Duke Ellington recording "Anatomy of a Murder" score
picture by Don Hunstein - Los Angeles, 1959
"Music is everything.
Nature is music (cicadas in the tropical night).
The sea is music,
The wind is music,
Primitive elements are music, agreeable or discordant.
The rain drumming on the roof,
And the storm raging in the sky are music.
Every country in the world has its own music,
And the music becomes an ambassador.
The tango in Argentina and calypso in Antilles.
Music is the oldest entry.
A baby is born, and music puts him on sleep.
He can't read, he can't understand a picture,
But he will listen to music.
Music is marriage.
Music is death.
The scope of music is immense and infinite.
It is the "esperanto" of the world.
Music arouses courage and leads you to war.
The Romans used to have drums rolling before they attacked.
We have the bugle to sound reveille and pay homage to the brave warrior.
The Marseillaise has led many generations to victories or revolutions;
It is chant of wild excitement, and delirium, and pride.
Music is eternal.
Music is divine.
You pray to your god with music.
Music can dictate moods,
It can unnerve or subdue,
Subjugate, exhaust, astound the heart.
Music is a cedar,
An evergreen tree of fragrant, durable wood.
Music is like honor and pride,
Free from defect, damage, or decay.
Without music I may feel blind, atrophied, incomplete, inexistent."
Duke Ellington - "Music is my mistress" - (1973)
