Posted on 10/10/2009 6:09:38 PM PDT by curth
Brian Wilson has been given the go-ahead to finish writing incomplete music by George Gershwin.
The Beach Boys mainman will be given full access to the compositions by Gershwin's estate, and will release the music on a forthcoming album of Gershwin covers.
Though the album has no fixed release date, it will come out on Walt Disney imprint Disney Pearl, whom Wilson has recently signed a deal with, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Speaking about the album, Wilson said he has always loved the music of Gershwin, who died in 1937.
"The earliest music I remember hearing is 'Rhapsody In Blue'," he said. "Along with Irving Berlin, Gershwin basically invented the popular song, but he did something more. He had a gift for melody that nobody has ever equalled, yet his music is timeless and always accessible. This is the most spiritual project I've ever worked on."
In a statement, Todd Gershwin of the George Gershwin estate and Michael Owen of the Ira Gershwin [George's older brother who wrote the compositions' lyrics] estate praised Wilson as a songwriter.
"The Gershwin families are delighted that the legendary musician Brian Wilson has chosen to record a collection of George and Ira Gershwin songs for his next project. In every generation, American music has been pushed forward by visionaries, from the Gershwin brothers to Brian Wilson. This latest interpretation will be a new opportunity to discover the magic of Gershwin music."
(Excerpt) Read more at nme.com ...
Brilliant, absolutely without a doubt.
I take my hat off to you for those robust creations! LOL
Cold here... 28 degrees at the moment.
I think we should just nominate Brian Wilson for a Nobel. Heck... his bright cheery music has brought more comfort than Zero could ever imagine.
Silver Belts (sung by Michelle)
Away With the Constitution
Oh Little Town in Kenya
Shuck and Jive Rock
Uh-boy...
I thought Ira Gershwin and another composer (whose name slips my mind) already finished his unfinished songs?
Ira collaborated with his brother George, writing lyrics for a number of his compositions, including a number of immensely popular and nearly universally known hits. Ira’s best-known song from after George’s death (and Ira lived nearly 50 years thereafter) was, perhaps, “I Can’t Get Started”, the music for which came from (I think) Jerome Kern.
I don’t think Ira wrote lyrics for any of George’s songs posthumously. And he held his brother in very high esteem, so I doubt that he allowed anyone to finish any left unfinished. Frankly, I don’t think any of GG’s unfinished works should be tampered with — I regard him as the greatest American composer of any era. Every now and then I toss on volume one of the Gershwin from the piano rolls CDs and crank up “An American In Paris” and “Rhapsody in Blue”. My only complaint about that album is that the recording sounds a bit muddy.
Well, you started it and inspired me! Thanks!
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