Baroque And Baroque Music Analysis

Improvisation in Baroque and Jazz music

Yuki Shiotsuka

Standard level music

Candidate number: gwb410

January

Word count: Improvisation in Baroque and Jazz music

“Too many jazz pianist limit themselves to a personal style, a trademark. They confine themselves to one type of playing.” (Oscar Peterson).

Oscar Peterson T.Merula Composer profile

Ciaccona

This song is one of most famous instrumental composition.

This song is written on an ostinato bass, which means continue rhythmic pattern bass. As the bass repeatedly plays same pattern, two soloist converses with one another in imitation (call and response). It is in triple meter most of time.

♪♩♪♩ ♪♩♪♩ ← Basso continuo rhythm in this music.

First four bars present the motif in this

- Not all Baroque era music contains improvisation as key element.

- Because of basso continuo, unless melody harmonize on where bass play, rest of line is up to player.

- Many music has figured bass, which is a bass line with intended harmony indicated by figure rather than written as chord.

Despite the slight differences, there is strong link on improvisation between two music.

C jam blues

Notes in F7 is F, A, C, and Eb. In bass, quaver of A, Eb, and C which is Eb major 2nd inversion played. Followed by 8th note of Bb, E Db which whole notes are half note above. In melody, A, C, D, Eb, and A in rhythm of 8th note. Even though melody has D which isn’t in F7 chord, it can be seen that melody is improvised based on F7 chord. (measure 38, 0:40s)

Ciaccona

Like c jam blues, ciaccona’s improvisation is also with the bass line. As it can be seen on below, notes of basso continuo and melody line is creating the harmony. (measure 22, 0:50s)

First note in first bar, on above, is C, A, A but melody then goes E-F or C-D which isn’t creating harmony. However, like in c jam blues, it can be seen that A minor chord is used as the bass, and melody is improvised.

Step wise solo

2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_standard.

C) MusicFreak184. “Musical Investigation.” Jazz and Baroque!, 1 Jan. 1970, jazzimprovbaroqueimprov.blogspot.com/2011/05/jazz-and-baroque.html.

D) “Tarquinio Merula.” Baroque Notes - Tarquinio Merula, mcgautreau.com/notes/early/sonata/merula.php.

E) “Oscar Peterson.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Jan. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Peterson.

F) “Musical Links Investigation.” Musical Links Investigation, bridgemanmusic.wordpress.com/.

G) Almasy, Katie. “If it's Baroque, Try Jazzing it Up- IB Musical Links Investigation.” If it's Baroque, Try Jazzing it Up- IB Musical Links Investigation, 1 Jan. 1970, iliveforthestage.blogspot.com/.

H) “What is the motif used in many chaconnes in the 17th century?” Baroque - What is the motif used in many chaconnes in the 17th century? - Music: Practice & Theory Stack Exchange, music.stackexchange.com/questions/44546/what-is-the-motif-used-in-many-chaconnes-in-the-17th-century.

I) “Oscar Peterson Quotes.” BrainyQuote, Xplore, www.brainyquote.com/authors/oscar_peterson.

J) “Jazz improvisation.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Jan. 2018,