The Easter Suite remains one of the lesser-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 programme, and broadcast nation-wide on Good Friday, 24 April 1984. Its eight movements follows the events related in the gospel story.

This recording of the premiere also contains an interview with Peterson, in which he explains how he came to compose the suite, his initial skepticism about the interpretation of such a theme in jazz and his relationship to sacred music. He also describes in detail the various motifs of the work.

While the themes of Passion and Resurrection seem surprising as topics for an extended jazz piece, 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.

Special feature: Composer’s commentary