What's your Gershwin IQ?

Test your knowledge of the iconic American composer in honour of his birthday..

Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Created by Toronto Symphony Orchestra (User Generated Content*)User Generated Content is not posted by anyone affiliated with, or on behalf of, Playbuzz.com.
On Mar 29, 2017
1 / 10

Born in Brooklyn in 1898, the man audiences knew as George Gershwin was actually born with which name?

2 / 10

Gershwin published his first song at age 17 and it earned him 50 cents. What was the piece titled?

3 / 10

In 1931, Gershwin composed the score for this musical -- the first to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama.

4 / 10

Composed in 1924, Rhapsody in Blue was originally commissioned by which bandleader?

5 / 10

Based on a melodic fragment written in 1926 as a thank you to his hosts after his first visit to Paris, Gershwin's jazz-influenced symphonic poem "An American In Paris" included which unusual piece of instrumentation?

6 / 10

In 1932, Gershwin returned to Paris and applied to study composition under Nadia Boulanger. He was rejected by Boulanger and a number of other notable tutors including this famous composer.

7 / 10

Though a flop when it premiered in 1935, Gershwin's ambitious "folk opera" Porgy and Bess is now considered one of the best/most important musicals of the 20th century. It's famous aria Summertime has become one of the most covered songs of all time with approximately how many recordings (as of 2011)?

8 / 10

In 1936 Gershwin moved to Hollywood. Which Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film marked his first foray into film composition?

9 / 10

Gershwin's last public appearance saw him perform his Piano Concerto in F with which orchestra in February 1937?

10 / 10

Eight years after his death in 1937 at just 38 years old, Hollywood commissioned a Gershwin biopic starring which young actor as the composer?

10
Questions left
These are 10 of the World CRAZIEST Ice Cream Flavors
Created by Tal Garner
On Nov 18, 2021