In his new book George Gershwin: An Intimate Portrait, Walter Rimler writes about how George Gershwin,
"...along with Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, had been elected to honorary membership in the Academy of Santa Cecilia, Rome. George was informed of this in a letter dated February 9, 1937, from composer Alfredo Casella who addressed his as 'Dear Master' and asked for a new piece for September's Venice Fifth International Music Festival."I don't remember hearing about this honour for Villa-Lobos, or a commission for a new work from the Academy. I'll look into the standard references and check this out.
I've often been struck by the similarities between Villa-Lobos and George Gershwin. Both had a special connection to popular music, and both had formative artistic experiences in Paris in the 1920s. Both created a kind of "national style" for their respective countries. But perhaps most importantly, both loved billiards and big cigars.
Apparently, Gershwin was too busy to write anything for the Academy of Santa Cecilia, though in any case he was dead by July of that year. Every time I get sad thinking about Gershwin dying so young, I track down Ella Fitzgerald's recording of "Our Love is Here to Stay" (the last song, with words added by Ira after George's death). That makes me even sadder...
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