UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra plays Ellington Suites at Malmitalo

The late 1950’s and early 1960’s was a golden period in Duke Ellington’s prolific career. Both Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, his creative partner, were composing and arranging at the very top of their game. The Duke Ellington Orchestra of this period was also one of the best that the maestro ever had, with talented newcomers and experienced veterans joining forces to create a tight, swinging ensemble with exciting soloistic fireworks.
UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra’s seasonal performances of Ellington & Strayhorn’s Nutcracker Suite have quickly become a popular holiday tradition for the members of the orchestra and audience alike, and now UMO continues their exploration of this golden period of The Duke Ellington Orchestra by performing the pendant to the Nutcracker Suite, the equally wonderful but lesser known Peer Gynt Suite, originally composed by Edvard Grieg. This suite was recorded and released in 1960, on the same album as the Nutcracker Suite....

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The late 1950’s and early 1960’s was a golden period in Duke Ellington’s prolific career. Both Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, his creative partner, were composing and arranging at the very top of their game. The Duke Ellington Orchestra of this period was also one of the best that the maestro ever had, with talented newcomers and experienced veterans joining forces to create a tight, swinging ensemble with exciting soloistic fireworks.
UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra’s seasonal performances of Ellington & Strayhorn’s Nutcracker Suite have quickly become a popular holiday tradition for the members of the orchestra and audience alike, and now UMO continues their exploration of this golden period of The Duke Ellington Orchestra by performing the pendant to the Nutcracker Suite, the equally wonderful but lesser known Peer Gynt Suite, originally composed by Edvard Grieg. This suite was recorded and released in 1960, on the same album as the Nutcracker Suite.
The other multi-movement work to be performed is Such Sweet Thunder, made up of original compositions by Ellington and Strayhorn based on and inspired by literature and characters created by William Shakespeare. This music was recorded and released in 1957 and is considered one of the highlights of Ellington and Strayhorn’s collaborative work as composers.
UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra’s artistic director and chief conductor Ed Partyka conducts the concert.
Duration 1 hour.
Lippu.fi Standard 24,50 € Retiree 20 € Student, unemployed, serviceman, kid 10 € + service fee (from 1,50 € / order)

1950-luvun loppu ja 1960-luvun alku oli Duke Ellingtonin hänen luovan kumppaninsa Billy Strayhornin tuotteliaan sävellys- ja sovitusuran kultakautta. Samaan aikaan Ellingtonin nimeä kantava orkesteri eli parasta aikaansa, kun lahjakkaat uudet kyvyt ja kokeneet veteraanit yhdistivät taitonsa. Lopputuloksena oli tiukka ja svengaava huippukokoonpano, joka muistetaan edelleen.
UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra on vuosien varrella soittanut paljon Ellingtonin tuotantoa. Pähkinänsärkijästä on syntynyt vuosittainen jouluperinne, jota odottaa niin orkesteri kuin sen yleisökin. Tässä konsertissa UMO jatkaa Duke Ellington Orchestran kultakauden tutkimista pääkapellimestarinsa ja taiteellisen johtajansa Ed Partykan johtamana.
Hieman vähemmän kuultu Peer Gynt oli alun perin Edvard Griegin sävellys Henrik Ibsenin näytelmään. Se kertoo kuvitteellisen Peer Gynt -nimisen henkilön mielikuvituksellisista seikkailuista ja elämästä. Ellingtonin ja Strayhornin jazzinnos vuodelta 1960 herätti aikanaan kiivasta keskustelua kriitikoiden ja yleisön keskuudessa, paheksunnasta ylistykseen. Oli miten oli, viisiosainen teos on aikakautensa aitoa, nautittavaa big band -jazzia upeine soolo-osuuksineen.
Such Sweet Thunder vuodelta 1957 nostetaan usein Ellingtonin ja Strayhornin yhteistyön kohokohdaksi. Se on kaksikon kaksitoistaosainen sävellys, joka ammentaa inspiraatiota William Shakespearen luomista rikkaista henkilöhahmoista, tilanteista ja lausahduksista.
Konsertin kesto 1 h, ei väliaikaa.
Lippu.fi Peruslippu 24,50 € Eläkeläinen 20 € Opiskelija, työtön, varusmies, lapsi 10 € + tilausmaksut (alk. 1,50 € / tilaus)

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