Morones 1 Isfahan by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorns Isfahan, originally titled

Elf, is the third song off of the Far East Suite album, although this song was originally written in 1963, before Ellington and his orchestra took their trip to the Middle East. It was recorded in middle to late December in 1966 in New York. Ironically, the suite featured tunes derived from the Middle East, with the exception of Ad Lib on Nippon, which was inspired by a tour of Japan, rather than the Far East, which the album title claimed. This song (Isfahan) was the most memorable from the Suite, most likely due to the alto sax melody played by Johnny Hodges, as it became a jazz standard in the years to come. This song includes many of the trademark Ellington/Strayhorn tendencies, and captures the characteristics of a perfectly written ballad. The form is ABB, with the coda played in between the B sections and after the last B section (at least on the studio recording I heard, although the chart says ABAB coda). Both the first and second sections are closed phrases, ending on tonic. The pick up descending tonic arpeggio to m.1 is a reoccurring theme we hear throughout the song. The first six measures of the A section repeat themselves in the first six measures of the B section. Never before have I heard a more elegant I VI V/ii V/IV progression. The descending tonic arpeggio with the augmented 5th in m. 4 and 20 are used for color to lead into the flat VI (A/Bbb) Chromatic mediant chord in m. 5 and 21, before returning back to a modally borrowed i over V, which acts almost like a passing chord, equivalent to a ii, or passing secondary dominant,

Morones 2 which is written in parenthesis, that quickly goes to the V back to I. Beginning on the third system down, Ellington and Strayhorn incorporate an ingenious concept of a two key complex, a style and form of song in which a common chord(s) is used to modulate between two keys that can be going on simultaneously. In this case, they are the key of Db major and F major; which could have been the shared ideas of both Ellington and Strayhorn, being fully capable of writing a melody and chords associated with both. With the ii V progression starting on the third system, it seems logical to have ventured to F major (or if F minor then the first F chord [F min6] is not modally borrowed from the parallel minor), continuing through multiple ii V progressions, resolving to Fmaj7 on the first chord of the planing section in m. 15 -16. Measures 15-16 give a definite sense of planing, as the descending Major 7th chords uses the rhythm to fall back to the original tonic. This technique is somewhat common of Duke Ellington, as is found in Sophisticated Lady, and other works. Throughout the piece, Ellington (and Strayhorn) use extended, as well as altered chords to add color and emotion to their work. Specifically, we see this in measures 6, 22, 23, 26, 27, as well as every chord in the last system and the chords in the Coda. The dominant chords containing alterations and extensions can be incorporated and accompanied by altered dominant scales such as the whole tone or half - (whole) tone scales, which Ellington and Strayhorn use. Additionally, the practice of repetition helps further showcase their motives and intentions of this piece, as well as hint at thematic elements this song represents. If this is what Isfahan, Iran, is really is like then I cannot wait to go.

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