GEORGE GERSHWIN | George Gershwin writes to his music teacher, describing his progress with Porgy and Bess

Property from the Collection of Elsie and Philip Sang

GEORGE GERSHWIN

GEORGE GERSHWIN WRITES TO HIS MUSIC TEACHER, DESCRIBING HIS PROGRESS WITH PORGY AND BESS

Typed letter signed ("George Gershwin"), 1 p. (10 3/4 x 8 3/8 in.; 273 x 212 mm) on his East 72nd St. letterhead, New York, 16 May 1935, to Joseph Schillinger, New York; horizontal fold.

"I've finished the music for the opera and also the orchestrations of the first act and am now working on the second act scoring, but it goes slowly," Gershwin writes only four months before Porgy and Bess opened in Boston. 

From 1932 to 1935, Gershwin studied music theory, composition, and orchestration with Joseph Schillinger. Although Gershwin had studied with a number of teachers over the years, he stayed with Schillinger longer than any of the others. Gershwin was said to be an indifferent and undisciplined pupil. He continues in the present letter, "Would like to see you one of these days and perhaps continue to take some lessons as I am planning to stay in New York all summer. I would like to clear up the amount outstanding on the organ loan and perhaps we could work this out in lessons."