Yet when the duke and his writing partner billy strayhorn first announced plans to take the classical ballet and perform a jazz version, even members of duke s orchestra expressed. The creative collaboration of duke ellington and billy. Ellington and strayhorns nutcracker suite i came across this columbia record video concerning the release of duke ellingtons nutcracker suite recording. Dorrance dance just premiered their tapdance nutcracker at the joyce. This album paired two multimovement compositions created collaboratively by duke ellington and billy strayhorn. Duke ellington, billy strayhorn and the adventures of peer. Featuring jazz interpretations of tchaikovskys the nutcracker, the album has come to be recognized as one of duke ellington s most important albums of the 1960s. Duke ellington and his orchestra, em the nutcracker suite. First, because it portrays billy strayhorn and recognizes the impact of this private man on duke ellington s music. Sweetpea comes back into the spotlight in uindy centennial celebration duke ellington and billy strayhorn at work. Ellington and billy strayhorn wrote the queens suite for queen elizabeth ii who was presented with a single pressing of the. Dec 09, 2016 the nutcracker suite is an album by american pianist, composer and bandleader duke ellington recorded for the columbia label in 1960 featuring jazz interpretations of the nutcracker by. He even arranged several classical favorites for jazz band, including tchaikovskys nutcracker suite and. Featuring jazz interpretations of tchaikovskys the nutcracker, the album has come to be recognised as one of duke ellington s most important albums of the 1960s.
The baltimore symphony orchestra performs duke ellingtons nutcracker with step afrika. The musical performance will take place december, 14, 2014 at the apollo. Complete your duke ellington and his orchestra ellington, strayhorn, tchaikovsky collection. One of duke ellington s most delightful adaptations of another composers material is his reworking of tchaikovskys nutcracker suite into jazz. Coarranged by billy strayhorn, this is a remarkable work by the ellington orchestra. The swinging rhythms, brass and saxheavy instrumentation, and addition of unexpected jazzy chords here and there turned what had been a very highbrow piece of music into something accessible to a much larger. On a night in 1960, legendary musician and band leader duke ellington, along with his collaborator billy strayhorn, decided to jazz up tchaikovskys christmastime staple, nutcracker suite. The marquee at the apollo advertises duke ellingtons nutcracker suite december 11, 2014 in new york. Duke ellingtons arrangement is great and ive heard played great.
The great paris concert atlantic live atlantic 1966. The nutcracker suite is an album by american pianist, composer and bandleader duke ellington recorded for the columbia label in 1960 featuring jazz. Duke ellington the nutcracker suite rtv slovenia symphony orchestra duration. It juxtaposes two versions of tchaikovskys nutcracker suite on the same disc.
Jul 21, 2016 while duke loved jazz, he also enjoyed the music of many classical composers and longed to break down the barrier between the two types of music. Duke ellingtons nutcracker suite by anna harwell celenza and don tate. Ellington, composer of approximately two thousand compositions, rarely arranged music that was not of his own creation. In 1960 duke ellington and his orchestra recorded an album for the columbia.
While duke loved jazz, he also enjoyed the music of many classical composers and longed to break down the barrier between the two types of music. Composer billy strayhorn takes center stage alongside jazz legend duke ellington. The legendary composing and arranging skills of duke ellington and billy strayhorn also make it nutcracker season for jazz aficionados. But the great bandleader had a genius for being the center of attention even while letting the public know how much he valued. Ensemblenew york, and a 1960 duke ellingtonbilly strayhorn jazz version. The liner to the original nutcracker suite cd is notable for two reasons. The queens suite is unified by prominent use of clarinets, their woodiness reinforcing the nature theme. Each of the ten movements of jazz planets features a soloist from the echoes of ellington orchestra.
This authentic edition of tchaikovskys nutcracker suite, as arranged in 1960 by billy strayhorn and duke ellington, was assembled from the original manuscripts held in the strayhorn repository and the ellington collection of the smithsonian institutions national museum of american history. Steven richman and the harmonie ensemblenew york had a great idea to do both versions and put in onto one cd harmonia mundi 907493. Writes the nyt columnist david leonhardt in email that i could unsubscribe from, but this is clearly excellent enough to stay my hand for the nonce. In 1960 duke ellington and his orchestra recorded an album for the columbia label titled swinging suites by edward e. The nutcracker ballet was first performed on december 18, 1892 in st. Nutcracker suite duke ellington library performance. The album won a grammy award for best jazz performance by a big band in 1976. While performing at the leeds music festival in 1958, composer, pianist, and band leader duke ellington was invited to attend the mayors reception at leeds civic hall. Tapping ellington and strayhorns nutcracker suite wise music. Duke ellington, billy strayhorn and the adventures of peer gynt in. The nutcracker suite in 1960, duke ellington and billy strayhorn put together a jazz version of the nutcracker suite. Justin varnes the jazz corner hilton head island, sc december 15, 2017 every christmas is the nutcracker season for ballet aficionados. Ellingtons nutcracker at the jazz corner all about jazz. The now can be heard performing duke ellingtons nutcracker suite in a concert recorded during january.
Bringing the necessary composing skills to the duke ellington orchestra, billy strayhorn was able to add to the success of the band by writing original works and rearranging current ellington tunes. Duke ellington and his orchestra nutcracker suitepeer. Ellington, when you formed the duke ellington orchestra way back in 1923, did you think it would still be thriving 96 years later. Feb 03, 2020 the now can be heard performing duke ellington s nutcracker suite in a concert recorded during january. Tchaikovsky, ellingtonstrayhorn, nutcracker suites. Its a work that is reimagined by the composing genius. In 1960 duke ellington and billy strayhorn reinvented peter ilyich tchaikovskys holiday ballet classic, the nutcracker suite, as a jazzy, brassy. Dec 03, 2015 the marquee at the apollo advertises duke ellington s nutcracker suite december 11, 2014 in new york. The nutcracker suite is an album by american pianist, composer and bandleader duke ellington recorded for the columbia label in 1960 featuring jazz interpretations of the nutcracker by.
Dec 10, 20 ellington, composer of approximately two thousand compositions, rarely arranged music that was not of his own creation. Yet when the duke and his writing partner billy strayhorn first announced plans to take the classical ballet and perform a jazz version, even members of dukes orchestra expressed their doubts that the project would amount to much. Tchaikovsky, ellingtonstrayhorn, nutcracker suites, harmonie. By the time i was somewhere in midadolescence my friend brought over a copy of the duke ellington organization doing the ellington strayhorn version of the suite. Dec 09, 2019 the paradise jazz series audience consumes twohours of duke ellington s hits, plus his nutcracker suite duke ellington mr. Duke ellington and his orchestra the nutcracker suite. Duke ellingtons elegant and witty reworkings of tchaikovskys nutcracker and griegs peer gynt suites are featured along with an ellingtonian jazz planets a new version of gustav holsts planets suite in its centenary year. The queens suite is as beautiful and fascinating as the story of its creation, which begins when an american duke met the queen of england.
Scopri pubblicazioni, recensioni, brani, consigli, e molto altro su duke ellington and his orchestra ellington, strayhorn, tchaikovsky the nutcracker suite in discogs. Dec 09, 2019 i usually suggest duke ellingtons arrangement of tchaikovskys nutcracker suite, my favorite piece of holiday music. Duke ellington and his orchestra ellington, strayhorn, tchaikovsky duke ellington and his orchestra ellington, strayhorn, tchaikovsky the nutcracker suite. The nutcracker suite is an album by american pianist, composer and bandleader duke ellington recorded for the columbia label in 1960 featuring jazz interpretations of the nutcracker by tchaikovsky, arranged by ellington and billy strayhorn. Nutcracker suite is a work that most of us know from the christmas holiday, a ballet that as a schoolchild one had to see. This edition of tchaikovskys the nutcracker suite, arranged in 1960 by billy strayhorn and duke ellington, was assembled from the original manuscripts held in the strayhorn repository and the ellington collection of the smithsonian institutions national museum of american history. By the time i was somewhere in midadolescence my friend brought over a copy of the duke ellington organization doing the ellingtonstrayhorn version of the suite. Duke ellington and his orchestra the nutcracker suite 1960. Featuring jazz interpretations of tchaikovskys the nutcracker, the album has come to be recognized as one of duke ellingtons most important albums of the 1960s. For purposes of accuracy, the manuscripts were crosschecked carefully with the original duke ellington orchestra recording columbia cs 8341. Duke ellington freely acknowledged the help he received from billy strayhorn. Fortunately for holiday listeners, he teamed with cocomposer billy strayhorn for an intriguing version of the nutcracker suite performed by the ellington orchestra and recorded on a 1960 lp titled three suites. Featuring jazz interpretations of tchaikovskys the nutcracker, the album has come to be recognised as one of duke ellingtons most important albums of the 1960s. The nutcracker suite duke ellington album wikipedia.
Duke ellington piano willie cook, fats ford, ray nance, clark terry trumpet lawrence brown, booty wood, britt. Just wrapping up my upload of duke s rendition of the nutcracker suite. In 1960, ellington and strayhorn wrote their version of the famous tchaikovsky ballet. Dec 08, 2015 strayhorn 19151967 gave ellington his theme song, take the a train, with which the university of indianapolis collaborative jazz orchestra opened a concert monday night focusing mainly on the two mens recasting of tchaikovskys first nutcracker suite. Later in the week on radio 3 saturday, midnight corey mwambas freeness delves into improvisatory musics relationship with the australian outback. He even arranged several classical favorites for jazz band, including tchaikovskys nutcracker suite and griegs peer gynt suite. Mar 15, 2014 bringing the necessary composing skills to the duke ellington orchestra, billy strayhorn was able to add to the success of the band by writing original works and rearranging current ellington tunes. America certainly can put duke ellington on the same pedestal. Composer billy strayhorn takes center stage alongside jazz legend duke ellington in this dynamic picture book account of the composition and recording of their reimagined nutcracker suite.
Duke ellington s elegant and witty reworkings of tchaikovskys nutcracker and griegs peer gynt suites are featured along with an ellingtonian jazz planets a new version of gustav holsts planets suite in its centenary year. Oct 08, 20 heres a clever, wellexecuted album with a clever, wellexecuted plan. Dec 05, 2012 lake zurich hs band wednesday, december 5, 2012. Duke ellingtons arrangement of tchaikovskys nutcracker suite. Nutcracker suite duke ellington library performanc. Duke ellington and his orchestra, 1960, stereo, an album by duke ellington on spotify. Ship this item qualifies for free shipping buy online, pick up in store check availability at nearby stores. Duke ellingtons version of the nutcracker suite heard in. Eso jazz masters is a post on a performance by the edmonton symphony orchestra and musical director bill eddins of edmonton, alberta, friday, feb. Ellingtons nutcracker suite, the aussie outback, chicagos jazz age art and aycliffe radio tonights radio 3 in concert at 7.
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