(In My) Solitude

(In My ) Solitude is a jazz composition from 1934 by Duke Ellington. The rights for the text written later be at Irving Mills and Eddie DeLange.

The title

In the composition, which mainly has major character, sounds like a gospel mood. The ballad is constructed according to the AA'BA scheme and combines a lyrical, folkloric -looking manner with simple, straightforward progressive harmonies. However, the tonic is neither the start nor the end point of the song.

Genesis

"Solitude " was created at the same time with Ellington classics as " In a Sentimental Mood", or "Ebony Rhapsody " at the beginning of the year 1934, and was probably written on the fly to meet the requirements of a recording session for records, such as Ellington's biographer J. L suspected. Collier. He quotes the band leader. "I was a bit too short, and I wrote it in twenty minutes while standing against a glass wall in the RCA Victor Studio in Chicago" Although the first recording still shows something of the haste of preparation, Irving Mills recognized the potential of the title and had to write a text for it. The plate was a big hit for the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and his most successful title this time.

Effective history

"Solitude " was recorded by Ellington many times, but only in 1940 in a vocal version ( with Ivie Anderson) after it has already been some versions of the ballad sung. Billie Holiday took at the same time the song, accompanied by Roy Eldridge on. Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Nina Simone, Helen Humes and many other singers have "Solitude" interpreted. The instrumental versions of Ruby Braff, Johnny Hodges (1951 ), Thelonious Monk ( 1955), Sonny Rollins and the recording of Ellington with Charles Mingus and Max Roach ( Money Jungle 1963) are particularly worthy of mention. Hundreds of thousands of sheet music have been sold, and it is one of the classic American songs of the twentieth century.

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