[atlantaprog] Re: improv/composition

> >  On
> > the other hand, have you ever heard a classical musician try to
improvise
> > over a chord progression, or (heaven forbid) write a song?
>
> Um, yes, actually.  A couple of times in the past month at early music
> performances.  Up until a certain point in musical history, the keyboard
> parts for most kinds of performance consisted entirely of a figured bass,
so
> that the keyboard player absolutely had to improvise over a chord
> progression.  Continuing on into the era of Beethoven and Mozart,
composers
> were expected to also be performers, and to be capable of improvising,
> largely in variation form (which is...wait for it... improvising over a
> chord progression).
>
> Of course, in the last 100-150 years, that sort of thing has become
> inessential to most classical performance.  But then again, its also true
> that a fair number current classical performers also play jazz on the
side.
>
> Lets not go spreading FUD about classical music, shall we?

First of all, my question was intended toward _current day performers_ of
baroque/classical/romantic/20thC music.  Yeah, ok, "early" music players
improvise-- let's see, classical cds account for about 2-3% of US cd sales,
and early music is a tiny subgenre within that, so I think this qualifies as
a nitpick.  The larger point, that improvisation is rare in classical music,
still stands.  You said yourself, "that sort of thing has become inessential
to most classical performance."  And when these cross-training
jazz-and-classical musicians improvise in their jazz gigs, they are not at
that moment playing classical music either.  I suspect the vast majority of
current-day classical-only musicians could not improvise very well, given
that they're not required to.

I was also not asking about what people did 2-300 years ago, but what
happens NOW.  And even if composers now can perform, if doesn't follow that
most performers compose, other than perhaps in some conservatory classes.
When was the last time you attended a chamber recital or symphonic
performance and heard the conductor say, "This next piece is one written by
our very own first violinist"?  Maybe that happened at your last early music
concert as well?  ;-)

Brian

Other related posts: