Rich's Debut Album
Imposition: An Exploration of Composing for Improvising Musicians.
Imposition explores the relationship between composition and improvisation to varying degrees. I wanted to see how different compositional techniques or methods effect improvisations; how improvisation can occur within certain compositional parameters or boundaries and how improvisers react and perform when considering certain focal points. Starting from the first track, which is essentially a rigidly structured composition with limited solos, the degree of freedom for the improvising musician increases until we get to the last track which is a collective (loosely guided) free improvisation. The tracks in-between bridge this gap by altering the balance.
Imposition opens with The Giraffe in the Enigmatic Hat, a tune which is scored in detail, leaving occasional space for musicians to solo and improvise. This is followed by Verde Azul Anil which draws upon modal jazz techniques of the late 1950s, giving the musicians more choice in their improvisations, then Filthy J which explores the notion of static harmony, making the soloists work hard to maintain interest over long pedalled1 solo sections. ShadEs provides the improviser with an indeterminate set of musical motifs and is structurally free, as is Double Exposure which works on the same principle, although this time the focal points are graphics and have no tonal or harmonic input. II's Company relies on direction and 'game' like rules, but has limited notational input, and finally Extemporaneous Sonata comprises simply a list of 'movements' and basic instructions around which free improvisation is to occur (see supplementary scores).
As the structures of the first three tracks were pre-determined, they were recorded by multi-tracking which allowed for easier logistics (i.e. recording at variable locations; at different times; with minimal rehearsal etc.). The remaining tracks however, were all recorded as live takes as the compositions are structurally free and improvisation, interaction and direction are the governing factors.
This text comprises a synopsis of each piece/track discussing the methodology behind its composition, the role of improvisation in the piece, what direction or guidance was given to the musicians, the recording procedure etc.
The Giraffe in the Enigmatic Hat
The main intention when writing this piece was to see if improvisations could occur within the confines of a detailed score and complement the composed material. The format of this tune, which draws influence from progressive rock, jazz and world music fusions, comprises several sections: a theme, a 'chorus' style section, a bridge and improvised departures. Harmonically it is based primarily around the Enigmatic scale (1,b2,3,#4,#5,#6,7) on C and resorts to E major in the 'chorus' as to provide some release from the tension inherent to the previous sections.
Here the improvised periods (or solos) act as additional material to a strictly arranged piece and have been included to give it a more organic, natural quality: There is an improvised fretless guitar introduction which introduces the harmony of the C enigmatic scale, a distorted fretless guitar solo with rhythm section accompaniment as well as a joint glockenspiel and guitar solo (where both are encouraged to play intensely, with effects, to create a combined sonic tension). Improvisation is also present in the acoustic guitar, bass and darabuka parts regarding comping, noted as 'ad-lib' or 'fill' in the score. As Derek Bailey suggests when discussing progressive rock, 'Where anything is written down it serves not as a perfect expression of the music to be played but as a starting point, a guide.'2
The combination of written interplay between parts (e.g. section C) and collaborative improvisation (e.g. section F) attempts to elude the listener. By including several sections which exploit the notion of interaction between players (i.e. call and response), which stem from different principles (i.e. composition and improvisation), an air of uncertainty might be placed upon the listener as to what was pre-determined by the score and what was improvised. This methodology was previously incorporated by musicians such as Frank Zappa, as was the use of bizarre instrumentation, combining timbres associated with a variety of different genres.
When soloing, improvisers are directed by the score to focus on the C enigmatic scale predominantly. Of course departure and passing notes are acceptable, but the idea is to emphasise the unusual quality of this harmony in solo sections. Section F ('the funky strut') provides an opportunity for the glockenspiel player to improvise wildly, whilst running through a ring modulator, alongside a dark fretless guitar solo. This joint solo section and the inclusion of unusual effects, intends to create a curious ambience before the refrain to the 'chorus' (section B) and the inevitable recapitulation of the main theme.
Verde Azul Anil
This piece uses modal techniques which emerged from the jazz idiom between the late 1950s and early 1960s. 'Modal Jazz' provided a departure from the conventional harmonic forms of its time by promoting horizontal, melodic exploration over its vertical, 'chord-cutting'3 predecessor, bebop. Verde Azul Anil draws on this ethos by using parallel chord movements and providing musicians with various harmonic references at certain points. The 'head' or theme (section A) is played over a chord sequence comprising Lydian harmony which traverses several key centres, whereas the B section pertains to a more standard and functional harmonic formation. The structure of this piece follows that of a jazz standard in that it consists of a head followed by solos for each instrument and a return to the head. The role of improvisation here is quite idiomatic to jazz and serves to explore melodic possibilities over a given chord-based framework, although it is also present in the form of 'ad-libbing' for the accompanists.
The solo section comprises a sequence of four chords, each sixteen bars in duration and allotted a choice of modes for the soloist improvise from (Note, these chords are different from those in the head, to differentiate between the theme and solo section, as well as to add variety). The long duration of each chord period is intended to encourage soloists to be creative in a horizontal fashion and to emerge themselves within the particular mode or colour they wish to explore. On each chord here, the soloist is given a choice of modes to focus on (Note: players are not strictly bound by these modes; they are encouraged to play 'around' as oppose to 'within' them. They may also move between the different suggestions over the particular chord period). This element of choice has been employed so that the modal material does not dictate a solo, 'instead, it functions as a starting and landing point for melodic excursions,..., just one short step removed from polytonality.'4 The fact that there is no functional harmonic movement (based around a key centre) within these sixteen bar periods, helps to minimise the temptation for soloists to resort to their rehearsed 'jazz-licks'- a methodology previously used by Miles Davis to compose such tunes as So What and Flamenco Sketches.
The instrumentation here (flugel horn, guitar, double bass and percussion) is typical of modal jazz in that it is quite sparse, encouraging spacious and 'open' playing. The score is simply two pages of written material; the form, as well as pulse, comping style etc., are to be decided by the performers as they would be in any modern jazz piece.
Filthy J
Filthy J is an open jazz-funk fusion tune, influenced by musicians such as John Scofield, Billy Cobham, Michael Brecker etc. The head comprises a traditional jazz form (A,A,B,A2) and the solo sections explore static harmony. The main objective when composing this tune was to examine the contrast between tension and release in various forms. This is initially suggested by the slightly dissonant A section, which is temporarily 'released' by the harmonically consonant and clichéd 'tongue-in-cheek' B section, only to be disrupted by a repetition of A, this time harmonised in (extremely dissonant) minor seconds. The form consists of the head, solos, then head, with the B section acting as an interlude (and harmonic reset) between solos.
The intention of these static solo sections is to encourage (or force) the musicians into being creative in their manipulation of tension and release. Harmonically, the solo sections are based on a C pedal and the implied harmony is C altered (1,b2,b3,b4,b5,b6,b7), although soloists are given no direction as to what they can or cannot play from the score. The only constraint is that these periods are thirty two bars in length and a solo recapitulation of B follows each to mark its finish (and allow the listener's ear to relax before the next solo begins). These periods are intentionally long to pressurise the musicians into deeper levels of sonic exploration. Over such a long period, improvisers are more likely to exhaust their habitual vocabulary and search for new methods of maintaining interest. These might include: 'out' notes, chromaticism, microtonality, sonic variations (e.g. effects, techniques), changes of timbre (e.g. 'noises') etc. There are many options here and as the only constraints to adhere to are pulse and duration, this kind of static harmony lends itself to a very open or free style of improvisation.
This piece is scored again in a standard jazz format and there are virtually no directions as to interpretation.
ShadEs (for solo guitar or piano)
ShadEs is based on indeterminate techniques used by many post 'Cagian' composers in the 1950s such as Cornelius Cardew, Earle Brown, Christian Wolff and Terry Riley. Consisting of ten themes or 'suggestions', an improviser (here either a guitarist or pianist) is to play, drawing inspiration from as many or as few of the notated ideas as they wish. Here the written material serves as a kind of prompt or focal tool, providing the performer with a place to fix their attention whilst otherwise improvising freely. To quote Elliot Carter: 'A musical score is written to keep the performer from playing what he already knows and leads him to explore other new ideas and techniques.'5
The scored ideas consist of mainly chord voicings based around the key centres of E major and E Lydian (reflected by the capital E in the title) and their order or durations are non-specific. The idea is that these voicings, whether played or not, will provoke a kind of improvisation that although produced physically by the soloist, is somehow influenced and coloured by the external presence of the composer, conveying to some degree his musical thoughts and insights.
This piece differs from the previous compositions on the compilation in that here, for the first time, the improviser is working completely free from a pre-determined structure: Deciding how long or short the piece is to be, whether or not they'll adopt the musical material provided and if they do, how they will realise it. The idea here is essentially to explore what happens when an improvising musician is given some focal direction, but in a passive fashion.
Double Exposure (for two performers)
'A composer who hears sounds will try to find a notation for sounds. One who has ideas will find one that expresses his ideas, leaving their interpretation free, in confidence that his ideas have been accurately and concisely notated.'7 - Conelius Cardew.
Added as an afterthought, Double Exposure works on the same premise as ShadEs in that ten ideas are presented on a page, only this time they are graphic symbols (e.g. geometric shapes, patterns, colours etc.) as oppose to musical themes. I used isometric paper to try to minimise musical prejudice that might be attributed to manuscript or even plain paper. Inspired by Cardew's Treatise and Cage's Concert for Piano and Orchestra, performers are to take away copies of the score and independently develop a musical interpretation of each symbol (this may be a technique, a rhythmic grouping, an effect, a timbre etc.). The two players are to then play the piece as a joint improvisation, working together, being completely open regarding form and structure and using as many or as few of the symbols as they feel appropriate. This piece allows the performers complete harmonic freedom for the first time in the compilation.
To realise this piece, the charts were printed and one copy was given to Chris (marimba) the other kept by me (fretless guitar).8 I advised Chris to take the part away and assign musical interpretations to each symbol and explained that I would do the same. There was no mention of harmony or style. We met up on the day of the recording and before it commenced discussed briefly how we would perform the piece. We decided to improvise freely, drawing upon the musical ideas we had independently developed for each shape. We also agreed that not every pictograph needed to be played nor was there any time frame for the piece. It was to be essentially a free improvisation which would incorporate our pre-conceived musical ideas. The track on Imposition is the second of two live takes. The first lacked cohesion a little and we were still experimenting with input levels etc. The second was a little longer, seemed to flow nicely and it felt as if we were playing together.
II's Company... (for Saxophone, guitar and others)
This one-page graphic score was inspired by contemporary composers such as Barry Guy, John Zorn etc., whom accommodate improvising musician's desires to be free within compositional systems. The idea here was to produce a loosely structured piece using predominantly non-standard notation, whereby the visual stimuli would prompt players for improvised musical responses.
This piece comprises three section (A, B and C), each of which contain a series of symbols, directions or instructions. Section A depicts a group improvisation where musicians may play anything from the graphic or notated material. Once an identifiable texture has been ascertained, the guitar and saxophone play the written theme twice, which on its repeat cue's section B. Once section B begins, only three people may play at any one time. They may play anything as long as only three play. If a fourth player enters, one must exit and conversely if one exits leaving two, a third must start (These entries may either be directed or left to spontaneity and chance). The intention here is to create a feel of organised chaos. As the only parameter is the number of people playing, only individual tastes or personalities can dictate the musical outcome. The juxtaposition between the congruent theme in A and the potentially unsettled feel of B provoked the tile and reflects the cliché: 'Two's company, three's a crowd'. After some time, a piano solo cues section C. The guitar and sax re-enter with a disjoined rendition of the theme from A, and the other musicians rejoin the group one by one until a point of textual unity is reached.
As a composition, only the basic structure and the theme in A are pre-determined leaving other decisions such as solo orders, duration etc. to the ensemble and/or musical director. This indeterminacy combined with the fact that the instrumentation is only partially specified, leaves the piece open to an array of different interpretations and realisations by different ensembles and directors. As Earle Brown suggests: 'it seems reasonable to consider the potential of the human mind as a collaborative creative parameter.'9
Extemporaneous Sonata
Following a similar vein to the previous two pieces, Extemporaneous Sonata draws influence from contemporary indeterminate compositional techniques. This piece is purely based on a series of events (which could be called 'movements'), each with brief guidelines. There is no pre-determined musical content, no specified instrumentation and no musical notation.
The compositional parameters consist of the three aforementioned events and approximate desired durations. In A, improvising musicians are to play and are encouraged to listen to their colleagues. In B they are instructed to play differently to the way they played in A (this could be stylistic, timbre, dynamic etc.). In C they must play as someone else did in A (drawing from any element of their performance whatsoever), thus creating a modern interpretation of sonata form via an indirect recapitulation.
Live direction is necessary to indicate the duration of sections; this may be in the form of a stopwatch, a clock or simply a member of the ensemble. The performance should last approximately ten minutes (3, 4 then 3mins.). Here the compositional element is the contextual process by which the musicians will play/ improvise, and each performance would be expected to sound quite different from the next apart from the approximate length. Extemporaneous Sonata is 'concerned with actions dependent on unpredictable conditions and on variables which arise from within the musical continuity.'10
This piece acts as the antipodal combination of composition and improvisation to the first track The Giraffe in the Enigmatic Hat, as here the improvisational content accounts for all of the sonic material heard.
References:
Bailey, Derek (1980), Improvisation - Its Nature and Practice in Music. Da Capo Press.
Cox, Christopher and Warner, Daniel (2006), Audio Culture - Readings in Modern Music. Continuum.
Jost, Ekkehard (1974), Free Jazz. Da Capo Press.
Nymann, Michael (1974), Experimental Music. Cambridge Press.