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Rhapsody in Blue By: Raymon Trost Morris Gershovitz immigrated to New York from Russia in search of great opportunities. He had lost his Uncle’s address, his only contact in the new world. He would have no where to sleep or eat until he found him. He later would win food money in a card game, sleep in an alley, and eventually find his Uncle. He would fall in love and marry a friend Rose Bruskin, who came to New York sometime before. He had many jobs and had to move the family through twenty-eight different homes. In the temporary home that could change at anytime, Morris and Rose would have four children: Ira born on December 6, 1896, George on September 26, 1898, Arthur on March 14, 1900, and Frances on December 6, 1906. As the family changed the last name would change as well, Morris would use the name Gershvin. Ira would keep that name, but George would change is to Gershwin (Jablonski and Stewart). In school George was always being a trouble maker. His teacher Miss Smith would always have to talk to him about disciplinary problems. Music didn’t really interest him, he liked to spend his time with the boys, causing trouble in the streets. He would find his love of music while walking through the streets of New York. He went inside a penny arcade to find a mechanical piano. He put some money in the machine and listened to the sounds of Ruben stein’s “Melody in F”. George was in awe. Although the music stopped, the music in his soul would never leave him (Jablonski and Stewart). He would later meet a boy, named Maxie Rosenzweig, that would get him started on his path to stardom. They would become the best of friends. Maxie taught George everything that he knew about what went into making music. George would keep a musical scrapbook where he would keep programs and sketches of his favorite musical things (Kresh). In 1910, the Gershwin’s bought a piano for Ira. However, it was George that took lessons from a neighborhood lady. He would progress very quickly. She would not be able to teach him anymore, so she referred him to a new teacher, Charles Hambitzer. He was very fond of George’s hidden talents. George would always want to move on to more modern things like jazz, but Charles would never allow it.
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