John Hammond: “The Tragedy of Duke Ellington” (1935)

Abstract Lington’s interest in writing pieces longer than roughly three minutes-the length permitted by one side of a ten-inch, 78-rpm recording-proved a divisive issue for critics. While some rallied to the defense of Ellington’s “extended works,” as they came to be called, others pronounced them shapeless, overblown, or contrary to the spirit of jazz.The first “extended” piece to generate considerable controversy was not Creole Rhap sody (1931)-though it had caused grumbling in some quarters-but Reminiscing in Tempo (1935), which took up four record sides and lasted nearly thirteen minutes.’ Ellington com posed it following the death of his mother Daisy in May, writing it as his orchestra traveled by train on a series of one-nighters through the South.2 Although gentle and reflective in character, Reminiscing in Tempo provoked violent reactions from writers who earlier had admired Ellington’s shorter works. No one was more incensed than Spike Hughes, Elling ton’s former booster in England, who branded the piece “a long, rambling monstrosity” and threatened not to review any more Ellington records “until Duke realizes it is not ‘smart’ to write this sort of music.”3