The Memory of All That: The Life of George Gershwin
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.75 (961 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0671709488 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 319 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 0000-00-00 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Peyser has been a writer for The New York Times for over 20 years
A Guilty Pleasure Yul S. Pariah Though I enjoyed this book tremendously, it was a guilty pleasure. Gershwin's musical life has been thoroughly documented in other books, and comparatively Joan Peyser does a decent job of informing the reader of Gershwin's musical development in this book. However, her strong suit is Gershwin's personal life, and her theories and conclusions in that arena range from the very well-researched to blatant hearsay. Peyser's skill at doggedly digging up such obscure hearsay is impressive. Nothing revealed by Peyser's conclusions seems much out of character for Gershwin based on what we know from ea. Jo Duff said Fascinating Overview. This was a fascinating overview of the life and career of a wonderful composer/performer who left us much too early. It has many details of his life from his youth on through his burgeoning career and successes to his very sad and seemingly unnecessary early demise.We can get some idea of the internal forces that drove him to his astounding output.His music, an unbelievably beautiful and defining collection for one so young, has inspired and influenced many over the years and lives on through many movies and records/Cd's.It's a worthy book for those of us who are lifelong fans to learn more ab. "Certainly Not Trash" according to Theseus. This is much more than trash. I found it an unholy but compelling stew. This biography seeks to unmask Gershwin legends while touching on Gershwin's family, 20th century music trends, Broadway, popular song, and the zeitgeist. Granted, it does not tie these things together with any sort of elegance!Peyser is not afraid to shoot from the hip. Sometimes she overextends and missessometimes she is truly persuasive about the players' psychology and motivations.It's a weird read, combining the recollections of a 101 year old Gershwin family member with observations on Stravinsky's development as a c
From Kirkus Reviews A Gershwin run-through, by the biographer of Bernstein (1987) and Boulez (1976): a disjointed mix of familiar anecdotes, so-so musicology, rancid gossip, and psychobabble. (At one point, we're told what someone said his psychiatrist said another patient said about Gershwin.) Nor are the Gershwin family portraits entirely convincing. As for the music, Peyser offers the standard ``torn between two worlds'' story: the facile songwriter straining for concert-hall greatness. The primary sources are iffy: a former Gershwin valet and Alan himself, who has admittedly suffered from amnesia. And there are unsatisfying glimpses of George's many girlfriends, with only Kay Swift emerging as more than a clutch of innuendos. (According to Peyse
A biography of the legendary composer discusses Gershwin's sexual and romantic life, his illegitimate son, the truth behind his death, his early efforts as a composer, his talent, and his popularity. 35,000 first printing.