Of Thee I Sing - INSCRIBED PRESENTATION COPY WITH AUTOGRAPH MUSICAL QUOTATION TO GEORGE PALAY de Gershwin, George. (1898–1937) - 1932

New York: New World Music Corporation / Harms, 1932. First edition. Used; Like New/Used; Like New. Upright folio. Original wrappers printed in red, black, and white. Title (vb); Cast (vb); Synopsis (vb); Musical Program; 5 - 198. This copy has been inscribed by Gershwin with an AMQS on the title page to his lifelong friend George Pallay: "For George Pallay – [bar of music] / from / George Gershwin / July 6, 1932." Nicely bound in modern grey cloth with title to spine, original front wrapper bound in (rear wrapper lacking) and with edge tears repaired and filled on this page and the following, otherwise very clean internally and in fine condition overall. Fuld p. 654, indicating that the present score was published on April 29, 1932. An excellent association copy. 
"Of The I Sing" opened in New York City on Dec. 26, 1931 and ran for 441 performances, receiving critical and box office success. Brooks Atkinson's original review in the New York Times called it "a taut and lethal satire... funnier than the government, and not nearly so dangerous." In 1932, it became the first musical comedy ever to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize.  An original musical comedy in two acts, with the book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin, the songs in the production include: "Wintergreen For President"; "Who Is the Lucky Girl To Be?"; "The Dimple on My Knee"; "Because, Because"; "As the Chairman of the Committee"; "How Beautiful"; "Never Was There a Girl So Fair"; "Some Girls Can Bake a Pie"; "Love is Sweeping the Country"; "Of Thee I Sing"; "(Here's) a Kiss for Cinderella"; "I Was the Most Beautiful Blossom"; "Hello, Good Morning"; "Who Cares?"; "Garcon, S'il vous plait"; "The Illegitimate Daughter"; "We'll Impeach Him"; "The (Senatorial) Roll Call"; "Jilted"; "Who Could Ask For Anything More? I'm About to Be a Mother)"; "Posterity (Is Just Around the Corner)"; "Trumpeter, Blow Your (Golden) Horn"; and "Finale (On That Matter No One Budges)." 
"George Pallay [was] a Paley cousin and a friend of George's since 1917. Pallay was a bit of a shady character. It was said that he had Mafia connections. A stock promoter and investor who had changed his name from Abramson, he was often part of George's entourage, someone who arranged the tickets, knew the right bootleggers. He was the friend who would get the girl for George and then get rid of the girl for George. Pallay was singularly devoted to George, and no one had been more vigilant during the final days. Pallay had played a  key role at the hospital during [Gershwin's brain] surgery, having been stationed at a desk just outside the operating theater, along with George's agent, Arthur Lyons. As the operation progressed, the doctors would tell Pallay what was happening, and then he would relay the latest update by telephone to the four family members – Lee and Ira, and Lee's sister Emily Paley and her husband, Lou, who had just arrived – waiting on another floor. At first the news seemed good, and Pallay informed the family that a cyst the size of a grapefruit had been discovered and excised. This seemed to be good news, and the doctors were momentarily optimistic. The news was relayed to the family. Then the surgeons discovered that in fact there remained an embedded tumor. At this point, George's brain was swelling uncontrollably. The outlook was grim. This terrible update was relayed by Pallay to the family." (Katharine Weber, The Memory of All That: George Gershwin, Kay Swift, and My Family's Legacy of Infidelities, New York: Broadway Paperbacks, 2011, pp. 216-217).