We had a few delays, but we were finally able to post all 55 minutes of the historic Feb. 23 performance by Stevie Wonder at the Library.
As I previously wrote (prematurely heralding what turned out to be only highlights of the evening), Wonder premiered the piece “Sketches of a Life,” which was commissioned by the Library. It’s worth watching if only to see Stevie Wonder artfully alternating between three different instruments, surrounded by a chamber orchestra of 21 nattily dressed musicians—something you don’t exactly see every day.
Also included are two roof-raising encores: a “Wonder”ful version of “Overjoyed” and a sing-along of “My Cherie Amour.”
Wonder performed at the Library in celebration of his being awarded the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. A Feb. 25 tribute concert at the White House was broadcast Feb. 26 on PBS.
LOC.gov is the only place where you will be able to view the Feb. 23 concert. (Mad props to Stevie Wonder and to EMI for giving us rights and permissions!)
So what do you think of the piece?
