SPECIAL FEATURE: Composer's commentary

15 August 2025 would have been the 100th birthday of Canadian jazz pianist Oscar Peterson. Celebrate this 100th Anniversary of his birth with the 'Easter Suite', it has remained one of the least known compositions by Oscar Peterson, even though virtually all sources mention it as one of his major works. It was commissioned by the South Bank Show, London Weekend Television's flagship arts program, and broadcast nation-wide on Good Friday, April 24th, 1984. Its eight movements follow the events related in the gospel story.

This recording of the world premiere performance also features an interview with Peterson, explaining how he went about composing the suite, his initial skepticism about interpreting such a topic in the medium of jazz and his relation to spiritual music. He also describes in detail the various motifs of the work. If the passion and resurrection seem surprising as topics for a longer jazz work, Oscar Peterson with his 'Easter Suite' appears in a long line of other jazz greats, who at least in their later works created religiously inspired works.

Bonus Materials

• SPECIAL FEATURE: Composer’s commentary

Additional Details

Label: Arthaus Musik

Genre: Jazz

Language: English

Run Time: 50 mins

Region: 0

Release Date: 04/18/25

UPC: 4058407094722