musifying

Now that we are clear on the politics of the term “improvisation” (see part 1), we can talk about where and how improvisation is used in Arabic music.

Improvisation is present in three types of musical activities. The first is forms that are entirely improvised. The second is partially improvised forms and rhythmic improvisations inserted within a composed piece. Finally, there are the ornaments that a player introduces while playing a composed musical line. Read the rest…

It should be noted that in Arabic music, as well as in other idioms which emphasize improvisation, the term improvisation is not used to describe these musical practices. There are improvised forms, improvisations within composed forms, or improvisations while playing a composed line (see part 2 of this post for details). These forms have names and parameters and rules. They are not random notes played whimsically. Here’s an anecdote to illustrate the politics of the western term “improvisation”.

Read the rest…