Almighty God Has Those Angels
ARRANGER'S NOTE
Almighty God Has Those Angels is from Duke Ellington's Second Sacred Concert, which he performed with his orchestra at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York in January 1968. Oddly, no recordings have surfaced of this live event, but it was recorded in studio later that winter and released as a double LP.
Ellington considered his sacred concerts to be “the most important thing I have ever done.” He even quipped, “You have to go out there and make a noise that tells the truth. You can jive with secular music, but you can’t jive with the Almighty!”
Ellington’s original arrangement of Almighty God Has Those Angels is deliciously complex. He simultaneously has bass and drums evoking a fast jazz waltz feel, while the melody and piano harmony express a slower shuffle rhythm.
In my arrangement, I blend these two elements. The soprano line sails over a rather complex piano accompaniment in the second chorus. I wrote it out as if it were a transcription of an improvisation, which is sure to make any classical vocalist smile from ear to ear.
THE TEXT
Almighty God has those angels,
Away up there above.
Up there a waving, sparkling, fabrics
Just for you and me to love.
Almighty God has those angels,
Up in the proper place.
Waiting to receive and to welcome us
and remake us in grace.
Wash your face and hands and heart
and soul, 'cause you wash so well.
God will keep you safely
where there's no sulfur smell.
Almighty God has those angels
as ready as can be.
Waiting to dress, caress and bless us all
in perpetuity.
COMPOSER
Duke Ellington
ARRANGER
Henry Dehlinger
DURATION
5 minutes
YEAR OF COMPOSITION
1968
VERSIONS
High Voice & Piano
High Voice, SATB & Orchestra
High Voice, SATB & Chamber Ensemble