Composers
Duke Ellington
1899 - 1974About
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 |