Best Gershwin Quotes | Short & Famous Sayings

“Chapter 1. He adored New York City. He idolized it all out of proportion...no, make that: he - he romanticized it all out of proportion. Yeah. To him, no matter what the season was, this was still a town that existed in black and white and pulsated to the great tunes of George Gershwin.' Uh, no let me start this over. 'Chapter 1. He was too romantic about Manhattan, as he was about everything else. He thrived on the hustle bustle of the crowds and the traffic. To him, New York meant beautiful women and street-smart guys who seemed to know all the angles...'. Ah, corny, too corny for my taste. Can we ... can we try and make it more profound? 'Chapter 1. He adored New York City. For him, it was a metaphor for the decay of contemporary culture. The same lack of individual integrity that caused so many people to take the easy way out was rapidly turning the town of his dreams in...' No, that's going to be too preachy. I mean, you know, let's face it, I want to sell some books here. 'Chapter 1. He adored New York City, although to him it was a metaphor for the decay of contemporary culture. How hard it was to exist in a society desensitized by drugs, loud music, television, crime, garbage...' Too angry, I don't want to be angry. 'Chapter 1. He was as tough and romantic as the city he loved. Behind his black-rimmed glasses was the coiled sexual power of a jungle cat.' I love this. 'New York was his town, and it always would be.”

Writing New York City Gershwin Woody Allen Manhatten

Book:Manhattan

Source: Manhattan

“From folk to tribal to Cab Calloway, Cole Porter, Gershwin to the Rolling Stones, whose first record was all covers, to country-western, bebop, blues, and even the referencing in classic hip hop to cliched love ballads of the '80s or whatever - that is kinda gone, and that's just terrifying to me.”

Firsts Country Gone Records Stones Western Folks Hip Hop Hips Classic Hops Rolling 80s Rolling Stones Cab Ballads Gershwin Bebop Referencing Country Western

Author:Cat Power

“The extraordinary thing about my mother, she's so modest about me.”

Mother Extraordinary Modest Extraordinary Things Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“Writing music is not so much inspiration as hard work.”

Writing Hard Inspiration Hard Work Music Is Writing Music Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“It is always possible to create something original.”

Originals Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“It took me three weeks to write the 'Rhapsody in Blue.' I had always wanted to write something blue and Paul Whiteman inspired.”

Writing Wanted Three Week Blue Inspired Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“All these tales of people sitting down and composing symphonies just as though they were writing a letter are very much exaggerated; at least, it isn't that way in my work.”

People Way Writing Sitting Letters Down And Tales Symphony Exaggerated Composing Sitting Down Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“I didn't even start playing the piano until I was about 13 or 14. I guess I must have had a little talent or whatever-you-call-it, but I practised regularly, and that's what counts.”

Littles Talent Piano Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“Jazz is the result of the energy stored up in America.”

America Energy Results Jazz Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“Modern European composers...have very largely received their stimulus, their rhythms and impulses from Machine Age America. They have a much older tradition of musical technique which has helped them put into musical terms a little more clearly the thoughts that originated here. They can express themselves more glibly.”

Littles Age America Term Modern Tradition Machines Musical Technique Rhythm Impulse Composer Stimulus Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“I like to think of music as an emotional science.”

Thinking Emotional Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“Gershwin's tragedy was not that he failed to cross the tracks, but rather that he did, and once there in his new habitat, was deprived of the chance to plunge his roots firmly into the new soil.”

Chance Crosses Roots Tragedy Track Soil Deprived Plunge Habitat Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“Gershwin's melodic gift was phenomenal. His songs contain the essence of New York in the 1920s and have deservedly become classics of their kind, part of the 20th-century folk-song tradition in the sense that they are popular music which has been spread by oral tradition (for many must have sung a Gershwin song without having any idea who wrote it).”

Kind Has Beens Ideas Song Century New York Tradition Essence Folks Spread 20th Century Phenomenal Popular Music Gershwin Folk Songs Oral Tradition

Author:George Gershwin

“Porgy is...an interesting example of what can be done by talent in spite of a bad setup. With a libretto that should never have been accepted on a subject that should never have been chosen, a man who should never have attempted it has written a work that has a considerable power.”

Men Should Has Beens Done Interesting Written Subjects Talent Example Accepted Chosen Spite Setups Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“Life is a lot like jazz. It's best when you improvise.”

Life Is Music Jazz Musical Jazz Music Meaningful Life Improvisation Jazz Musician Improvising Gershwin Jazz And Life Jazz And Blues Jazz Improvisation Cool Jazz Jazz Hands

Author:George Gershwin

“True music must repeat the thought and inspirations of the people and the time.”

People Inspiration Music Repeats Jazz Music Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“A libretto that should never have been accepted on a subject that should never have been chosen bya man who should never have attempted it.”

Men Should Has Beens Subjects Accepted Chosen Gershwin

Author:Virgil Thomson

“I was always drawn to Broadway musicals, and obviously composers like Gershwin, Rodgers, Berlin and Porter were writing music that I found wildly impressive.”

Writing Found Composer Broadway Impressive Berlin Writing Music Gershwin Broadway Musical

Author:Marvin Hamlisch

“In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble.”

May Change Gershwin

Author:Ira Gershwin

“Look at the piano. You'll notice that there are white notes and black notes. Figure out the difference between them and you'll be able to make whatever kind of music you want.”

Want Looks Kind Able Black Differences White Figures Notes Piano Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“For me, Woody Allen's 'Manhattan' defines New York. Both New York and Manhattan Island should be in black in white! I always hear the soundtrack of Gershwin in my head every time I go over the Queensboro Bridge, or come in from JFK because of it!”

Should Black White New York Bridges Islands Manhattan Woody Soundtracks Gershwin

Author:Brian Cox

“Ira [Gershwin] was the shyest, most diffident boy we had ever known. In a class of lower east side rapscallions, his soft-spoken gentleness and low-keyed personality made him a lovable incongruity. He spoke in murmurs, hiding behind a pair of steel-rimmed glasses..Ira had a kid brother who wore high stiff collars, shirts with cuffs and went out with girls.”

Made Kids Girl Sides Behinds Known Class Boys Brother Personality Lows East Shirts Pairs Spokes Hiding Steel Gentleness Collars Lovable Spectacles Ira Gershwin Cuffs East Side Incongruity

Author:Yip Harburg

“Musically Bob [Dylan] is a primitive. He's not a Gershwin, or somebody that uses eloquent music terms.”

Use Term Bob Primitive Dylan Eloquent Gershwin

Author:Al Kooper

“My father was always playing the piano. He played all kinds of music - Gershwin, all kinds of stuff. He was really a hugely encouraging force to me when I was little.”

Kind Littles Father Force Stuff All Kinds Piano Gershwin

Author:Kate Bush

“I wanted to honor [George Gershwin]. He's a great American songwriter.”

Wanted Honor Songwriters Great American Gershwin

Author:Kristin Chenoweth

“I just love all the music. My grandma was a church organist for 40 years, and she got me into jazz music and great songwriters, Harold Arlen, George Gershwin, all those folks. I can't do it, but I have a profound respect for it.”

Years I Can Church Jazz Profound Folks Songwriters Jazz Music Grandma My Grandma Gershwin

Author:Zach Anner

“Not to dismiss Gershwin, but Gershwin is the chip; Ellington was the block.”

Block Songwriting Songwriters Chips Gershwin

Author:Joni Mitchell

“As a New Yorker you can't help but be proud of the fact that so much music and culture started here. Punk rock, jazz, hip-hop and house music started here, George Gershwin debuted 'Rhapsody in Blue' here; the Velvet Underground are from New York.”

Facts Helping Culture House Rocks New York Proud Blue Jazz Hip Hop Hips Hops Punk Be Proud New Yorkers Punk Rock Velvet Gershwin House Music Velvet Underground

Author:Moby

“Gershwin inspired me very much. The concept of 'That Lucky Old Sun' was inspired by 'Rhapsody in Blue' - not influenced, but inspired.”

Sun Lucky Concepts Blue Inspired Gershwin

Author:Brian Wilson

“As far as songwriters, I've always been a fan of Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and George Gershwin; those guys mean a lot to me.”

Mean Guy Fans Songwriters Berlin Gershwin

Author:Mel Brooks

“George Gershwin died on July 11, 1937, but I don’t have to believe it if I don’t want to.”

Ifs Want Believe Died July Gershwin

Author:John O'Hara

“The way you wear your hat, The way you sip your tea, The mem'ry of all that -- No, no! They can't take that away from me!”

Way Tea Hats Gershwin

Author:Ira Gershwin

“Holding hands at midnight 'Neath a starry sky... Nice work if you can get it And you can get it -- if you try.”

Ifs Trying Hands Nice Sky Midnight Holding Hands Gershwin Starry Sky Nice Work

Author:Ira Gershwin

“S wonderful! 'S marvelous! That you should care for me!”

Should Care Wonderful Marvelous Gershwin

Author:Ira Gershwin

“I frequently hear music in the heart of noise.”

Heart Music Noise Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“Jazz is one of the best things that you can find in your life, it can always be your friend.”

Music Jazz Best Things Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“One can be very happy without demanding that others agree with them.”

Happiness Music Agree Agreement Very Happy Gershwin

Author:Ira Gershwin

“I was proud to work with the great Gershwin, and I would have done it for nothing, which I did.”

Done Work Proud Gershwin

Book:Dancing in the dark

Source: Dancing in the dark

“For suddenly, I saw you there And through foggy London town The sun was shining everywhere.”

Love Inspiring Sun Saws Towns Shining London Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“Out of my entire annual output of songs, perhaps two, or at the most three, came as a result of inspiration. We can never rely on inspiration. When we most want it, it does not come.”

Want Doe Two Inspiration Song Three Results Rely Songwriting Songwriters Writing Songs Annuals Output Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“It's very difficult to photograph an opera. And they messed up on it. It just wasn't there. And I don't blame the Gershwins for taking it away. Of course, if they had gotten the original company to have done it, it would have been very good”

Ifs Has Beens Done Courses Difficult Company Originals Blame Photograph Very Good Opera Messed Up Gershwin

Author:Cab Calloway

“I do miss the stage. There's nothing like it, nothing. When I did my one-woman show and played the Palace and played the Gershwin and all that, I did - what? - eight shows or maybe more a week. Of course you can't do anything else, and you can't run quickly for a cab in the rain, and you can't have a drunken love affair. You can't do any of that. Because you've got to be perfectly healthy. And I guess I value enjoying my life a little bit more than the discipline these days.”

Littles Shows Running Values Courses Bits Enjoy Week Stage Missing Discipline Healthy Little Bit Rain Affair Eight These Days Palaces Love Affair One Woman Cab Gershwin Enjoying My Life

Author:Shirley MacLaine

“I was lucky enough to have the songs in my first show written by George and Ira Gershwin. Then Cole Porter wrote five shows for me”

Firsts Enough Shows Song Five Written Lucky Ira Gershwin

Book:Merman: an autobiography

Source: Merman: an autobiography

“The European boys have small ideas but they sure know how to dress 'em up.”

Knows Ideas Boys Know How Dresses Ems Gershwin Small Ideas

Author:George Gershwin

“The composer does not sit around and wait for an inspiration to walk up and introduce itself...Making music is actually little else than a matter of invention aided and abetted by emotion. In composing we combine what we know of music with what we feel.”

Knows Feels Littles Doe Matter Inspiration Waiting Walks Emotion Music Is Invention Composer Introducing Composing Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“Jazz I regard as an American folk music; not the only one, but a very powerful one which is probably in the blood and feeling of the American people more than any other style of folk music.”

People Feelings Powerful Blood Style Regard Jazz Folks Very Powerful Folk Music Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“A skyscraper is at the same time a triumph of the machine and a tremendous emotional experience, almost breath-taking. Not merely its height but its mass and proportions are the result of an emotion, as well as of calculation.”

Wells Results Emotion Emotional Mass Machines Breaths Triumph Height Proportion Calculations Skyscraper Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“Not many composers have ideas. Far more of them know how to use strange instruments which do not require ideas.”

Knows Ideas Use Know How Strange Instruments Composer Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“When jazz is played in another nation, it is called American. When it is played in another country, it sounds false. Jazz is the result of the energy stored up in America.”

Country America Energy Nations Sound Results Jazz Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

“An entire composition written in jazz could not live.”

Written Jazz Composition Gershwin

Author:George Gershwin

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Gershwin Quotes