Gershwin, George. ...

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Gershwin, George. Autograph letter signed with musical quotation, 1 page (8.62 x 6.62 in.; 219 x 168 mm.), New York, [no date], to Dorothy [Heyward], on the composer's ONE THIRTY-TWO EAST SEVENTY-SECOND STREET NEW YORK stationery; notations in an unidentified hand on verso. A warm "get well" letter to Dorothy Heyward. To his friend feeling under the weather, Gershwin writes in full: Dear Dorothy - Just heard that you were not feeling well. Hope it is nothing more than a good case of spring fever. I'll bet you never got to taste that beautiful country butter I sent. Get well quickly and I send you some more. Bestest, George Gershwin. The letter includes a musical quotation of three bars from Porgy and Bess, "Summertime" (Act I, Scene I). As a postscript under the musical quotation Gershwin writes: (a little music helps sometimes). In addition to several works of her own, Dorothy Heyward co-authored the play Porgy (1927) with her husband DuBose Heyward, adapting it from his novel by the same name. Their work is now known best in its adaptation as the opera Porgy and Bess (1935), with music by George Gershwin. Originally conceived by George Gershwin as an "American folk opera," Porgy and Bess premiered in New York in the fall of 1935 and featured an entire cast of classically trained African-American singers-a daring artistic choice at the time. Gershwin chose the African-American musician Eva Jessye as the choral director for the opera. Gershwin explained why he called Porgy and Bess a folk opera in a 1935 New York Times article: "Porgy and Bess is a folk tale. Its people naturally would sing folk music. When I first began work on the music I decided against the use of original folk material because I wanted the music to be all of one piece. Therefore I wrote my own spirituals and folksongs. But they are still folk music - and therefore, being in operatic form, Porgy and Bess becomes a folk opera." A charming letter and an extraordinary association.