George Gershwin’s Song-Book.

GERSHWIN, George.

Item Number: 144505

New York: Random House, 1932.

Signed limited first edition of Gershwin’s classic songbook, with stunning Illustrations by Constantin Alajalov. Quarto, original publisher’s full crushed levant morocco with gilt titles and ruling to the spine and front panel, top edge gilt, frontispiece photograph of Gershwin playing the piano taken by Maurice Goldberg, profusely illustrated by Constantin Alajalov. Introduction by George Gershwin. One of three hundred numbered copies signed by George Gershwin and Constantin Alajalov, this is number 107. With the additional 4-page suite of sheet music contained in a pocket at rear titled “Mischa, Yascha, Toscha, Sascha” by George Gershwin. In very good condition. A rare and desirable edition of the great American Composer’s best-known works including I Got Rhythm, The Man I Love, and ‘S Wonderful. A very sharp example.

American composer and pianist George Gershwin’s orchestral compositions spanned the genres of popular, jazz, and classical music and are now considered to be some of the most important musical works of the twentieth century. Gershwin began his career composing Broadway theatre works with his brother Ira Gershwin and soon became a major figure in musical theatre in New York City and later Hollywood. Gershwin's classic Song-Book is illustrated with full-page color lithographic plates after Constantin Alajalov, and includes such Gershwin standards as “Swanee,” “Fascinating Rhythm,” “That Certain Feeling,” “The Man I Love,” “Strike Up the Band,” and “I Got Rhythm,” among others. “In one of his few prose writings, George provided an introduction for the song book. What is most important… is that it contained the original published version of each song, followed side by side by George’s ‘improvised’ versions of the songs” (Carnovale, 14).