Porgy and Bess cover

Porgy and Bess

George Gershwin · 1991

74 min · 21 tracks · classical music

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Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

79 /100
Summit
Higher than 99% of albums we've rated

This album showcases a masterful blend of classical and jazz elements, with strong compositions and high-quality orchestration.

What we noticed

  • The album features a full orchestral arrangement that blends classical elements with jazz motifs, creating a rich sonic landscape.
  • The instrumentation varies throughout, with sections highlighting strings, brass, and woodwinds to evoke different emotional tones.
  • Several tracks include call-and-response patterns typical of African American musical traditions, enhancing the cultural authenticity.
Composition 25% of the score
8/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
9/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
7/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
9/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
8/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 8/10

Defined its genre or moment. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

  • 1 Porgy and Bess, Act I: Introduction 4:21
  • 2 Porgy and Bess, Act I: Summertime 3:14
  • 3 Porgy and Bess, Act I: Give him to me / A woman is a sometime thing 3:41
  • 4 Porgy and Bess, Act I: My man's gone now 3:58
  • 5 Porgy and Bess, Act I: How de saucer stan' now, my sister? 2:04
  • 6 Porgy and Bess, Act I: Oh, the train is at the station 4:11
  • 7 Porgy and Bess, Act II: Oh, I'm agoin' out to the Blackfish banks 3:27
  • 8 Porgy and Bess, Act II: Mus' be you mens forgot / Oh, I got plenty o' nuttin' 3:25
  • 9 Porgy and Bess, Act II: Lissen there, I hates yo' struttin' style 2:34
  • 10 Porgy and Bess, Act II: Buzzard keep on flyin' over 3:09
  • 11 Porgy and Bess, Act II: Honey, we sure goin' strut our stuff / Bess, you is my woman now 6:14
  • 12 Porgy and Bess, Act II: Oh, I can't sit down 4:20
  • 13 Porgy and Bess, Act II: It ain't necessarily so 6:06
  • 14 Porgy and Bess, Act II: Oh, what you want wid Bess? 4:18
  • 15 Porgy and Bess, Act II: A red-headed woman make a choo-choo jump its track 2:26
  • 16 Porgy and Bess, Act III: Listen: There's a boat dat's leavin' soon for New York 4:26
  • 17 Porgy and Bess, Act III: Dem white folks sure ain' put nuttin' over on this baby 4:01
  • 18 Porgy and Bess, Act III: Here Mingo, what's de matter wid you all? 1:41
  • 19 Porgy and Bess, Act III: Where's Bess? 3:12
  • 20 Porgy and Bess, Act III: Bess is gone 1:49
  • 21 Porgy and Bess, Act III: Oh Lawd, I'm on my way 1:34

What to play next

Gershwin Collection
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The Gershwins in Hollywood

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Reference: MusicBrainz