Nächste Kurse 2ten bis 4ten Mai 2025 in Académie de Tonnerre !
Anmeldung auf meiner Mailadresse.

 

In meinem Unterricht an MelodistInnen unterscheide ich zwischen Solo-Arbeit und Arbeit mit einem Bass; zwei Spielkontexte, die ganz verschiedene Reflexe aufrufen, wenn nicht gar gegenteilige.

Auch wenn es anfänglich scheinen mag, dass improvisieren mit einem Bass natürlicher sei und also diese Fähigkeit privigiliert werden soll, so hat mich doch meine persönliche Erfahrung vom enormen Vorteil überzeugt, den die Solo-Arbeit auf unseren melodischen Instrumenten gewährt: die Möglichkeit tief in die Handwerkskunst des Generalbass zu dringen, und davon eine traute Kenntnis auf dem eigenen Instrument zu erwerben, die Entwicklung eines harmonischen Bewusstseins, das in viel weiteren Gelegenheiten von Nutzen sein wird.

Manche der folgenden Vorschläge könnten (zu) anspruchsvoll aussehen. Es besteht das Risiko, die Studenten mit zu vielen harmonischen Begriffen zu überwältigen. Deshalb versuche ich ein Gleichgewicht zwischen rationeller Analyse und harmonischer Berechnung einerseits, und intuitives Schaffen und Spontaneität auf der anderen Seite zu finden.

Nachfolgend einige mögliche zu untersuchende Felder, mit oder ohne Bass:

 

I Mit dem Bass

Grounds, Chacones und Folie
Improvisation with bass.
Improvisation over a Ground Bass is one of the essential skills required of our art.
How to develop a striking narration, using contrast, amplification, breaks or linearity when performing over an unchanging harmonic canvas.
How to devise solutions when improvising in a group with several musicians: alternating, taking the floor, inviting, assigning the voices; roles for a simultaneous improvisation (structured protocol or spontaneous responses).

Die Kunst des Partimento
Improvisation with bass.
Longer than a Ground Bass, using a Partimento is an excellent solution for improvising chamber music. This developed harmonic support is a mutual reference point, which allows not only the chance to work on affects and variation but also on counterpoint and harmonic compatibility in the context of group improvisation.

Fantasticus 
Improvisation with bass.
The point here is to make use of all means available. To research, even invent, a code for free improvisation between treble and bass in the baroque style of the second half of the 17th century.
Here nothing is prepared, no Ground Bass or fixed Partimento on which to lean. We will see how the musicians can nonetheless direct and lead one another, may it be by melodic inflexions or anticipations and incitements of the bass, through a newly created common musical landscape, gradually evolving as they go.
Shared knowledge of this style will enhance the experience!

 

II Solo

Präludieren und fantasieren
Solo improvisation for all melody instruments.
In this class, we will improvise with absolute freedom, while keeping in mind the duty of form.
We will learn how to produce an inizio (opening), setting the tone, metre, texture, etc., how to modulate and find one way in the twists and turns of a tonal plan without loosing sight of the expressive meaning of the modulation, how to develop drama, and how to conclude.

Harmonische Reflexe 
This class is intended for string players (violin, viola, cello).
The goal is to demonstrate how to develop accurate polyphonic reflexes that allow for more immediacy and build up self-confidence beneficial to improvisation. It is a system I have developed personally and was created very much by trial and error …
Hand Play: cadential exercises, typical harmonic movements, sequences, etc. How to build a repertory of gestures and sounds and create base material on which to build.

Sei solo. Improvisation auf der Spur der Solowerke Bachs   
Solo improvisation for all melody players.
Deep harmonic knowledge is required.
Between extravaganzas and conventions, the Sonatas and Partitas seem an unreachable ideal. The works are so sublime and usually so assimilated that one forgets to question them.
With improvisation as our goal, we will start from the masterpieces and will lose ourselves along the way: transposing, paraphrasing, rewriting, looking at other possibilities, correcting, normalising etc.
There are no limits to the way the material can be altered. Although deep respect is always accorded to the original music, hopefully leading to a greater knowledge and a renewed admiration of the works!