Music Analysis

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Music: An Appreciation Part VIII: Jazz

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Jazz Styles, 1900 to 1950 •  Blend elements of several cultures

–  West African emphasis on improvisation, percussion, and call-and- response techniques

–  American brass band influence on instrumentation –  European harmonic and structural practice

•  Blues and ragtime were immediate sources

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Elements of Jazz Tone color •  Usually performed by combo of 3 to 8 players •  Backbone is rhythm section •  Main solo instruments: trumpet, trombone, saxophone,

clarinet, vibraphone, piano •  “Bends,” “smears,” “shakes,” “scoops,” “falls”

Improvisation •  Created and performed simultaneously •  Usually in theme and variations form

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Rhythm, melody, and harmony •  Syncopation and rhythmic swing are features

–  Rhythmic accent on beats 2 and 4 –  Syncopation often occurs when performer accents note between

the regular rhythmic accents –  “Swing” results from uneven 8th notes (triplet feel)

•  Melodies flexible in pitch •  Chord progressions similar to tonal system

Elements of Jazz (continued)

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Ragtime •  Dance hall and saloon music •  Piano music with left hand, “oom-pah” part

–  Usually in duple meter at moderate march tempo –  Right hand part highly syncopated –  Left hand keeps steady beat

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Blues •  Vocal and instrumental form •  12 measure (bar) musical structure •  3-part vocal structure: a a’ b (statement, repeat of statement,

counterstatement)

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New Orleans Style •  Also called Dixieland •  Front line of horns supported by rhythm section •  Songs frequently based on march or church melody, ragtime

piece, pop song, or blues

•  Characteristics –  Improvised arrangements –  Multiple instruments improvising simultaneously –  Scat singing –  Theme and variation form predominates

•  Many notable performers

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Neoclassicism •  Flourished 1920 to 1950 •  Based new compositions upon devices and forms of the

classical and baroque •  Eschewed program music for absolute •  Preferred to write for small ensembles •  Sounded modern, not classical

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Expressionism •  Attempts to explore inner feelings rather than depict outward

appearances •  Used deliberate distortions

–  To assault and shock the audience –  To communicate tension and anguish

•  Direct outgrowth of the work of Freud •  Rejected “conventional prettiness” •  Art also seen as a form of social protest

–  Anguish of the poor –  Bloodshed of war –  Man’s inhumanity to man

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Swing •  Popular 1935–45 (swing era)

–  Written music –  Primarily for dancing

•  Large bands (usually 15 to 20 players) •  Melody usually performed by groups of instruments rather

than by soloists •  Theme-and-variations form common

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Bebop •  1940s and early 1950s •  Meant for listening, not dancing •  Combo was preferred ensemble •  Melodic phrases varied in length •  Chords built with 6 or 7 notes, not earlier 4 or 5 •  Theme-and-variations form still dominant

–  Melodies derived from pop songs or 12-bar blues –  Initial melody by soloist or 2 soloists in unison

•  Many notable performers including: –  Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), Thelonious Monk (piano) –  Charlie Parker (alto sax): most famous/influential

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Jazz Styles since 1950 Cool jazz •  1950s •  More calm and relaxed than bebop •  Relied more upon arrangements

Free jazz •  1960s •  Similar to chance music •  Solo sections of indeterminate length •  Improvisation by multiple players at once Jazz rock (fusion) •  In the late 1960s, rock became potent influence •  Style combined improvisation with rock rhythms •  Combined acoustic and electric instruments