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tupac --- improvisation is a great skill to have, or to learn and to develop. Absolutely is nice. But isn't essential for all musicians. Accumulation of knowledge and techniques - and applying it ----- can be very nice indeed. And if improvisation is considered beneficial ---- and students see it and want to learn and develop skills in that area, then it certainly is possible to do. As you learned in that sort of way too ----- taking about 4 months or so. This just means that ------ people of today can observe, and then decide on what they would like to learn and develop. I mentioned in other threads - that these days, we have the added benefit of learning from YouTube, and other online sources. So -- not only learning from local teachers, but also learning from YouTube teachers. We gather the information/knowledge - and apply what we learned.
Tupac, you mentioned Chopin improvisations. There’s a pretty well known story (after all, I know it and I’m not a scholar of these things), that Chopin became livid after Liszt played a nocturne with some ‘embellishments,’ - or as you might call them, improvisations. He told Liszt that unless he played his compositions as written, he would prefer Liszt not to play them at all. I think this story highlights something that has been said here before— in classical music, while there is room for interpretation of the score, you should be honoring the composer’s intention. I’m sure Liszt’s improvisations were interesting. But that’s not the point. The composition was carefully structured and crafted; choices were made for very specific reasons. To improvise on that is to change it in ways that probably are not in line with what the composer had in mind. If Liszt couldn’t improvise to Chopin’s liking, why should I think it’s appropriate for me to do so? The theater analogy has been used, but perhaps poetry is more helpful. Wouldn’t it be jarring if someone added an extra couplet to a sonnet by Shakespeare? Or altered some words in a poem by Emily Dickinson? These things would not be doing service to the original material.
Which phrase in his improvisation on this recording caught your attention with its originality?
With some kinds of jazz ------ listening to unforeseen abstract music is definitely interesting and quite nice. But sometimes - it is ok to also view certain sorts of playing as musical exercises. As in a combination of scale exercises. But performing that kind of music is indeed impressive - especially when never rehearsed before. And some jazz music pieces are incredibly well though out - whether improvised or not improvised.
Which phrase in his improvisation on this recording caught your attention with its originality?
With some kinds of jazz ------ listening to unforeseen abstract music is definitely interesting and quite nice. But sometimes - it is ok to also view certain sorts of playing as musical exercises.
Would you like to listen to someone exercises in his speech instead of speech itself ; or is Bill Evans practicing playing the solo on "You Must Believe in Spring"?
Would you like to listen to someone exercises in his speech instead of speech itself ; or is Bill Evans practicing playing the solo on "You Must Believe in Spring"?
I think I'll go for a well constructed song or a well constructed piece of music ----- that sounds nice to me. And occasionally ----- listen to some abstract stuff ----- for a short time. Listening to somebody practising a nice bit of music is generally ok and nice too. I don't even mind hearing stumbles and mistakes, and pauses for regathering etc when somebody is practising. All ok.
Which phrase in his improvisation on this recording caught your attention with its originality?
Seriously? What does original mean anymore? Tatum was his mentor I read. So goes the lineage. The reharms from 58 sec on are beautiful. The counterpoint and some fugal stuff just amazing. Being from Philly and hearing him a few times live, I still don't understand how he doesn't get hardly any airplay on the local jazz station. His students turned out great also. Gone too soon for sure.
Which phrase in his improvisation on this recording caught your attention with its originality?
Seriously? What does original mean anymore? Tatum was his mentor I read. So goes the lineage.
After you've heard a lot music of Scott Joplin Satchmo Fats Albert Ammons Teddy Wilson Hawk Art Tatum Paul Gonzales Bird Thelonious Monk Bud Powell Red Garland Chet Wynton Kelly Ahmed Jamal Miles Cannonball Train Eric Dolphy Bill Evans Hank Jones Dexter Herbie Hancock Freddie Hubbard Ornette Paul Blay Cecil Chick Keith Jarrett McCoy, the question of originality disappears by itself. This is also my curse: each of my compositions reminds me where it came from...
Thanks! What I mean is ----- when he is playing it --- even though he might be playing what he wants spontaneously, it sounds more like well-controlled hand/scale exercises ----- sort of routine snippets. Abstract. That's what I mean. Overall --- impressive. And there is some 'emotional content' (as Bruce would say).
Thanks! What I mean is ----- when he is playing it --- even though he might be playing what he wants spontaneously, it sounds more like well-controlled hand/scale exercises ----- sort of routine snippets. Abstract. That's what I mean. Overall --- impressive. And there is some 'emotional content' (as Bruce would say).
I agree with you on this post except for the term abstract.
I actually like some jazz too, and lots of other types/styles of music ----- including traditional/cultural music from Australia and lots of places around the world.
I agree with you on this post except for the term abstract.
I respect your 'except'! I can leave it at routine snippets. It is sort of like being in a playground - and then choosing to do this activity/ride at once time, followed by then running over to do this other thing, etc. It is all fair enough ----- as that is the style. And we can listen and still appreciate what he is doing. That is fine. He is definitely very very good. It is impressive what he did ------ highly talented. Gifted.
That was excellent piano playing by Brandon too. He was sticking to a theme in general -- nice --- even did some pink panther style at 4:20. We do hear the characteristic sorts of scale practice runs/exercises --- in the characteristic jazz style. And that is fine. The last note around 7:15 could possibly have been out a bit ----- but no problem. Certainly very gifted and doing excellent playing at the what appears to be quite young age - relatively young age ------ (babyface haha ----- it is a genuine compliment heheh). Thanks for posting that video. It was a very nice performance. I like this performance.
Thanks for posting that video. It was a very nice performance. I like this performance.
Interestingly, his version of Blackbird resembles mine, but I played it a few years before Goldberg. It may very well be that I posted it on this forum, but I do not remember where.
