Books, Movies, Music & Entertainment - Mingus: Epitaph

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View Full Version : Mingus: Epitaph


Poppaspoke
12-24-09, 07:52 PM
The master's masterwork was never successfully performed in his lifetime. Give a listen to this excerpt of Gunther Schuller's realization:

http://musicfromnowhere.blogspot.com/2009/12/charles-mingus-epitaph.html

Mingus' Epitaph is over 4000 measures long, takes more than two hours to perform, and was only completely discovered during the cataloguing process after his death. With the help of a grant from the Ford Foundation, the score and instrumental parts were copied, and the piece itself was premiered by a 30-piece orchestra, conducted by Gunther Schuller. This concert was produced by Mingus' widow, Sue, at Alice Tully Hall on June 3, 1989, ten years after his death, and again at several concerts in 2007.


ooga-booga
12-25-09, 03:55 AM
one of the all time greats.

Ziemas
12-25-09, 04:08 AM
Have you listened to any of the recordings that his wife released on the Revenge label? The are simply fantastic. I don't know if they are still in print, but they are much better than the bootleg stuff that's commonly found.

http://www.mingusmingusmingus.com/SueMingus/revenge.html


Poppaspoke
12-25-09, 02:52 PM
Thanks for the link, Z!

SaiKaiTai
12-28-09, 01:39 AM
Some where, buried on some PBS site is a broadcast of the entire concert as performed in 2007. Quite amazing.
I bought the 2 CD set many years ago with unemployment money. I just had to have it after reading about it for so many years.
Awesome work from The Man. I still don't think most people have caught up to Mingus.

Stand fast, old mule, stand fast...

apricissimus
01-07-10, 08:45 AM
The Epitaph recording is rather weak, IMO. It really doesn't help that it's marketed as his crowning achievement (or something). Really, it's unfinished (sorry Mr. Schuller) and not at all close to his best work.

Poppaspoke
01-08-10, 04:47 PM
I understand your reservations, but I don't really thing Mingus would have wanted it to be forgotten. In perspective, the score is much lest "unfinished" and disorganized than Ives' Universe Symphony.