1898–1937

Born in Brooklyn to Russian immigrants, George Gershwin was a composer with a remarkable ability to meld different musical traditions together in his work, incorporating jazz, ragtime and blues, classical techniques, and even Jewish folk music. He began his musical career as a song plugger on Tin Pan Alley, and quickly moved on to composing Broadway shows (with his lyricist brother Ira) such as Lady, Be Good! (1924) and instrumentals like Rhapsody in Blue (1924) and An American in Paris (1928). The opera Porgy and Bess (1935) solidified his reputation as a composer. Many of his songs celebrate New York City, such as Harlem River Chanty (1925), Union Square (1933), and New York Serenade (1928).