LIMITED POSSIBILITIES · Játékok, György Kurtag 9. Játékók, György Kurtag 10. Turn, Per Nørgård Repetitions of patterns are improvised Non-traditional notation Affects phrasing,

LIMITED POSSIBILITIESExploring “Guided” Improvisation in

Contemporary Music

What is “Guided” Improvisation?Anything that offers limited possibilities for improvisation

● Pitch● Rhythm● Form

Commonly found in

● Figured Bass● Ornamentation● Aleatoric/indeterminate music● Graphic Scores

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What is “Guided” Improvisation?

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“Every performance explains the composition but does not exhaust it. Every performance makes the work an actuality, but is itself only complementary to all possible other performance of the work.”

Umberto Eco, The Open Work

Piano Sonata No. 3, Pierre Boulez

● Mobile form● Originally planned with five cyclical ‘movements,’

composed of multiple sections● Trope: Glose - Commentaire - Texte - Parenthése● Constellation Miroir: Mélange - Points 3 - Blocs II -

Points 2 - Blocs I - Points 1● Sigle (unfinished)● Everything else is rigidly controlled

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Klavierstücke XI, Karlheinz Stockhausen

● Polyvalent/mobile structure● 19 different fragments, played in any order until a

fragment has been played for the third time● Allows for more creative control and truly unique

performances

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Klavierstücke XI, Karlheinz Stockhausen

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Játékok, György Kurtág

● Games● Mobile form, graphic scores,and extended

techniques● One of few for younger musicians

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Játékok, György Kurtag

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Játékok, György Kurtag

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Játékók, György Kurtag

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Turn, Per Nørgård

● Repetitions of patterns are improvised● Non-traditional notation● Affects phrasing, dynamics, form● Duration of piece can range by several minutes● Slow transformation of harmonies through his

‘infinity row’

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Turn, Per Nørgård

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HbeaRt, Niloufar Nourbakhsh

● Freedom of repetition, form, and rhythm● Randomized electronics triggered by the

performer● Affects dynamics, phrasing● Unique performance every time

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HbeaRt, Niloufar Nourbakhsh

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Fantasia on an Ostinato, John Corigliano

● Exploration of minimalism and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, II

● Freedom of repetition● Freer improvisational section● Affects form, phrasing● Duration can vary by several minutes

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IncorporationWhy?● Ownership● Imagination● Forced to listen● Necessity of

planning● Exposure to

improvisation● New genres and

styles

When?● All the time

How?● Earlier the better● Experimentation in practice● Listening to as many different

people as possible● Listening in the genre● Planning● Score study

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Fantasia on an OstinatoJohn Corigliano

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THANKS!Any questions?You can find me at:[email protected]

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