Duke Ellington for Strings: Violin II Book

Zinn has captured the essence of Ellington's harmonic language and melodic sophistication in settings that work for ensembles of varying sizes. String players encounter real jazz vocabulary here without sacrificing the idiom of their instruments, and these 16 selections offer enough variety to program confidently across seasons and occasions.

These arrangements invite the sophistication and elegance Ellington's music carries while letting strings sing through their natural strengths. You'll feel the harmonic richness of pieces like Mood Indigo and Prelude to a Kiss, the rhythmic vitality of It Don't Mean a Thing, and the lyrical warmth of Creole Love Call and Sentimental Mood all within the warm, unified sound of the string section.

String orchestras and string quartets seeking accessible yet substantive repertoire that connects classical string writing with jazz vernacular. Directors programming recitals, casual events, or concert encores will find these pieces engaging for audiences while offering meaningful musical challenges to intermediate and advanced players.

• Pay close attention to the rhythmic flexibility Ellington's music demands. Even in arranged form, these melodies breathe; don't lock them into metronomic rigidity.
• Balance the melody line with the accompaniment figures around you. String II parts often carry harmonic support rather than prominent voices, which is crucial to the overall color.
• Approach dynamics expressively rather than mechanically. The jazz inflection in these pieces comes through subtle shifts in weight and tone, especially in sustained passages like those in Solitude or In a Sentimental Mood.

These pieces work equally well as concert anchors or interspersed within more traditional string repertoire. Program them as an entire set to showcase Ellington's compositional range, or select individual items as elegant transitions and encores at receptions and special events.

• Interpreting jazz articulation and rhythmic phrasing in a classical string context
• Playing with harmonic awareness across a section rather than melody-focused listening
• Balancing sustained tones with subtle dynamic shaping to convey emotional content
• Reading and executing syncopated rhythmic figures accurately
• Ensemble flexibility and blend in parts that support rather than lead