Composers

Duke Ellington

1899 - 1974

About

Duke Ellington (1899-1974) led an illustrious career as a composer, pianist, and bandleader. He is considered by many to be one of America's most brilliant jazz composers of the twentieth century. He performed regularly at the Cotton Club in Harlem, and after World War II toured with his band in Europe regularly, as well as in South America, Asia, and Australia. He also wrote film scores and stage musicals, and several of his instrumental works were adapted into songs that became jazz standards. Ellington was the recipient of numerous Grammy Awards throughout his career, and in 1959 he was awarded the Spingarn Medal from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 1964. The city of New York gave him a prize and Yale University awarded him a Doctor of Music degree in 1967; Morgan State and Washington universities also gave him honorary degrees that year. On his seventieth birthday Ellington was honored by President Richard Nixon (1913–1994) at a White House ceremony and was given the Medal of Freedom. In 1970 he was elected to the National Institute of Arts and Letters. Ellington was the most important composer in the history of jazz and his influence over musicians is as important today as it was during his lifetime.

Related Information

Works by Duke Ellington

Title Collection Voice Type Range Poet
Ain't But the One Sacred Concert No. 1 Voice C4 - Ab5 Duke Ellington
Books of the Bible - The New Testament Sacred Concert No. 1 Voice Duke Ellington
Books of the Bible - The Old Testament Sacred Concert No. 1 Voice Spoken Duke Ellington
Come Sunday Sacred Concert No. 1 Voice G3 - F5 Duke Ellington
David Danced Sacred Concert No. 1 Voice G3 - Eb5 Duke Ellington
In the Beginning God Sacred Concert No. 1 Voice B3 - F5 Duke Ellington
Tell Me It's The Truth Sacred Concert No. 1 Voice Duke Ellington
The Lord's Prayer Sacred Concert No. 1 Voice Duke Ellington
Theme from a New World A - coming Sacred Concert No. 1 Voice Duke Ellington
Will You Be There? Sacred Concert No. 1 SATB Duke Ellington
Title Published Size Solo with Ensemble Duration Range Level Orchestration
Black, Brown and Beige Yes Full Orchestra 20+ Professional 2[1.2/pic] 1[1/Eh] 2[1.2/Bcl] 2[1.2/Asx]-4331-timp.perc-dmhp-pf-jazz bass-str
Black, Brown and Beige Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 2[1.2/pic] 2[1.2/Eh] 2[1.2/Asx/Bari] 2[1.2/Cbn]-4431- timp-perc(2)-dm-hp-str
Caravan No Full Orchestra Under 5 Professional Reed1(fl, cl)+reed2(cl, bcl)+reed3(fl, cl)+reed4(Eh)+1111-2330-timp-vib-mbaconga(2)-pf-hp-gtr-str
Ellington Portrait Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 2[1.2/pic] 1[1/Eh] 2[1.2/Bcl] 2[1.2/Asx]-2122-4331-timp-perc(2)- drmkit-hp-pf-jazz bass-str
Grand Slam Jam No Full Orchestra 5-10 Professional 23[1.2.3/Eh] 4[1.2.3.4/Bcl] 3[1.2.3./Cbn]-4431-timp-perc(2)-hp-str
Harlem Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 2[1.2/Picc] 2[1.2/Bcl] 2-Asx(2)Tsx(2), Bari-4331- timp-perc(2)-hp-str
Harlem Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 3[1.2.3/Picc] 2[1.2/Eh] 2[1.2/Bcl] 2-Asx(2), Tsx(2), Bari-3222- 4531-timp-perc(2)-hp-kbd-str
Mood Indigo (five brass setting) No Chamber 5-10 Professional Asx(2), Tsx(2), 11[1/Eh]11-0320-dmkit-pf-gtrhp-str
Mood Indigo (six-brass setting) No Chamber 5-10 Professional Asx, Tsx, Bari, 11[1/Eh]11[1/Bcl]-0330-dmkit-pfgtr-hp-st
New World A-Comin' Yes Full Orchestra 5-10 Professional 22[Eh]32[Bcl]-4431-timp-perc(2)-pf-jazz bass-str
Night Creature Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional Asx(2), Tsx(2), Bari, 2222[Bcl]-4431-timpperc(2)-hp-str
Nutcracker Suite (After Tchaikovsky) Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 22[1.2/Eh] 3[1.2.3/Bcl] 2-4331-asx/tsx-jazz bass-percstr
Satin Doll Yes Full Orchestra Under 5 Professional 2222-4430-vib-pf-str
Solitude No String Orchestra Under 5 Professional Hp-cel-str
Sophisticated Lady No String Orchestra Under 5 Professional Hp-cel-str
The Golden Broom and the Green Apple No Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 3[1.2.3/pic] 3[1.2.3/Eh] 3[1.2.3/Bcl] 3[1.2.3/Cbn]-4441-timp-percdms-hp-str
The River Yes Full Orchestra 20+ Professional 2[1.2/pic] 2[1.2/Eh] 2[1.2/Bcl] 2-4331-timp-perc(2)-hp-pfstr
Three Black Kings - ballet Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 3333-4441-timp+2-pf-elec gtr-hp-str