Photo by Alan Wycheck
When one thinks of the musical “masters,” George Gershwin may not be the first name to pop into mind.
Gershwin, after all, is known by many to be a composer of scores for film and Broadway. But he also composed in the classical genre and even his popular melodies often were orchestral in form.
Gershwin, therefore, fits perfectly into the season finale of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra’s Masterworks series, which features Gershwin’s “Concerto in F” with and, more conventionally, Rachmaninoff’s “Symphony No. 2.”
This will be the first time that HSO Maestro Stuart Malina will play the Gershwin piece in public.
“I’ve played ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ many, many times,” he said, referring to an earlier Gershwin work that includes many elements of jazz. “But the concerto is a much more significant work for a pianist.”
Malina said that this would be a good concert for someone who hasn’t been to an HSO concert before or doesn’t regularly attend.
“Both pieces are incredibly beautiful, very exciting and very lyrical,” he said. “From the Gershwin, which is jazzy and fun, to the Rachmaninoff, which is a romantic walk in the park.”
Malina also said that new concertgoers are often surprised at the level of artistry of the orchestra.
“People who come for the first time generally leave feeling like ‘How did I not know that was here?’” he said. “And that’s what we are shooting for.”
Gershwin’s “Concerto in F” is so challenging that Malina has asked Gregory Woodbridge, the symphony’s associate conductor, to take the helm.
“Normally, I conduct from the keyboard, but this piece is a too demanding for that,” Malina said. “Having Greg conduct will be less stressful for me, especially since I’ll be returning to the podium for the Rachmaninoff, which is an enormous piece.”
Despite the concerto’s complexities, Malina said that it’s been a joy to learn.
“Gershwin himself was a pianist, so when he wrote this piece he understood what fingers do on the piano,” he said. “There hasn’t been any point when I asked myself ‘What was he thinking?’”
Gershwin began his career as a “song plugger,” meaning he worked in a department store where he would demonstrate a piece of sheet music that someone might want to buy. He quickly graduated to composing Broadway theater songs with his brother, Ira, many of which have become jazz standards. Interested in composing within a classical music format, he went to Paris to study with the great composer Maurice Ravel, who famously said, “I should be studying with you.”
After the popularity of “Rhapsody in Blue,” Gershwin was commissioned by the director of the New York Symphony Orchestra to write “Concerto in F.” This was the first piece he wrote for all the parts for the orchestra.
“This was a very important progression for him,” said Malina. “So, now we have a fully matured George Gershwin who is beginning to come into his own as a legitimate composer rather than a Tin Pan Alley songwriter.”
Malina also noted that it must have been difficult from him to go from the George Gershwin who wrote “I Got Rhythm” to the George Gershwin who is now writing piano concertos and, eventually, full operas. Tragically, he died of a brain tumor at age 38.
“One wonders if he had lived longer what kind of orchestral output there would have been because it seemed to be the direction that he was moving more and more,” Malina said.
The Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra will perform its May Masterworks concert on Saturday, May 6 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 7 at 3 p.m. at the Forum, 500 Walnut St., Harrisburg. An informative pre-concert lecture will begin one hour prior to each concert. For information visit www.harrisburgsymphony.org.
Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra Upcoming Events
www.harrisburgsymphony.org
Spring Young Person’s Concert
Carnegie Hall’s Link Up: “The Orchestra Moves!”
May 5, 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
The Forum, Harrisburg
May Masterworks Concert
“Concerto in F” by George Gershwin
May 6, 8 p.m.
May 7, 3 p.m.
The Forum, Harrisburg
HSYO Mother’s Day Concert
Harrisburg Symphony Youth Orchestra
Presents Orchestral Favorites
May 14, 3 p.m.
The Forum, Harrisburg
Author: Jess Hayden
