Difference between revisions of "Improvisation"

Latest revision as of 02:32, November 9, 2022

Improvisation ("improv") is a when a performer is "making it up he/she goes along".

In music, improvisation is when one sings or plays music which is made up on the spot; it is neither memorized nor written down. Improvisation is often found in jazz, blues and rock and roll.

Composer/organists like Bach and Handel were famous improvisors. Even today, a good church organist will improvise before the service or during the collection. Choirs have been known to "set a tune" for the organist to play - an example would be variations on "Happy Birthday to you" played in the style of a Bach chorale prelude on the birthday of the minister's wife.

Actors also sometimes improvise. Some comedy troupes base their entire act on improvising.

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-'''Improvisation''' is a when a performer is "making it up he/she goes along". In [[music]], one alters what is being played and deviates from the written music. This is done most often in [[jazz]]. In an ensemble, the [[saxaphone]], for example, might add [[trills]], extra notes that would complement the [[melody]] (called [[harmony]]), or even change the [[key]].
+'''Improvisation''' ('''"improv"''') is a when a performer is "making it up he/she goes along".
-Musical improvisation originated from [[African American]] musicians in the 19<sup>th</sup> century. Most were not formally educated, and they didn't learn music theory. They would sing in church, and they didn't have music sheets written so they ''had'' to make it up. As long as it sounded good all together they went for it. Thus they became very talented and had a good musical ear.
+In [[music]], improvisation is when one sings or plays music which is made up on the spot; it is neither memorized nor written down. Improvisation is often found in [[jazz]], [[blues]] and [[rock and roll]].
-[[Category:Music]]
+Composer/organists like [[Bach]] and [[Handel]] were famous improvisors. Even today, a good [[church]] organist will improvise before the service or during the collection. Choirs have been known to "set a tune" for the organist to play - an example would be variations on "Happy Birthday to you" played in the style of a Bach [[prelude|chorale prelude]] on the birthday of the minister's wife.
+[[Actor]]s also sometimes improvise. Some [[comedy]] troupes base their entire act on improvising.
+[[Category:Musical Terms]]
+[[Category:Theater]]