George Gershwin

Three Preludes
By Krissy Peterson
George Gershwin
● Began to play at clubs at age 15.
● His most revered work is Rhapsody in Blue, which
he wrote in 1924, commissioned by Paul
Whiteman.
● He died on July 11, 1937 after an unsuccessful
attempt to remove a brain tumor.
Three Preludes
● Premiered at the Hotel Roosevelt, New York, on December 4, 1926 by George
Gershwin.
● The Piece has 3 Movements

1. Allegro be ritamo e deciso

2. Andante con moto e poco rubato
3. Allegro ben ritamo e decio
● Gershwin dedicated the Three Preludes to friend and musical advisor Bill Daly.
LIstening Guide
Time Musical Elements Instrumentation

0:00 First Prelude begins-- Solo Piano

Exposition of Theme A, allegro tempo, duple simple
meter, forte dynamic

0:04 Addition of base clef Solo Piano

Repeat theme A an octave higher
Forte dynamic

0:18 Transition into theme B Solo Piano

Motive repeats, decrescendo to piano followed by a
crescendo

0:39 Variation of theme B repeating twice Solo Piano

0:49 Variation of theme A (added scales) Solo Piano

Fortissimo Dynamic
1:00 Variation of theme A an octave higher with harmonies Solo Piano
Fortissimo dynamic continues

1:09 Transition to the end Solo Piano

1:14 Still fortissimo Solo Piano

Ascending scale in decrescendo –ff to p

1:17 Final cord, fortissimo Solo Piano

1:18 Second Prelude Begins with basso ostinato 4X Solo Piano

Piano dynamic - duple simple - andante tempo

1:29 Top hand joins playing melody (theme A) Solo Piano

1:37 Theme A repeated an octave higher Solo Piano

2:02 Variation of theme A - added harmonies in top hand Solo Piano

2:22 Variation repeats again Solo Piano

2:32 Key change — theme B begins Solo Piano
End of basso ostinato
Tempo picks up to moderato

2:42 Theme B repeats Solo Piano

2:57 Decrescendo into a transition Solo Piano

3:07 Exposition to original key Solo Piano

Return to andante tempo
Return of basso ostinato

3:12 Return of theme A in top hand Solo Piano

3:32 Variation of theme A Solo Piano

Crescendo to forte, followed by a return to
piano

3:43 Ascending scale followed by final chord Solo Piano

3:50 Third Prelude begins, introduction in forte Solo Piano
Allegro tempo
Duple simple meter

3:58 Theme A (melody) begins with a minor Solo Piano

tonality

4:07 Slight transitional theme 2X Solo Piano

4:14 Theme A returns, played once originally, Solo Piano

then a second time an octave higher in
piano dynamic

4:23 Theme b repeating twice Solo Piano

4:38 Transition, trill like upper hand with Solo Piano

descending lower cords
4:42 Variation of theme A, with added Solo Piano
harmonies in upper hands
Repeats twice

4:50 Ascending scale – remains in Forte Solo Piano

dynamic

4:52 Finish Solo Piano