In the Course of Performance

by Nettl, Bruno; Russell, Melinda

• ISBN13: 9780226574110
• ISBN10: 0226574113
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-10-01
• Publisher: Univ of Chicago Pr

Summary

In the Course of Performanceis the first book in decades to illustrate and explain the practices and processes of musical improvisation. Improvisation, by its very nature, seems to resist interpretation or elucidation. This difficulty may account for the very few attempts scholars have made to provide a general guide to this elusive subject. With contributions by seventeen scholars and improvisers,In the Course of Performanceoffers a history of research on improvisation and an overview of the different approaches to the topic that can be used, ranging from cognitive study to detailed musical analysis. Such diverse genres as Italian lyrical singing, modal jazz, Indian classical music, Javanese gamelan, and African-American girls' singing games are examined. The most comprehensive guide to the understanding of musical improvisation available,In the Course of Performancewill be indispensable to anyone attracted to this fascinating art. Contributors are Stephen Blum, Sau Y. Chan, Jody Cormack, Valerie Woodring Goertzen, Lawrence Gushee, Eve Harwood, Tullia Magrini, Peter Manuel, Ingrid Monson, Bruno Nettl, Jeff Pressing, Ali Jihad Racy, Ronald Riddle, Stephen Slawek, Chris Smith, R. Anderson Sutton, and T. Viswanathan.

Author Biography

Elizabeth A. Kaye specializes in communications as part of her coaching and consulting practice. She has edited Requirements for Certification since the 2000-01 edition.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction: An Art Neglected in Scholarship by Bruno Nettl The Concept and Its Ramifications

Recognizing Improvisation

Psychological Constraints on Improvisational Expertise and Communication

Do Javanese Gamelan Musicians Really Improvise?

Improvisation as Music and in Culture

Improvisation, Ecstasy, and Performance Dynamics in Arabic Music

Go On, Girl! Improvisation in African-American Girls' Singing Games

Improvisation in Latin American Dance Music: History and Style

Oh Freedom: George Russell, John Coltrane, and Modal Jazz

Improvisation and Group Interaction in Italian Lyrical Singing

Exploding the Belly: Improvisation in Cantonese Opera

Melodic Improvisation in Karnatak Music: The Manifestations of Raga

Studies of Individual Artists

Setting the Stage: Clara Schumann's Preludes

A Sense of the Possible: Miles Davis and the Semiotics of Improvised Performance

The Improvisation of Louis Armstrong

Keeping It Going: Terms, Practices, and Processes of Improvisation in Hindustani Instrumental Music

Taqsim Nahawand Revisited: The Musicianship of Jihad Racy

Contributors

Index

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