Klarinet Archive - Posting 000343.txt from 2006/10

From: Laurence Beckhardt <lbeckhardt@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] For the begginger in improvisation
Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 16:01:36 -0500

i don't understand why "prepared improvisation" should
be considered an oxymoron, and I'm even less convinced
by the notion of "really impetuous" improvisation

I'm certain that Levin's "improvisation" results from
careful study and preparation - to be truely
impetuous, we'd have to accept interpolating Bud
Powell into a Mozart concerto

Even the notion that Jazz consists of pure
(impetuous?) improvisation is false, and denies the
hard work, training, preparation, use of conventions,
forumlas and "licks" that provide the supporting
structure for good jazz improvisation

--- dnleeson <dnleeson@-----.net> wrote:

> Because there are almost no detailed books about
> improvisation in
> music of the classical period, the clarinettist who
> wants to
> learn something about how to do it is reduced to
> listening to
> performances by people who do it, some well, some
> less well. But
> at least one can listen and, perhaps learn. Without
> some
> practical examples, one is left in an unfortunate
> limbo.
>
> Recently, Bob Levin, who is perhaps the leading
> proponent of
> really impetuous and not prepared improvisation has
> released a
> recording of works that most clarinet players
> probably have never
> heard, which is a good basis for understanding how
> it is done
> because you will have few preconceptions. (By the
> way, the term
> "prepared improvisation" is an oxymoron, but I
> couldn't find
> another way to say what I needed to say.)
>
> There are three piano sonatas, K. 279, 280, and 281.
> Mozart was
> 19 when he wrote them. Each has exactly three
> movements, and
> each movement has two sections, each of which is
> repeated. So out
> of three sonatas of 6 sections each, you get three
> sonatas of 12
> sections each. This gives a wonderful laboratory to
> see and hear
> how the first and second presentations of the same
> section differ
> from each other, because Levin does some remarkable
> improvisations in EVERY repeated section. It also
> shows how 18th
> century composers could write 10 minutes worth of
> music and
> produce something that would take 20 minutes to
> play.
>
> The only problem with his performance is that his
> ornaments are
> often so subtle and completely in character that you
> really don't
> know that what he added was entirely his invention
> and not
> Mozart's explicit recommendation. And to get around
> the problem,
> you will need a copy of the three sonatas so that
> you can follow
> them while listening. Pay careful attention to the
> slow movement
> of K. 280. Now that is the improvisor's dream
> piece.
>
> The recording is Deutsche Harmonia Mundi,
> 82876-84236-2 and it
> comes with two disks. One contains the three
> sonatas and the
> other contains a most interesting lecture by Levin
> on these early
> Mozart sonatas and the several distinct differences
> between the
> modern and 18th century pianos as well as the
> development of the
> modern piano, which is a glorious piece of
> engineering, to say
> nothing of a wonderful musical instrument. But the
> 18th century
> piano is also a thing of beauty, too.
>
> Go. Learn.
>
> Dan Leeson
> DNLeeson@-----.net
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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