Improvisation on Chordal Instruments in 17th-Century Italy

自20世纪20年代以来，人们一直痴迷于前古典音乐；近几十年来，“早期音乐”变得令人难以置信地流行起来，人们用早期重建的乐器进行具有历史意义的表演。留给我们的许多前古典音乐更多的是小品，而不是字面上的文字，就像今天爵士乐曲调被简单地写下来一样；像爵士乐表演者一样，古老的音乐家应该精通即兴技巧，使他们能够把小品变成一场个人的创造性的表演。虽然还有16世纪和17世纪的理论论文留给我们，但当时关于即兴演奏仍然有很多需要了解的地方；与过去复杂的即兴演奏相比，今天的早期音乐家只是触及表面。我的研究项目旨在复兴被忽视的17世纪风格的即兴创作艺术，并将其重新确立为演奏这种音乐的不可或缺的一部分，创造音乐体验，让公众参与到现场音乐创作所产生的令人惊叹的兴奋中。这将为古典音乐音乐会增加一个独特的、更非正式的维度，并给早期音乐家带来新的、令人振奋的挑战。不同类型的早期即兴演奏，特别是在弦乐乐器上，将被研究：Basso Continuo(一种以素描形式写成的伴奏系统)，合奏即兴演奏，以及即兴清唱剧和前奏曲的技巧(涉及即兴演奏的体裁)。将回顾历史论文、教学材料和文献证据，但我也将检查音乐本身的许多实际线索，如伴奏片段、演奏者在表演中使用的部分，以及模仿即兴演奏技巧的片段。这些实用的资料，当被像我这样有经验的表演者观看时，可以提供对音乐的洞察，这些音乐并不总是通过更传统的研究收集的。我将在伯明翰大学担任这一奖学金，在那里我是该大学早期音乐表演和研究中心的兼职鲁特导师。关于17世纪即兴合奏和低音连奏的独特的格洛丽亚·罗斯重要研究材料收藏被遗赠给了大学；我的目的是继续罗斯未完成的研究。我的研究结果将是实用和学术的。我将创建一个创新的乐团，本质上是一个致力于实验、表演和推广历史信息即兴表演艺术的“早期音乐大乐队”。乐团将通过定期排练来磨练技巧；表演将与研讨会联系起来，学生将受益于与经验丰富的专业人士的学习。我将推出一系列音乐会(与研讨会联系在一起)，包括器乐和声乐，以17世纪意大利的和弦即兴创作为主题。伦敦南岸中心等已经表示有兴趣在那里建立的一个空间里展示我的即兴乐团，展示不那么正式的前古典音乐表演风格。我的目标是为早期音乐学生和专业人士撰写和出版一本急需的手册；以练习册的形式呈现，它将让演奏者系统地了解16和17世纪的即兴演奏风格、实用的文艺复兴理论和使用那个时代的分级音乐范例的集体即兴表演。我将使用和测试我在研究中找到的实用教育技术、练习和例子，为我的学生提供更广泛的知识基础，并培养更自信和独立的表演者和研究人员，他们将把即兴演奏视为他们音乐创作中令人兴奋和重要的部分。我的研究成果将通过手册、出版文章、CD和讲座演示来传播。

Since the 1920s there has been a fascination with pre-classical music; in recent decades 'early music' has become incredibly popular, with historically-informed performances on reconstructed instruments from earlier times. Much pre-classical music left to us is more a sketch than a literal text, not unlike the simple way a jazz tune is written down today; like jazz performers, musicians of old would have been well-versed in improvisational techniques, enabling them to take the sketch and turn it into a personal and inventive performance. While there are 16th- and 17th-century theoretical treatises left to us, there is still much to be understood about extemporization at that time; in comparison with the sophisticated extemporization of musicians in the past, present-day early musicians only scratch the surface.My research project aims to revive the neglected art of improvising in 17th-century styles and re-establish it as an integral part of performing this music, creating musical experiences which involve the public in the breathtaking excitement generated by the creation of music on the spot. This would add a unique and more informal dimension to classical music concerts, and present new, exhilarating challenges to early musicians. Various types of early extemporisation, particularly on chordal instruments, will be investigated: basso continuo (a system of accompaniment written in sketch form), ensemble improvisation, and techniques for improvising toccatas and preludes (genres which involved improvisation). Historical treatises, didactic material and documentary evidence will be reviewed, but I will also examine many of the practical clues in the music itself such as accompanimental fragments, parts used by players in performance, and pieces that imitate improvising techniques. These practical sources, when viewed by an experienced performer like myself, can provide insight into the music not always gleaned through more traditional research. I shall undertake this fellowship at the University of Birmingham, where I am a part-time Visiting Lute Tutor for its Centre for Early Music Performance and Research. The unique Gloria Rose Collection of important research materials on 17th-century improvising ensembles and basso continuo was bequeathed to the University; my aim is to carry on Rose's unfinished research.The outcomes of my research will be both practical and scholarly. I will create an innovative ensemble, essentially an 'early music big band' dedicated to experimentation, performance and promotion of the art of historically-informed extemporization. The ensemble will hone its skills through regular rehearsals; performances will be linked to workshops where students will benefit from learning with seasoned professionals. I shall launch a concert series (linked with workshops) including both instrumental and vocal music, with chordal improvisation in 17th-century Italy as its theme. London's South Bank Centre, amongst others, has already expressed an interest in presenting my improvising ensemble in a space being established there to showcase less formal performance styles of pre-classical music. I aim to write and publish a much-needed manual for both early music students and professionals; presented in workbook form, it will take a player systematically through 16th- and 17th-century improvisation styles, practical Renaissance theory and group extemporization using graded musical examples from the time. I will use and test the practical educational techniques, exercises and examples I find in my research to provide my students with a broader foundation of knowledge and produce more confident and independent performers and researchers who will see improvisation as an exciting and important part of their music making. My research findings will be disseminated through the manual, the publication of articles, CDs' and lecture-demonstrations.