Written by Anna Vorhes

Born
September 26, 1898, Brooklyn, NY

Died
July 11, 1937, Hollywood, CA

Composed
March-June 1928, while Gershwin was in Paris

Premiere
December 13, 1928, in New York by the New York Philharmonic under Walter Damrosch

Instrumentation
three flutes (one doubling piccolo), two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, bass clarinet, three saxophones (alto, tenor, and baritone), two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (bass drum, bells, cymbals, snare drum, taxi horns, tom-toms, triangle, xylophone), celesta, and strings

Duration
16 minutes

Something to listen for
The title of this gives us what Gershwin wanted us to hear.  His visit to Paris was exhilarating.  The city was the home to many jazz clubs as well as its own historic charm.  The sound of modern engines and car horns was pervasive.  Gershwin asks for sounds from four of the now old-fashioned car horns that he heard in Paris.  We can imagine ourselves exploring Paris alongside the composer almost a century ago.  

Program Notes

From his first awareness of music, George Gershwin loved the popular songs of the American people.  His goal in life was not to become a great symphonic composer, but to become a writer of songs people would sing, hum, and whistle.  He achieved that goal with his catalogue of popular songs, and even his serious orchestral and opera creations provide melodies most people recognize and indeed sing, hum, and whistle.

The Gershwin family owned a piano, and George and his brother Ira both took lessons.  His most influential teacher was Charles Hambitzer, who taught the boys the great literature of the instrument.  Hambitzer championed the young George, although he didn't agree with his pupil's desire to write in popular idioms.

Gershwin's love of popluar music led him to seek a job on Tin Pan Alley where music was published and live pianists demonstrated the new music available.  He became a song plugger, one of those pianists playing new compositions to encourage purchase, practicing his classical music when he was not otherwise occupied and composing songs to rival those he was plugging.  His first big success was Swanee in 1919.  One of his fellow song pluggers named Harry Ruby said of Gershwin at this early part of his career:

"Sometimes when he spoke of the artistic mission of popular music we thought we was high-fallutin'."

Gershwin on the other hand felt that learning to play Bach and the music of the rest of the art, music composers could give him the tools he needed to write successful popular songs.

In 1928, Gershwin traveled to Paris.  His visit inspired this tone poem, An American in Paris, which creates the picture of an American tourist on a Parisienne boulevard.  The work is intended to evoke the sights and emotions of a man visiting the cosmopolitan city.  The percussion section must seek out four car horns of the 1920's, preferably French, to make sure the impact is just right.  The depiction of his visit includes wonder, joy, and the inevitable homesickness of the tourist.

An American in Paris found a home on the big screen of movie making.  In 1951, the title was used as title and plot for a movie musical.  The musical includes a ballet sequence including this composition.  Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron created pictures impossible to eradicate from the minds of those who have seen their dancing.  The movie became the third musical in Academy history to be named the best picture of the year.