“Good afternoon everyone. //

My name is Marc Bolin. // I don’t expect anyone to have heard my name before – except for those who are into  

the British rock band T-Rex, who burst onto the charts in the 60’s with songs like “Hot Love” and “Get It On,”

AND whose lead singer and I just happen to share a name.

//

I was asked to speak here today because I share, with all of you, a particular affinity toward Duke Ellington and his music. // But  —  more to point,

my perspective is unique in that – I have a very  —-  personal relationship with the Duke //  and, in particular —  his music.

//

In the fall of 2007, I was asked to realize Duke Ellington’s unfinished opera, Queenie Pie. And,  //

by realizing, I mean: finishing the opera – picking up where he left off… continuing his legacy.

//

I had spoken to Tom Dean (the Owner and Founding Director of Oakland Opera,)

and had expressed interest in the project, but // when the moment was upon me, //

When Tom asked if I would realize Queenie Pie, // I felt —

dreadfully ill equipped for the task…certainly I recognized the learning potential of this project, and,

–   by accepting the commission, I would be afforded the listening and transcribing time needed to

achieve my own long-term goals //

even still, the thought of not fulfilling the potential of Duke’s music loomed over me as does the Chiristian’s fear of God! //

Ultimately, I was awarded the commission, and completed the score in April of 2007 (which included the needed additions of: an Overture, an Entr’acte, Underscoring, Bows and other thematic material —  the opera was subsequently performed from May 9^th through  May 25^th of that same year. //

It’s been two years now since I completed the score, and I continue to learn every single day through Duke’s music. 

//

Two weeks ago, these arrangements where heard again as I conducted an un-staged, concert version of Queenie Pie  at UCLA —- 

in a weekend of FREE public concerts that were part of the Friends of Jazz celebration of the Duke, which was produced by Kenny Burrell. //

 We will ALL hear these arrangements THIS weekend —– as the Butler Schools treatment is based off of Oakland Opera’s production  –  which are of course, these same arrangements and orchestrations. //

As it stands today, Oakland Opera’s treatment  is  the 1st AND ONLY published score of the complete opera  —  Queenie Pie

            My purpose in this presentation is // to provide a comprehensive history of Duke Ellington’s Queenie Pie,  that clarifies its convoluted history leading to Oakland Opera’s production in May of 2008, //

to document the process of realizing and arranging Ellington’s stillborn opera and //  to provide a foundation for further erudition. //

Presented are insights gained through research of the Ellington collection from the Smithsonian Institute //

annotations from the study and transcription from Ellington’s oeuvre // and the steps taken to assemble the scattered manuscript. //

I will highlight my perspective and  experience as the arranger, and // more importantly, the empirical that I have knowledge gained through the process of realizing a large-scale operatic work, conceived but never completed by America’s most prolific and highly regarded composer //

Edward Kennedy Ellington. //

            Please note that for the sake of narrative flow, I will not be giving a blow-by-blow analysis of Queenie Pie. In my foreth-coming article, //

I will be able to go in-depth about some of the topics,   that I barely seem to scratch the surface here. //

You see, the saga of Queenie Pie is a seeming taradiddle in itself, //

awash with details, rumors, false claims and unanswered questions. //

It is my hope, that this paper will help to demystify this opera’s diary  —  without spoiling the fun of the search.//

The Book and the Score//

            Ellington would refer to Queenie Pie as an opéra comique, since the narrative was to be advanced primarily through song and recitative.  //  He would also call Queenie Pie  a street opera, and others still – a folk opera. //

This particular mixture of words or labels AND the search for how to best describe Queenie Pie –  suggests that, –  while the work has its popular elements, // it has very serious artistic aims as well. //

This duality was at the core of Ellington’s modus operandi and would pervade throughout his body of work.  //

Duke would spend his entire life looking for ways to better represent  — the new sounds of his fellow African-Americans //

whose music was yet to be considered equal among the more serious music of the European concert tradition.//

            Of the score, what remained could be referred to as “pieces of a score.”

I estimate that: ninety-five percent of the melodies and lyrics and about twenty-five percent of the piano score were completed, —

NO orchestration, and a minimum of arrangement ideas were available.  Although, every note that Mr. Ellington wrote //

is here in the music. I tried my best to complete the ideas that Mr. Ellington had initiated. AND, as for the libretto, it was nowhere near complete enough to ascertain where? or even how?  the drama would unfold.”

Harkening back on cliff-hanger TV shows…I will end this post here. You will just have to wait until my paper is published to read the rest of this story!!!