Museum Musica

USA, 1957, big band

Duke Ellington and His Orchestra – Such Sweet Thunder: I had no idea that this album was part of a twelve-album project based on the works of Shakespeare. Basically, Ellington immersed himself in Shakespeare’s poetry and plays in preparation for this project. The album title comes from a line from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in which Hippolyta says of Hercules and his hounds of Sparta: “I never heard so musical a discord, such sweet thunder”. Hmmm. Not sure about that for this album. I sense no baying of hunting dogs as they bring down a bear. Nothing even close musically in this piece.