Klassisk pianoimprovisation som konsertform

Abstract

The thesis contains mainly personal experiences relating to classical piano improvisation, based on the CD record Härlig är jorden, Piano improvisations in Various Classical Styles. Sex classics: Mozart, Stravinsky, Bartók, Chopin, Debussy and Liszt play the main roles in that record.The idea is (apart from aiming at stimulationg the styles as faithfully as possible) to look at the various classical styles as different musical rooms created by the composers for us to enter and use. It is also a personal pedagogical goal to structure my ideas, including formulating the strongest possible requirements on the quality of my improvisations. A leading theme manifesting itself in different quises (depending on the style used) is not only a means for improving quality further. The audience has shown a great interest in this form. Improvisation can easily become a pleasure only for the performer. With a familiar theme appearing now and then the listener will not become bored. For each composer serving as a modil I account for my thinking when planning the improvisation. Planning can here best be compared to the concept of sketching. But there are also very clear rules of conduct I have imposed on myself. Two other parts: 1) Why did classical piano improvisation cease? Some indications. This part discusses a possible interpretation of musical history starting from Mozart's and Beethoven's presumed objections to piano improvisation in spite of them being frequent improvisers, not least in public. 2) General thoughts on improvisation. Here I try to give a contribution to a treatment of the enigmatic phenomenon of improvisation. Based on personal experience and thinking I aim at finding means to get the sometimes elusive creative process going. Humour is here considered as a tool among others, and is something which I mean should be taken quite seriously.