Fascinating Rhythm Gershwin Solo Piano Music

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Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: George Gershwin

Label: Helios

Magazine Review Date: 1/1991

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 60

Mastering:

DDD

Catalogue Number: CDH88045

Tracks:

Composition	Artist Credit
Rialto Ripples	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
(2) Waltzes	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Gershwin Songbook	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Lady, Be Good!, Movement: Overture	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Impromptu in two keys	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
(3) Preludes	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Primrose	George Gershwin, Composer George Gershwin, Composer
Three-quarter blues	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Promenade, 'Walking the Dog'	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Merry Andrew	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Jazzbo Brown Blues	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Girl Crazy, Movement: Overture	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer

Composer or Director: George Gershwin

Label: Helios

Magazine Review Date: 1/1991

Media Format: Cassette

Media Runtime: 0

Mastering:

DDD

Catalogue Number: KH88045

Tracks:

Composition	Artist Credit
Rialto Ripples	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
(2) Waltzes	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Gershwin Songbook	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Lady, Be Good!, Movement: Overture	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Impromptu in two keys	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
(3) Preludes	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Primrose	George Gershwin, Composer George Gershwin, Composer
Three-quarter blues	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Promenade, 'Walking the Dog'	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Merry Andrew	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Jazzbo Brown Blues	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer
Girl Crazy, Movement: Overture	George Gershwin, Composer Angela Brownridge, Piano George Gershwin, Composer

Author: Michael Stewart

At last we have a long awaited replacement to Richard Rodney Bennett's (almost) identical EMI Gershwin collection (8/81—nla) which has been unavailable for some time now. I say almost identical for Angela Brownridge has included three bonus items new to the UK—the overtures to Girl Crazy and Lady, be Good! and a little-known piano arrangement of the ballet from Primrose, giving us a generous 19 minutes extra music.
Judging by the verve and pep with which she dispatches these pieces, Brownridge clearly has a great affection for this music. Eighteen of the 31 tracks comprise the ever popular Song-book, containing favourites such as: ''The man I love'', ''I got rhythm'', '''S wonderful'' and ''Do it again''. These marvellous little gems are thrown-off with a tremendous amount of aplomb and elan, and she clearly heeds Gershwin's cautionary remark to pianists about using too much sustaining pedal in this music, and achieves just the right amount of brittleness to the rhythms that Gershwin asks for. If it's possible to hear this disc before purchasing, try ''I got rhythm'' and ''Swanee'' and you'll see what I mean.
The highlights of the collection for me were her excellent readings of the three Preludes; the outer preludes are rhythmically incisive and deftly shaped and the central Andante is played with much poetry. Less successful I felt were the overtures, where at times she makes heavier weather of some of the 'big' tunes, and I felt that she could have made much more of that gorgeous tune ''Embraceable you'' in Girl Crazy, though it has to be said that both overtures are much more effective in their original scorings. Of the remaining items there's plenty to enjoy, from the early rag Rialto Ripples, co-written with Walter Donaldson, to the entertaining ''Promenade'' that originated as an interlude called ''Walking the Dog'' from Shall We Dance?, and taking in on the way such delightful and rarely heard miniatures as Merry Andrew, Two Waltzes and Impromptu in two Keys.
This disc is an ideal candidate for listeners who have a random play facility on their players and is a must for all Gershwin fans.'