Porgy and Bess (Gershwin, George)

Since this work was first published after 1922 with the prescribed copyright notice, it is unlikely that this work is public domain in the USA. However, it is in the public domain in Canada (where IMSLP is hosted), the EU, and in those countries where the copyright term is life+70 years or less. IMSLP does not assume any sort of legal responsibility or liability for the consequences of downloading files that are not in the public domain in your country.

		Movements/Sections 3 Acts Composition Year 1934-35 Genre Categories Operas; Stage Works; For voices, mixed chorus, orchestra; Scores featuring the voice; Scores featuring mixed chorus; Scores featuring the orchestra; For voices and chorus with orchestra; English language; For piano (arr); For 1 player; Scores featuring the piano; For 2 pianos (arr); For 2 players

Sheet Music

• Arrangements and Transcriptions (5)

Arrangements and Transcriptions

"Summertime" (Act I)

For Piano solo (Rubinstein)

 Complete score [TB]
*#13355 - 0.40MB, 7 pp. -  5.9/10 2 4 6 8 10 (25) - V/41/23

PDF scanned by Unknown
Jujimufu (2007/9/6)

Arranger:

Beryl Rubinstein (1898-1952)

Publisher Info.:

New York: Gershwin Publishing Corp., 1945. Plate 59.

Copyright:

Public Domain - Non-PD US, Non-PD EU [tag/del]

Misc. Notes:

This file is from the MIT archive project.

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"I got plenty o' nuttin'" (Act II)

For Piano solo (Rubinstein)

 Complete score [TB]
*#13353 - 0.23MB, 5 pp. -  6.0/10 2 4 6 8 10 (3) - V/41/23

PDF scanned by Unknown
Jujimufu (2007/9/6)

Arranger:

Beryl Rubinstein (1898-1952)

Publisher Info.:

New York: Gershwin Publishing Corp., 1945. Plate 58.

Copyright:

Public Domain - Non-PD US, Non-PD EU [tag/del]

Misc. Notes:

This file is from the MIT archive project.

Purchase:

Javascript is required for this feature.

"Bess, you is my woman now" (Act II)

For 2 Pianos

 Complete score (EU)
*#12269 - 0.42MB, 6 pp. -  7.5/10 2 4 6 8 10 (4) - C/N/C - 8135x⇩

PDF scanned by Unknown
ValeriyaSholokhova (2007/8/21)

Publisher Info.:

Unidentified publisher, n.d.(ca.1960).

Copyright:

Public Domain - Non-PD US [tag/del]

Purchase:

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For Piano solo (Rubinstein)

 Complete score [TB]
*#13352 - 0.40MB, 7 pp. -  8.4/10 2 4 6 8 10 (5) - V/41/23

PDF scanned by Unknown
Jujimufu (2007/9/6)

Arranger:

Beryl Rubinstein (1898-1952)

Publisher Info.:

New York: Gershwin Publishing Corp., 1945. Plate 60.

Copyright:

Public Domain - Non-PD US, Non-PD EU [tag/del]

Misc. Notes:

This file is from the MIT archive project.

Purchase:

Javascript is required for this feature.

"It ain't necessarily so" (Act II)

For Piano solo (Rubinstein)

 Complete score [TB]
*#13354 - 0.99MB, 10 pp. -  5.6/10 2 4 6 8 10 (5) - V/41/23

PDF scanned by Unknown
Jujimufu (2007/9/6)

Arranger:

Beryl Rubinstein (1898-1952)

Publisher Info.:

New York: Gershwin Publishing Corp., 1945. Plate 61.

Copyright:

Public Domain - Non-PD US, Non-PD EU [tag/del]

Misc. Notes:

This file is from the MIT archive project.

Purchase:

Javascript is required for this feature.

Javascript is required to submit files.

General Information

Work Title	Porgy and Bess
Alternative Title

Composer	Gershwin, George
Movements/Sections	3 Acts
Year/Date of Composition	1934-35
First Performance	30 September 1935 Boston: Colonial Theatre
First Publication	1935
Librettist	DuBose Heyward (1885-1940) Ira Gershwin (1896-1983) Dorothy Heyward (1890-1961)
Language	English
Dedication	To My Parents
Piece Style	Early 20th century
Instrumentation	Voices, Chorus, Orchestra
External Links	Wikipedia article Porgy and Bess - scores at Sheet Music Plus Porgy and Bess vocal score (Alfred)

Misc. Comments

Based on DuBose Heyward's novel Porgy.

Cast

Black

• Porgy, a disabled beggar — bass-baritone
• Bess, Crown's girl — soprano
• Crown, a tough stevedore — baritone
• Sporting (Sportin') Life, a dope peddler — tenor
• Robbins, an inhabitant of Catfish Row — tenor
• Serena, Robbins's wife — soprano
• Jake, a fisherman — baritone
• Clara, Jake's wife — soprano
• Maria, keeper of the cook-shop — contralto
• Mingo — tenor
• Peter, the honey man — tenor
• Lily, Peter's wife — soprano
• Frazier, a "lawyer" — baritone
• Annie — mezzo-soprano
• Strawberry woman, a street vendor — mezzo-soprano
• Jim, a cotton picker — baritone
• Undertaker — baritone
• Nelson — tenor
• Crab man, a street vendor — tenor
• Scipio, a small boy — boy soprano

White

• Mr. Archdale, a white lawyer — spoken
• Detective — spoken
• Policeman — spoken
• Coroner — spoken

Publication History

Vocal Score:

• New York: George Gershwin Music / London: Chappell, 1935. 559 pages.