be the quintessential American classical composition of all time, Rhapsody in Blue. Listening to Rhapsody in Blue is like hearing the sound of the Jazz Age, the Roaring 20’s come to life. You can clearly hear everything from the Jewish immigrant influence showing up in the klezmer sounding clarinet solo that opens up the piece, to lush orchestrations, and syncopated piano rhythms. To hear this music is to hear a vibrant bygone era bustling with energy.

I have to say that this was the absolute best presentation that Principal Pops conductor, Jack Everly, has ever put together! I was actually thoroughly entertained. There was singing, dancing, and film clips throughout the show. The entire usher staff was even on stage for a brilliantly conceived number of, I Got Rythm. The evening ended with the Gershwin’s epic classic, Rhapsody in Blue.

All in all, Everly did George and his brother Ira, proud. I’m positive they were smiling down from heaven last night.

WHAT I’M WEARING:
Today, I have on a black Dr. Who sweatshirt. The sweatshirt has the blue logo from the 1996 Doctor Who TV movie. Underneath the sweatshirt I have on a white turtleneck. The pants I have on are blue jeans. The shoes I have on are old running shoes from Payless. For last night’s BSO concert I dressed up a little. I wore khaki pants and a baby blue sweater along with you guessed it, blue suede shoes!