Marvin Hamlisch (1944-2012): Harmony and Ham

Ryan decided to take a break from Facebook this month, which means he didn’t find out about the sudden passing of composer Marvin Hamlisch in the typical manner. Rather than encounter a series of status updates and links to YouTube videos or obituaries, he happened upon the news while browsing headlines this morning. They inspired this post.

Porgy and Bess and Itzhak Perlman @ Tanglewood

Ryan Raul Banagale gets all excited about a musical mash-up that will probably never happen (again).

Paul McCartney’s Library of Congress Gershwin Prize Concert

Ryan Raul Bañagale blogs on the Library of Congress’s 2010 Gershwin Prize winner Paul McCartney, the concert in his honor, and the un-honored collaborative process that made his most beloved songs possible.

Guest Blog by Matthew Mugmon: The Canadian Bess, or Porgy and Brass

In a guest blog post, Matthew Mugmon offers a musicological reflection on the Canadian Brass after seeing the Washington National Opera production of Porgy and Bess

The Gershwin Prize(s)

Ryan Raul Bañagale blogs about Stevie Wonder receiving the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song last week. Its neither the first award in the name of Gershwin nor the first time that such a prize has resulted in the premiere of new music.

George Gershwin and Little Maxie Rosenzweig

Ryan’s favorite bookstore in the entire world is Powell’s Books, which happens to be in his hometown of Portland, Oregon. A few years ago he came across this rather unique “Armed Services Edition” of a George Gershwin biography. This is where our story begins…