Gersh·win  (gûrsh'wĭn)  American composer who brought jazz idiom to classical music forms in his orchestral works, such as Rhapsody in Blue (1924), and composed the scores for many musical comedies. His collaborations with his brother, lyricist Ira Gershwin (1896-1983), include the opera Porgy and Bess (1935). |
A twentieth-century American composer known for putting elements of jazz into the forms of classical music, such as the concerto. His works include Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris, and the music to the opera Porgy and Bess. Together with his brother, Ira Gershwin, he wrote many popular musical comedies.