Prelude to a Kiss (song)

This article is about the Duke Ellington composition. For other uses, see Prelude to a Kiss (disambiguation).

"Prelude to a Kiss" is a 1938 ballad composed by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Irving Gordon and Irving Mills.^[1]

Background and composition

This composition is in Duke Ellington's record of 1938 in the key of A-flat major but makes extensive use of the secondary dominant chords, secondary ii–V–I progressions, diatonic circle of fifths, and evaded cadences.^[2] The song is extremely chromatic and complex, employing sophisticated mathematics that were rare at this time in jazz:^[3] Ellington's rising semitones (G-G#-A-A#-B) at the end of the bridge mirror the opening of both A sections (B-A#-A-G#-G).

By the late 1930s, swing was at the height of its popularity. Using his fame and artistic freedom, Ellington became more ambitious and experimental, writing "Prelude to a Kiss", which abandoned the Tin Pan Alley style hooks and dance tempo for melodic lines and harmonies found more often in classical music.^[4] He recorded this piece as an instrumental in August 1938 before returning to the studio a few weeks later to record it as a vocal number with lyrics by Irving Gordon and Irving Mills that were sung by a young and relatively unknown Mary McHugh.^[5] Popular records in 1938 were by Ellington and by Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra.^[6]

Reception

Gunther Schuller described "Prelude to a Kiss" as "One of Ellington's finest ballads, although too sophisticated in its weaving melody and chromatic harmonies to gain wide public acceptance."^[7]

Notable recordings

• Duke Ellington – Piano Reflections (1953)^[8]
• June Christy and Stan Kenton – Duet (1955)^[8]
• Billie Holiday with Benny Carter – Velvet Mood (1956)^[8]
• Sarah Vaughan - Swingin' Easy (1957)^[9]
• Mel Torme - Prelude to a Kiss 1958^[10]
• Vic Damone – Closer Than a Kiss (1958)^[11]
• Oscar Peterson - Oscar Peterson for Lovers (1959)
• Wes Montgomery – One Night in Indy -Resonance- Recorded live in 1959 (released 2016)
• Phil Woods – Live from New York (1982)^[8]
• Debbie Harry – Prelude to a Kiss soundtrack (1992)
• Dee Dee Bridgewater – Prelude to a Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album (1996)
• Claudia Acuña – Wind from the South (1999)^[8]
• Tony Bennett – Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool (1999)

See also

• List of 1930s jazz standards