Gershwin's own Suite from his opera Porgy and Bess is a large improvement on the suites composed by Morton Gould and Robert Russell Bennett, in that the orchestration is left alone more often and less new material is written into it than in the other two versions. Basically a "scissors and paste job," the new suite includes some music cut from the opera itself, along with many of the hit songs. The suite demonstrates Gershwin's considerable mastery of orchestral writing and orchestration as well.

Works: Gershwin: Catfish Row: Suite from Porgy and Bess (848-49).

Sources: Gershwin: Porgy and Bess (848-49).

Index Classifications: 1900s

Contributed by: Marc Geelhoed