Gershwin Girl

When I was seven years old, my mother was taking me to the doctor (turned out I had pneumonia, but that's neither here nor there) and, being a good middle-class Mom, was not only listening to the classical music station, she had me picking out the individual instruments.

I forget what song had just finished, but I remember the inimitable trill of the opening riff to Rhapsody in Blue. Without prompting, I said, "That's a clarinet, and that's by Gershwin." She nearly ran off the road. Years later we worked out that she'd listened to the "Levant plays Gershwin" a lot while she was pregnant with me.

Imagine my joy, at hearing that Brian Wilson has been given permission by the Gershwin estate to complete some songs.

I can't wait.