Prelude to a Kiss (song): Difference between revisions
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"'''Prelude to a Kiss'''" is a 1938 [[song]] composed by [[Duke Ellington]] with lyrics by [[Irving Gordon]] and [[Irving Mills]].<ref>[http://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-0/preludetoakiss.htm "Prelude to a Kiss" at Jazz Standards] - retrieved on 8 June 2009</ref> |
"'''Prelude to a Kiss'''" is a 1938 [[song]] composed by [[Duke Ellington]] with lyrics by [[Irving Gordon]] and [[Irving Mills]].<ref>[http://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-0/preludetoakiss.htm "Prelude to a Kiss" at Jazz Standards] - retrieved on 8 June 2009</ref> |
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Irving Gordon was asked to write the lyrics to the music. He said that the music was composed by Billy Strayhorn. Strayhorn sold the rights to Duke Ellington. |
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==Background and Composition== |
==Background and Composition== |
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Revision as of 18:15, 17 April 2015
"Prelude to a Kiss" is a 1938 song composed by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Gordon and Irving Mills.[1]
Background and Composition
This composition is in the key of C Major, but makes extensive use of the secondary dominant chords, secondary ii–V–I progressions, and Cadence (music)#Interrupted (deceptive) cadences.[2] The song extremely chromatic and complex, employing sophisticated mathematics that were rare at this time in jazz:[3] Most notably, Ellington uses a set of rising semitones (G-G#-A-A#-B) at the end of the bridge, and then uses an exact mirror going back into the A section (B-A#-A-G#-G).
By the late 1930s, Swing music was at the height of its popularity. Using his fame and artistic freedom, Ellington became more ambitious and experimental, writing "Prelude to a Kiss" which abandoned the Tin Pan Alley style hooks and dance tempo, for melodic lines and harmonies found more often in classical music.[4] Ellington originally recorded this piece as an instrumental in August 1938, before returning to the studio a few week later to record it as a vocal number, using lyrics by Irving Gordon and Irving Mills, with a young and relatively unknown Mary McHugh.[5]
Reception
Outside of jazz musicians and historians, Prelude to a Kiss remains one of the lesser known Ellington songs. Prominent jazz historian,Gunther Schuller, described Prelude to a Kiss as "One of Ellington's finest ballads, although too sophisticated in its weaving melody and chromatic harmonies to gain wide public acceptance."[6]
Notable recordings
- June Christy - Cool Christy (2002 compilation of 1945-1951), Big Band Specials (1962), A Friendly Session, Vol. 1 (2000) with the Johnny Guarnieri Quintet
- Billy Eckstine many times
- Duke Ellington - The Duke: The Essential Collection (1927-1962) (Disc 1)
- Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook (1958)
- Jim Hall And Ron Carter - Alone Together (1972)
- Debbie Harry recorded the song for the film Prelude to a Kiss in 1992. This was released a promotional CD single.
- Billie Holiday - Velvet Mood (1956)
- Nnenna Freelon - Heritage (1993)
- Roberta Flack - Roberta (1994)
- Keith Jarrett - Whisper Not (1999)
- Brad Mehldau - Introducing Brad Mehldau
- Nelson Rangell - Nelson Rangell (1990)
- Archie Shepp - Fire Music (1965)
- Singers Unlimited - Just In Time
- Jeri Southern - The Southern Style/Prelude to a Kiss (1998)
- Sarah Vaughan - Swingin' Easy (1957)
- Nancy Wilson - But Beautiful (1969)
- Johnny Mathis - A New Sound In Popular Song (1957)
For the 2008 Alicia Keys song "Prelude to a Kiss" — not the Duke Ellington composition — see As I Am.
Notes
- ^ "Prelude to a Kiss" at Jazz Standards - retrieved on 8 June 2009
- ^ Hellmer, Jeffrey. Jazz Theory and Practice. Alfred Music. p. 107. ISBN 9780882847221.
- ^ Greeen, Edward (2015). The Cambridge Companion to Duke Ellington. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521881197.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Gioia, Ted (July 2012). The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199937394.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Greeen, Edward (2015). The Cambridge Companion to Duke Ellington. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521881197.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Schuller, Gunther (December 1991). The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 1930-1945. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195071405.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help)
See also
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