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Plus, Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” and the music of Bernstein featured during the fourth concert of Symphony’s Summer Festival 2011
The iconic Duke Ellington Orchestra joins Pacific Symphony, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, for an evening of sultry saxophone, old school rhythm and blues, and music that became a cornerstone of American culture. As the Boston Globe put it, “In the century since Duke Ellington’s birth, there has been no greater composer, American or otherwise.” As a composer and bandleader, Ellington led one of the most remarkable and self-defined orchestras in jazz for 50 years, and today, the legend lives on, as the orchestra continues to perform his music all over the world. Maintained by Ellington’s grandson, Paul Mercer Ellington, with pianist Tommy James, the orchestra carries on the legend of the man who “defied category.” Ellington’s musical genius is featured in a treasure trove of memorable songs: “It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing,” “Sophisticated Lady,” “Mood Indigo,” “Take the ‘A’ Train” and more.
During the first half, the Symphony performs works by great American composers: Bernstein’s rousing “Slava!,” “Three Dance Episodes” from “On the Town,” and Gershwin’s much loved “An American in Paris.” The concert takes place on Saturday, August 27, 8 p.m., at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine. Individual tickets are $25 (lawn) to $99 (orchestra); kids under 14 are half price in most sections with the purchase of an adult ticket. Guests are welcome to picnic on the grounds of the amphitheater starting at 6 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (714) 755-5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org.
“Celebrating the music of my friend and mentor, Leonard Bernstein, along with Gershwin’s ‘An American in Paris,’ will serve as an exciting prelude to the second half featuring the Duke Ellington Orchestra,” says Maestro St.Clair. “It will be a hot evening at Verizon—filled with jazz, blues and that great American sound!”
The orchestra opens with Bernstein’s “Slava!,” a political overture boasting brass timbres and non-stop momentum followed by his “Three Dance Episodes” from “On the Town,” selected as a concert suite from Bernstein’s first venture onto the Broadway stage, a wartime story about three sailors on a 24-hour shore leave in New York City. Then, Gershwin favorite, “An American in Paris,” evokes all the energy and aural delights of walking through the streets of Paris, with a hint of blues as the visitor is reminded of home.
Ellington remains one of the most influential figures in jazz, if not in all American music. He gave American music its own sound for the first time and in his 50-year career, he played over 20,000 performances in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia. Simply put, Ellington transcends boundaries and fills the world with music that renews itself through every generation of fans and music-lovers. Writing “Mood Indigo” in 15 minutes while waiting for his mother to cook dinner, other songs gave him more trouble, such as “Sophisticated Lady,” written about his mother.
Since his death in 1974, Ellington’s reputation has increased with thematic repackagings of his music often becoming best-sellers. During his lifetime, he won 13 Grammys and was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the French Legion of Honor. Posthumous recognition of his work includes the Pulitzer Prize for Achievement in Music and Fine Art. Winston Marsalis may have said it best when he said, “His music sounds like America.”
“You’ve got to find some way of saying it without saying it.” –Ellington
Coming up—the traditional end to the Summer Festival, “Tchaikovsky Spectacular,” includes thrilling cannons and spectacular fireworks in the “1812” Overture plus enchanting works by favorite Russian composers. Led by Assistant Conductor Maxim Eshkenazy on Sept. 3, at 8 p.m., the program features Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, performed by Gregorian virtuoso Alexander Korsantia, Shostakovich’s “Festive Overture,” Liadov’s “The Enchanted Lake” and Tchaikovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty.”
This concert is sponsored by Hoag. Summer Festival 2011 is presented by Hoag, with additional support from The Orange County Register; American Airlines, The Westin South Coast Plaza, KUSC, PBS SoCal, K-EARTH and KPCC.
