麻豆社

Friday Night is Music Night - Paul Gambaccini introduces the Gershwin Prom from the Royal Albert Hall in London performed by the John Wilson Orchestra with singing guests Louise Dearman, Matthew Ford, Julian Ovenden and the Maida Vale Singers.

For its final visit to this year's 麻豆社 Proms - Radio 2 pays tribute to the music and lyrics two brothers from Brooklyn who grew up to be America's most celebrated song-writing duo - George and Ira Gershwin.

George made a late start in music - he showed little interest until at the age of 10 he commandeered his elder brother Ira's violin. His first job was plugging other writers songs in Tin Pan Alley whilst Ira contented himself working in the family business. George's first song When You Want 'Em, You Can't Get 'Em, When You've Got 'Em, You Don't Want 'Em - didn't really make a mark in the Great American Song Book. But when he was just 21 he wrote a song with lyrics by Irving Caesar which was heard and taken up by Al Jolson - Swannee. His first successful collaboration with his brother Ira was the show Lady Be Good which yielded the classic Gershwin number Fascination Rhythm. This was followed by Oh Kay!, Funny Face, Strike Up the Band and Girl Crazy.

Tonight's concert includes songs from the vast catalogue of the Gershwin brothers' work - including Fascinating Rhythm, But Not For Me and Love Walked In - as well as George's orchestral work for An American in Paris. Also included are songs from Ira's collaborations with other composers - Jerome Kern - Long Ago and Far Away, Harold Arlen - The Man That Got Away and Harry Warren - The Swing Trot.

During the interval Paul Gambaccini talks to conductor John Wilson about his career and work reconstructing the old MGM Hollywood film scores.

Concert recorded on 13th August 2016. First broadcast on 麻豆社 Radio 3.