Popular Idol

New Zealand Listener, Volume 16, Issue 391, 20 December 1946, Page 10

Popular Idol

HE vexed question of the place of George Gershwin in music arises afresh when he becomes the subject, first of a film devoted to his life and music, second of a radio episode in the Songs and Songwriters series from 4ZB. Goodness knows what the film does (I haven’t seen it yet) to keep the polish on the halo which his worshippers insist on placing round Gershwin’s head; but some of the gilt was removed in the radio session by the inadequate commentary which, purporting to be a tribute to Gershwin, ignored his more solid qualities in favour of those which have made him a popular idol. The session being devoted to songs, we naturally didn’t hear any of Gershwin’s-more pretentious efforts such as Rhapsody in Blue, although we were assured that it is "one of the greatest masterpieces of modern times’; instead, we had "Swannee," "I Got Rhythm," "Lady Be Good," "Embraceable You" (which the commentator described as "a better class of song for your edification"), and others which reveal the composer as a writer of sure-fire hits. Without patronage we can award Gershwin the palm for knowing what will appeal to the great mass of the people; but to claim for him a high place in the world of music merely on: this account is quite ridiculous, and it did seem that this session could have been relieved by the inclusion, say, of some songs from Porgy and Bess (perhaps I may hear something of the sort in a later sesS8ion of Songs and Songwriters). The fine adoration of the commentator for Gershwin was not rendered plausible by his sweeping statements that "he could write anything from opera to jazz"-the listener quite naturally says "Prove itl"