Paraphrase this: a note on improvisation

Abstract

This article explores concepts and practices of improvisation in traditional music making, presenting an analysis of two recorded reels by the Irish fiddler Frankie Gavin. This case study exemplifies the phenomenon of paraphrase improvisation: on-the-spot creation of a continuous stream of melodic-rhythmic variations without compromising the identity of the tune in question. My analysis interrogates the implications of these observations for understanding the generative mechanisms of improvisation, drawing on Dreyfus and Dreyfus’ phenomenology of expertise to account for how expert performers perceive and respond to multidimensional configurations of musical stimuli. Particular emphasis is placed on how different aspects of skill formation overlap and interrelate, promoting the view of melodic-rhythmic variability as intrinsic to the technical/stylistic practice of playing tunes, as opposed to being a separate layer of performance action. I further discuss how improvisational practices are constitutively framed within a particular culture of musical mediation and learning.

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