Even if you're familiar with Constantin Alajálov's exceptional work for the New Yorker and the Saturday Evening Post, the artist's illustrations for George Gershwin's Song-Book (1932) come off as strikingly original and unexpected. Here's a generous sampling.
"Swanee"
"Nobody But You"
"I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise"
"Fascinating Rhythm"
"Oh, Lady Be Good"
"Somebody Loves Me"
"Sweet and Low Down"
What's this? My guess is that this colorful but cropped image of the illustration for "Sweet and Low Down" is from a modern reprint of the songbook. The rich color suggests that the full palette of Alajálov's artwork may not have been reflected in the original edition's reproductions. The cropping no doubt was done to eliminate the offensive blackface caricature on the left side of the illustration, something that was regrettably commonplace in the 1930's and is unpalatable today.
"That Certain Feeling"
"The Man I Love"
"Clap Yo' Hands"
"Do, Do, Do"
"'S Wonderful"
"Strike Up the Band"
"Liza"
"I Got Rhythm"
"Who Cares?"
Note: By now this blog has had quite a lot to say about the artwork of Constantin Alajálov and not quite so much on the music of George Gershwin.
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| Constantin Alajálov Dust jacket, George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
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| Dust jacket flaps George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
http://www.ebay.com/itm/George-Gershwins-Song-Book-1st-in-Dj-1932-Jazz-Rare-in-Dust-Jacket-/321326867588?pt=Antiquarian_Collectible&hash=item4ad092e484
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| Title Page George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
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| Table of Contents George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 http://www.ebay.com/itm/1932-George-Gershwins-Song-Book-Constantin-Alajalov-Russian-artist-signed-1st-/191183950430? |
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| Samuel M. Kootz on Constantin Alajálov George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 http://www.ebay.com/itm/1932-George-Gershwins-Song-Book-Constantin-Alajalov-Russian-artist-signed-1st-/191183950430? |
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| Constantin Alajálov "Swanee" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
"Nobody But You"
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| Constantin Alajálov "Nobody But You" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
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| Constantin Alajálov "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
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"I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise" for voice and piano
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1932-George-Gershwins-Song-Book-Constantin-Alajalov-Russian-artist-signed-1st-/191183950430?
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"Do It Again"
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| Constantin Alajálov "Do It Again" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
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| Constantin Alajálov "Fascinating Rhythm" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
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| Constantin Alajálov "Oh, Lady Be Good" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
"Somebody Loves Me"
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| Constantin Alajálov "Somebody Loves Me" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
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| Constantin Alajálov "Sweet and Low Down" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
Image replaced June 16, 2014
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| "Sweet and Low Down" [cropped] |
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| "Sweet and Low Down" for voice and piano George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
"That Certain Feeling"
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| Constantin Alajálov "That Certain Feeling" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
"The Man I Love"
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| Constantin Alajálov "The Man I Love" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
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| "The Man I Love" for voice and piano George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
"Do, Do, Do"
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| Constantin Alajálov "Do Do Do" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
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| Constantin Alajálov Original artwork for "Do Do Do" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
"My One and Only"
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| Constantin Alajálov "'S Wonderful" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
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| Constantin Alajálov "'S Wonderful" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
"Liza"
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| Constantin Alajálov "I Got Rhythm" George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 http://www.ebay.com/itm/George-Gershwins-Song-Book-1st-in-Dj-1932-Jazz-Rare-in-Dust-Jacket-/321326867588?pt=Antiquarian_Collectible&hash=item4ad092e484 |
"Who Cares?"
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| Constantin Alajálov Alajálov paints Gershwin George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932 |
January 5, 2020 Update: I'm not sure which song this illustration corresponds to. The four Gershwin songs still unaccounted for with illustrations are "Clap Yo' Hands," "My One and Only." "Strike Up the Band," and "Who Cares?" It looks to be "Who Cares?"
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| Constantin Alajálov "Who Cares?" [?] George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
Image added January 5, 2020
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Note: By now this blog has had quite a lot to say about the artwork of Constantin Alajálov and not quite so much on the music of George Gershwin.
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