David Kraus: The Listening Room
In A Sentimental Mood
David Kraus ~ classical guitar (jazz)Return to Tunes
Composed in 1935 by the great American
composer Duke Ellington, "In A Sentimental Mood" is without a doubt one of Ellington's most notable pieces and indeed one of the hallmark songs of that great musical era. It is still one of the most widely performed and recorded songs today. This melancholy yet dreamy ballad allows for beautiful arrangement possibilities and for deeply melodic and emotional soloing for jazz musicians. It's signature ostinato opening using the Dmin and Gmin chords is partly what distinguishes the tune and with the first phrase a listener can easily recognize what song it is. Another well known composition which borrows exactly the same opening is the the lovely "My Funny Valentine" by the Broadway show writers Rodgers and Hart. The descending chromatic bass lines played under the opening chords, also referred to as "static harmony" because a chord literally remains static or the same while an ostinato bass line or simple and rhythmically even melodic phrase moves in steady pulse through it or around it. This musical "device" has been used for centuries in European classical music but came into wider use by composers of the twentieth century such as Debussy, Schoenberg, Bartok, and many more, and it was already being used by American jazz composers and it became a staple of twentieth century music to this day in every genre. North Indian classical music is based on the concept of ostinato though it is not refered to as such in that music culture. Philip Glass is famous for his use of ostinatoes, and they have been used constantly by modern jazz, rock, and pop composers like John Coltrane, Jimmy Page, the Beatles, and so many more. My solo guitar arrangement draws influence from the great jazz guitarist Emily Remler. I play it on nylon string guitar to keep the tone color consistent with the classical pieces also heard in this section I call "Chronicles." I decided not to expand the piece and play improvised solos here because I felt I wanted the composition to just stand alone as a piece unto itself like any classic piece, though when I perform it live I definitely enter into extemporaneous improvisation for further musical development. But in this context I felt it would be too long and was not necessary because of my intention in creating this musical area of my website. But enough words, I do hope you enjoy it.Return to Chronicles
