Difference between revisions of "The Sacred Concerts"

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''[[The Sacred Concerts]]'' is one of the titles given to a series of three concerts composed by [[Duke Ellington]]
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''[[The Sacred Concerts]]'' is one of the titles given to a series of three concerts composed by Duke Ellington.
  
 
Also found simply as ''[[Sacred Concerts]]''
 
Also found simply as ''[[Sacred Concerts]]''
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==The concerts==
 
==The concerts==
  
Duke Ellington’s [[Sacred Concerts]] are a pioneering series of compositions blending jazz, gospel, spirituals, choral music, and tap dance. Ellington famously regarded this monumental, late-career trilogy as the most important music he ever wrote.
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Duke Ellington’s ''[[Sacred Concerts]]'' are a pioneering series of three compositions blending jazz, gospel, spirituals, choral music, and tap dance. Ellington famously regarded this monumental, late-career trilogy as the most important music he ever wrote.
  
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The three concerts that make up the set consist of:
  
Dear Professor Hauptfleisch and the ESAT Editorial Team,
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1965 – Concert of Sacred Music (premiered on September 16, 1965)
  
I am writing to enquire whether ESAT holds any documentation relating to a significant South African performing arts event: the performances of The Sacred Concerts by Duke Ellington, staged as the grand finale of the Spier Summer Festival on 14, 15 and 16 March 2002 at the Spier Amphitheatre in Stellenbosch.
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1968 – Second Sacred Concert (premiered at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York on January 19, 1968)
  
The production was conducted by Professor Mike Rossi (then Professor of Jazz and Woodwinds at the University of Cape Town's South African College of Music) and produced by John Walton. The ensemble comprised Cape Town jazz musicians, three opera singers, a tap dancer, and a choir from Langa. A radio documentary about the production was subsequently made by Nigel Vermaas for SAFM.
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1973 – Third Sacred Concert (premiered at Westminster Abbey in London, United Kingdom on October 24, 1973).
  
My husband Mike Rossi and I are currently writing a book on the Cultural History of Jazz Education in South Africa, and this production represents an important and relatively undocumented moment in that history - bringing together jazz, opera, choral tradition and township musical culture in what was, to our knowledge, a rare South African staging of Ellington's Sacred Concerts. Unfortunately, the production programme appears to have been lost, and digital records from this period are very sparse.
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==Translations and adaptations==
  
We would be most grateful if you could advise us whether ESAT holds, or knows of the existence of, any of the following:
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== Performance history in South Africa ==
  
- A copy of the production programme
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The items from the concerts have formed part of many musical performances by South African orchestras over the years.
- Photographs from the performances
 
- Press reviews or preview articles
 
- Any other documentation relating to this production or the performers involved
 
  
We would also welcome any guidance on other South African archives or collections that might hold relevant material from the Spier Summer Festival of that era.
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2002: A special performance served as the grand finale of the [[Spier Summer Festival]] on 14, 15 and 16 March 2002 at the [[Spier Amphitheatre]] in Stellenbosch. The production was conducted by Professor [[Mike Rossi]] (then Professor of Jazz and Woodwinds at the [[University of Cape Town]]'s [[South African College of Music]]) and produced by [[John Walton]]. The ensemble comprised Cape Town jazz musicians, three opera singers, a tap dancer, and a choir from Langa. A radio documentary about the production was subsequently made and broadcast by [[Nigel Vermaas]] for [[SAFM]].
  
Thank you very much for your time and assistance. We look forward to hearing from you.
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== Sources ==
 
 
Yours sincerely,
 
 
 
 
 
Diane Rossi and Mike Rossi
 
 
 
 
 
==Translations and adaptations==
 
 
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
 
  
2002: Staged as the grand finale of the [[Spier Summer Festival]] on 14, 15 and 16 March 2002 at the Spier Amphitheatre in Stellenbosch. C
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Concert_(Ellington)
  
The production was conducted by Professor [[Mike Rossi]] (then Professor of Jazz and Woodwinds at the [[University of Cape Town]]'s [[South African College of Music]]) and produced by [[John Walton]]. The ensemble comprised Cape Town jazz musicians, three opera singers, a tap dancer, and a choir from Langa.  
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E-mail correspondence from [[Diane Rossi]], May 2026.  
  
A radio documentary about the production was subsequently made by [[Nigel Vermaas]] for [[SAFM]].
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[[Nigel Vermaas]]. 2002. radio documentary of the 2002 performance of ''[[The Sacred Concerts]]'' at [[Spier]].  
  
== Sources ==
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A partial programme of the 2001-2002 [[The Spier Summer Festival]]'s season programme (pages 37-44), found in the [[ESAT]] research materials, held in the [[Performing Arts Research Collection]] at the [[Africa Open Institute]], University of Stellenbosch. (''The Sacred Concerts'' are listed on page 41 of the programme.)
  
 
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
 
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]

Latest revision as of 09:35, 20 May 2026

The Sacred Concerts is one of the titles given to a series of three concerts composed by Duke Ellington.

Also found simply as Sacred Concerts

The concerts

Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts are a pioneering series of three compositions blending jazz, gospel, spirituals, choral music, and tap dance. Ellington famously regarded this monumental, late-career trilogy as the most important music he ever wrote.

The three concerts that make up the set consist of:

1965 – Concert of Sacred Music (premiered on September 16, 1965)

1968 – Second Sacred Concert (premiered at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York on January 19, 1968)

1973 – Third Sacred Concert (premiered at Westminster Abbey in London, United Kingdom on October 24, 1973).

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

The items from the concerts have formed part of many musical performances by South African orchestras over the years.

2002: A special performance served as the grand finale of the Spier Summer Festival on 14, 15 and 16 March 2002 at the Spier Amphitheatre in Stellenbosch. The production was conducted by Professor Mike Rossi (then Professor of Jazz and Woodwinds at the University of Cape Town's South African College of Music) and produced by John Walton. The ensemble comprised Cape Town jazz musicians, three opera singers, a tap dancer, and a choir from Langa. A radio documentary about the production was subsequently made and broadcast by Nigel Vermaas for SAFM.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Concert_(Ellington)

E-mail correspondence from Diane Rossi, May 2026.

Nigel Vermaas. 2002. radio documentary of the 2002 performance of The Sacred Concerts at Spier.

A partial programme of the 2001-2002 The Spier Summer Festival's season programme (pages 37-44), found in the ESAT research materials, held in the Performing Arts Research Collection at the Africa Open Institute, University of Stellenbosch. (The Sacred Concerts are listed on page 41 of the programme.)

Go to ESAT Bibliography

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