Three Preludes, No. 1 & 3 - George Gershwin (1898–1937)

Fundraising Concert for Care Clinic 22.06.2026 Three Preludes, No. 1 & 3 George Gershwin (1898–1937) Joey Haddad, piano (LNHCM, Janna Popkova) Gershwin composed his Three Preludes for piano in 1926, initially conceiving them as part of a larger cycle of twenty-four pieces. The final set reflects Gershwin’s mature effort to integrate jazz idioms into concise, formally controlled piano works rooted in the Western art music tradition. Rather than functioning as improvisatory miniatures, the preludes are tightly structured and economically proportioned. Prelude No. 1 is built around a strong rhythmic motive derived from syncopated jazz patterns. Cast in a clear ternary form, the piece juxtaposes percussive chordal writing with contrasting lyrical passages Prelude No. 3 contrasts sharply in tempo and texture. Marked by a slower pace, it unfolds as a song-like structure centered on a blues-inspired melody.