Stolichniy Jazz Orchestra. The Concert Programme “Classics and Jazz”

To January 11, on the eve of the wonderful Russian holiday – Old New Year, Stolichniy Jazz Orchestra had prepared for the audience an unforgettable meeting with Russian Christmas music. The orchestra will play music from “The Nutcracker”, a ballet by P. I. Tchaikovsky, which libretto was adapted from the story by the German romantic author E. T. A. Hoffmann “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King”.

However, this evening, the music will sound in an unusual jazz manner. The great Duke Ellington offered his reading of a remarkable work, giving it a truly jazz sound. You will hear jazz arrangements of melodies well known to all of us from childhood: “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”, “March of the Toy Soldiers” and, of course, “Waltz of the Flowers”.

The second “highlight” of this programme is Duke Ellington’s jazz arrangement of a famous classical musical work – “Peer Gynt Suite”, written by Edward Grieg and based on the eponymous theatrical play by Henrik Ibsen. This concert will feature a jazz version of this work, including jazz arrangements of the sections – “Morning Mood”, “In the Hall of the Mountain King”, “Dance of Anitra”, and “Solveig’s Song”.

Curiously, in the 1960s, the Royal Swedish Academy of Music made a statement, citing a clause in the Swedish copyright law (Klassikerskyddet) that the jazz versions of Duke Ellington’s “Peer Gynt Suite” on the album “Swinging Suites by Edward E. & Edward G.” were “offensive to Scandinavian musical culture”. Therefore, this album was banned for sale in Scandinavian countries for a long time.

You will also listen to “classic” pieces from the Duke Ellington Orchestra’s repertoire in authentic arrangements: “Caravan” (1946), “Take the ‘A’ Train” (1943), and “It Don’t Mean a Thing” (1932).

The Stolichniy Jazz Orchestra conducted by Fyodor Lyashkevich is a kind of audible jazz museum, the visit of which is possible only during the concert time. The main creative concept of the musicians of the orchestra is to give an idea to today’s audience about the sound of the performed music at the time when it was born.

The Stolichniy Jazz Orchestra’s repertoire contains brilliant works of the swing epoch in original arrangements, which in modern language can be called hits of large orchestras’ time.

The Stolichniy Jazz Orchestra, which was organized by the famous Russian jazz musician Fyodor Lyashkevich, has appeared on the Russian stage relatively recently. The musicians of the orchestra in their experience and talent match their leader. The orchestra team plays in the traditional jazz style of the first half of the twentieth century. It is known that at that time there was a unique atmosphere at jazz events, which is now almost impossible to convey. Musicians of that time not only perfectly mastered all the principles and techniques of this genre, they were exceptional improvisers. This skill gave them wide popularity. The musicians of the Stolichniy Jazz Orchestra strive to recreate all this at their concerts.

Come to the New Year’s concert of the Stolichniy Jazz Orchestra and you will listen to a truly unique jazz programme.