Ep.19 - George Gershwin’s Three Preludes

On July 20, 1925, Time magazine featured composer George Gershwin on its cover. At the time, Gershwin was redefining the American musical with smashing successes like his musical Lady Be Good! But musicals aren’t the only works Gershwin crafted. In the 1920’s, he began writing his piano preludes, which showcased the jazz-inspired elements of his compositional style. And that same decade would mark the beginning of the Prohibition in Gershwin’s country, America. The Prohibition was America’s nationwide ban on alcohol—selling, buying, importing, or otherwise obtaining alcoholic beverages. But, as we will soon discuss, people used other means outside the law to obtain alcohol—as they say, when there’s a will, there’s a way. And Gershwin, an American, would naturally be affected by the events that unfolded.

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