Turkish Makam Influences in Jazz Improvisation
(2020)
author(s): Meriç Çalışan
published in: Codarts
Improvisation, the art of creating at the moment, is the main reason that I started singing jazz. It allows me to express my musical thoughts, while being the biggest struggle in my musicality. I was suggested by many of my mentors and colleagues that my ideas were nice but needed to be connected. These artistic needs introduced me to taksims, improvisations based on melodic development.
In this research, I demonstrate how elements such as phrasing and melodic development can be integrated into vocal improvisation of jazz and arranged folk songs by analysing selected pieces in hicaz and huseyni makams. In this context, the recordings from Refik Fersan, Salim Bey, Andon Efendi, Cemil Bey and Tanrıkorur analysed and the stylistic elements implied into my daily practice with exercises.
These exercises made my improvisations more solid and consistent by prioritizing melodic development.
My findings, i.e. exercises and technical explanation, will help musicians, particularly vocalists who would like to apply the makam practice into their improvisation skills. By application of this process their musicianship will profit from the linear melodic approach, odd meters and the technique.
From Phrase to Phrasing - a Classical Perspective
(2017)
author(s): Jan Willem Nelleke
published in: KC Research Portal
This paper explores the structure and performance of musical phrases according to sources from the second half of the eigtheenth century.
As phrasing is such an essential part of music making it seems curious that there is not much written about it and its application usually taken for granted. This paper wants to address this from the assumption that a better understanding of structure (phrases) will enrich delivery in performance (phrasing). It is written from the viewpoint of a performer with a focus on the practical application of theory.
Subjects include repose-moments, cadences, phrase-rhythm, punctuation, notation, skills in phrasing, breathing, and observations on Classical phrase structures and proportions in general.
Case studies are provided to demonstrate and test the theory on practical use and extend into less obvious areas like writing song intro's and cadenzas.
(Re)Phrasing—Shaping Music with Modern Instruments 2022-2026
(last edited: 2024)
author(s): Christian Stene
This exposition is in progress and its share status is: visible to all.
This project aims to demonstrate how the affordances of modern musical instruments can influence phrasing. My goal is to expand on our understanding of these affordances and how this affects the way we express musical ideas.
Phrasing is how a musician shapes music. Phrasing is the performer's musical language and is strongly linked to how well one masters one's instrument and can communicate musical ideas and interpretations. Instrumentalists have seen technical developments and innovations over hundreds of years, leading to the instruments we use today. Modern orchestral instruments are often very different from their historical predecessors with the development generally being in the direction of more evenness through the registers, larger volume, and projection . The methodology of playing is also highly focused on evening out the idiosyncrasies of the instrument to make all notes through the registers have the same shape. But what happens when everything sounds the same? Has phrasing become a victim of evenness?
This project uses a period boxwood instrument, modern boxwood instruments, modern mopane instruments, and modern grenadilla instruments (which are the norm today) as tools for research on phrasing. By switching tools between these instruments, I have identified and related various techniques to establish how the affordances of the different instruments can influence phrasing.
Research questions:
1. What is the relationship between phrasing on a period instrument and a modern instrument?
2. How can phrasing from a period instrument be transferred to a modern instrument?
3. What is the future of phrasing on a modern instrument?