Sunday, March 30, 2014

Improvisation and Classical Style

Two people asked me this morning how Classical style music is related to improvisation.

My question to one (a non-musician) was when was the last time he had recited a poem.  Answer: Last week.  And was it the same as the time before that?  Couldn't be, was the answer.  What was different?  Intonation, meaning ...  And that would affect timing, no?

And thus it is with Classical style music, or any music for that matter.

When it is mechanical repetition it lacks life, it lacks meaning.  All it takes to enliven it is presence in the nano-instant in which one vibration merges with the next to produce musical context as opposed to pre-heard canned goods.