Prom 54: Duke Ellington’s Sacred Music - 29.08.19

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

22:15 Thursday 29 August 2019
Royal Albert Hall

Sacred Music by Duke Ellington

Monty Alexander - piano
Annette Walker - tap dancer
BBC Singers
Carleen Anderson and the UK Vocal Assembly
Nu Civilisation Orchestra
Peter Edwards - conductor

Jazz, showbiz swagger and spirituality come together as never before in Duke Ellington’s spectacular Sacred Concerts.

Described by Ellington himself as ‘the most important thing I have ever done’, these sacred revues, blending big-band jazz, gospel and Broadway-style melodies, bring all the legendary musician’s originality and energy to Christian subjects, and generated three critically acclaimed, boundary-crossing albums.

Drawing on these, the Proms premieres a brand-new Sacred Concert – an exhilarating evening of dance, song and spectacle.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

This is completely new to me!

[gradus]

I have an open reel recording from Westminster Abbey (I think) of one of the Duke's last Sacred Concerts and this reminds me to get it transferred to a digital file. This is an area of his output that seems to attract criticism or worse still, indifference.

[Serial_Apologist]

Described by Ellington himself as ‘the most important thing I have ever done’, these sacred revues, blending big-band jazz, gospel and Broadway-style melodies, bring all the legendary musician’s originality and energy to Christian subjects,

Really, you sometimes wonder at the writers brought in to publicise these Proms! What Christian subjects? Original Sin? the Ten Commandments? Or do they mean the people who believe in it?

[Serial_Apologist]

I have an open reel recording from Westminster Abbey (I think) of one of the Duke's last Sacred Concerts and this reminds me to get it transferred to a digital file. This is an area of his output that seems to attract criticism or worse still, indifference.

There's some lovely music in them, but for me, being a non-Christian, maybe, the quality is uneven in places, which to be honest is a polite way of saying cringeworthy.

[Quarky]

On listening again this evening, despite strictures above, I felt this was an enjoyable concert, and captured something of the African experience in the USA.

But then, I'm not too demanding on musical quality.