Porgy and Bess

The four arrangements that make up this suite of pieces from Gershwin's great opera Porgy and Bess can be played separately or in combination. The first movement moves from the virtuosic Overture into the opera's most famous tune, Summertime, which can be performed as a separate item. My Man's Gone Now, starting with a raw trombone solo, is the heart-rending lament of a woman whose husband has been drowned at sea. Bess You is My Woman Now is a beautiful love duet, featuring horn and flugelhorn. The tuba solo of I've got Plenty of Nothing leads into the jubilant Finale, a rousing number for the whole ensemble.