The Fifth International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony ...
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The Fifth International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony ...

The Fifth International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony ... The Fifth International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony ...

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360 Anna Piotrowska Consequently improvisation was credited with the possession of its own musical dramatics. As identified by Ali Jihad Racy improvisation is characterised by a number of features including: intuitiveness, practical aspect, creativeness, personalization (individualization), inspiration, power, specific musical idiom, balance between the familiar and the novel, direct contact with the audience, mystical or emotional transcendence, freedom, and finally naturalness (Racy, 2000: 304-307). Similar notions: virtuosity, emotions and improvisation have been commonly used in reference to Gypsy music and its perception in European culture. For example European intellectuals treated Gypsy music as very emotional, melancholic and full of joy at the same time. Accomplished improvisation was an essential component of concerts given by piano players in 19th century, for instance young Liszt largely added to the fame he managed to achieve after moving to Paris where he was regarded incontestable as a virtuoso improvising on themes from Schubert Lieder, Chopin, etc. (Bekker, 1936: 277). Liszt’s piano music, rejecting the instrument’s limitations, imitated the sound effects of other instruments including the ones commonly linked with the Gypsy music. Not only was it the violin but also the cimbalom. But soon –as Leon Botstein suggests – “Liszt’s dissatisfaction with his virtuoso career was the result of his extensive internal musing regarding the inadequacy of performance alone as realizing the higher calling of the artist and the elevation of the new public’s taste” (Botstein, 2006: 544). Virtuosi were blamed for drawing away the public’s attention from the work itself in favour of emotions: for Liszt, however, composing started exactly where the improvisation ended. Liszt incorporated a number of musical figures on which improvisation thrived into his musical compositions focusing on the role of melody unifying the work. He did not shun repetitions and digressions. ong>Theong> structural logics followed the inner plan of historical trajectory as if reflecting the improvising path. As argued by Botstein, for Liszt musical composition “remained tied to the musical event as a performative experience” (Botstein, 2006: 555). ong>Theong> musical ideal was defined – as in case of improvisation so well known by Liszt from Hungarian Zigeunerkapellen – by the momentary experience characterised by factors aptly enumerated by Ali Jihad Racy. ong>Theong> musical work was conceived for different reasons than in the case of an educated, professional musician following the set of rules regarding composition. Framed within an audible entity piece of music inspired by improvisation practice was an attempt to express the inexpressible. It was the trial to conjure up in the form of a written text the emotions of the moment – the compromise between the dilettante and the professional artist, an attempt to marry two opposites, an attempt to sustain the ideal of improvisation while not rejecting the new ideas of the higher status of the autonomous, written down piece of music. What Liszt managed to do was the transformation of improvisation into a jotted down composition. This transformation might be a consequence of the fact that Liszt was very open to the 19 th century ideas also as a vivid reader of the press in German and French. Botstein, alluding to Liszt’s ability to imitate and transform, suggests that the composer, while absorbing the romantic trends also “transcended them” (Botstein, 2006: 519). Drawing heavily on what Liszt believed was Gypsy tradition he set to express the inexpressible. David Malvinni in his 2004 book “ong>Theong> Gypsy caravan: from real Roma to imaginary gypsies in Western music and film” suggested that „Gypsy music, as understood by Liszt and others in the nineteenth century, is not simply a musical style, nor another exoticism (the German –centric view), but a consciousness of the communicative essence of music; differently put, it is the power of musical performance to convey a ‘passionate’ impression on the listener” (Malvinni, 2004: ix). ong>Theong> romantic image of the Gypsy musician influenced the perception of improvising virtuosi and strengthened the growing tendency of rejecting improvisation as an ultimate proof of an instrumentalist’s

ong>Theong> Notion of so Called Gypsy music and the Tradition of Improvisation 361 talent. Favouring notations and educated professionals in the musical circles did not mean excluding emotional factor represented in the improvisatory practices: some of the most talented composers of the era (Liszt, Brahms) openly admitting to Gypsy music influences challenged what seemed impossible – unifying the set rules of compositions with an intangible element of improvisatory. References Beckerman, Michael. (2001). “Music: Pushing Gypsiness, Roma or otherwise”. In: New York Times, 1 April Bekker, Paul. (1936). “Liszt and His Critics”. In: ong>Theong> Musical Quarterly. Vol.22, No. 3:277-283 Berlioz, Hector. (1978). Correspondance Générale III: September 1842-1850 [nos. 776-1367], No. 1029. Editor: Citron, Pierre. Paris: Flammarion Bernstein, Susan. (1998). Virtuosity of the Nineteenth Century: Performing Music and Language in Heine, Liszt, and Baudelaire. Stanford, Calif: Stanford University Press Bohlman, Philip V. (1987). “ong>Theong> European Discovery of Music in the Islamic World and the ‘Non –Western’ in 19th-Century Music History”. Journ. ong>Theong> Journal of Musicology. Vol. 5, 2:147-163, Spring Botstein, Leon. (2006). “A Mirror to the Nineteenth Century: Reflections of Franz Liszt”. In: Franz Liszt and His World. Editors: Gibbs, Christopher H., Gooley, Dana. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press Esterhammer, Angela. (2008). Romanticism and improvisation, 1750-1850, Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press Gooley, Dana. (2006). “ong>Theong> Battle Against Instrumental Virtuosity in the Early Nineteenth Century”. In: Franz Liszt and His World. Editors: Gibbs, Christopher H., Gooley, Dana. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press Grellman, H.M.G. (1810). Histoire des Bohemiens, ou Tableau des Moeurs, Usages et Coutumes de ce Peuple Nomade. (first edition in 1787). Paris Haweis, H.R. (1912). Music and Morals. 22 nd ed. London: Longmans, Gree and Co. Kertesz-Wilkinson, Iren. (2001). “Gypsy music”. In: New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Vol. 10. Editor: Sadie, S. MacMillan Publishers Kutschke, Beate. (1999). “Improvisation: An Always–Accessible Instrument of Innovation”. In: Perspectives of New Music. Vol. 37, 2:147-162 Malvinni, David. (2004). ong>Theong> Gypsy Caravan: From Real Roma to Imaginary Gypsies in Western Music and Film. New York, London: Routledge Moore, Robin. (1992). “ong>Theong> Decline of Improvisation in Western Art: An Interpretation of Change”, In: ong>Internationalong> Review of the Aesthetics and sociology of Music. Vol. 23, 1:61-84 Murphy, Michael. (2001). Introduction. In: Musical Constructions of Nationalism. Essays on the History and Ideology of European musical Culture 1800-1945. Editors: White, H., Murphy, M. Cork: Cork University Press

<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Noti<strong>on</strong> of so Called Gypsy music and the Traditi<strong>on</strong> of Improvisati<strong>on</strong><br />

361<br />

talent. Favouring notati<strong>on</strong>s and educated professi<strong>on</strong>als in the musical circles did not mean excluding emoti<strong>on</strong>al<br />

factor represented in the improvisatory practices: some of the most talented composers of the era (Liszt,<br />

Brahms) openly admitting to Gypsy music influences challenged what seemed impossible – unifying the set<br />

rules of compositi<strong>on</strong>s with an intangible element of improvisatory.<br />

References<br />

Beckerman, Michael. (2001). “Music: Pushing Gypsiness, Roma or otherwise”. In: New York Times, 1 April<br />

Bekker, Paul. (1936). “Liszt and His Critics”. In: <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Musical Quarterly. Vol.22, No. 3:277-283<br />

Berlioz, Hector. (1978). Corresp<strong>on</strong>dance Générale III: September 1842-1850 [nos. 776-1367], No. 1029. Editor: Citr<strong>on</strong>, Pierre.<br />

Paris: Flammari<strong>on</strong><br />

Bernstein, Susan. (1998). Virtuosity of the Nineteenth Century: Performing Music and Language in Heine, Liszt, and Baudelaire.<br />

Stanford, Calif: Stanford University Press<br />

Bohlman, Philip V. (1987). “<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> European Discovery of Music in the Islamic World and the ‘N<strong>on</strong> –Western’ in 19th-Century<br />

Music History”. Journ. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Journal of Musicology. Vol. 5, 2:147-163, Spring<br />

Botstein, Le<strong>on</strong>. (2006). “A Mirror to the Nineteenth Century: Reflecti<strong>on</strong>s of Franz Liszt”. In: Franz Liszt and His World. Editors:<br />

Gibbs, Christopher H., Gooley, Dana. Princet<strong>on</strong> and Oxford: Princet<strong>on</strong> University Press<br />

Esterhammer, Angela. (2008). Romanticism and improvisati<strong>on</strong>, 1750-1850, Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press<br />

Gooley, Dana. (2006). “<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Battle Against Instrumental Virtuosity in the Early Nineteenth Century”. In: Franz Liszt and His<br />

World. Editors: Gibbs, Christopher H., Gooley, Dana. Princet<strong>on</strong> and Oxford: Princet<strong>on</strong> University Press<br />

Grellman, H.M.G. (1810). Histoire des Bohemiens, ou Tableau des Moeurs, Usages et Coutumes de ce Peuple Nomade. (first<br />

editi<strong>on</strong> in 1787). Paris<br />

Haweis, H.R. (1912). Music and Morals. 22 nd ed. L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong>: L<strong>on</strong>gmans, Gree and Co.<br />

Kertesz-Wilkins<strong>on</strong>, Iren. (2001). “Gypsy music”. In: New Grove Dicti<strong>on</strong>ary of Music and Musicians. Vol. 10. Editor: Sadie, S.<br />

MacMillan Publishers<br />

Kutschke, Beate. (1999). “Improvisati<strong>on</strong>: An Always–Accessible Instrument of Innovati<strong>on</strong>”. In: Perspectives of New Music. Vol.<br />

37, 2:147-162<br />

Malvinni, David. (2004). <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Gypsy Caravan: From Real Roma to Imaginary Gypsies in Western Music and Film. New York,<br />

L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong>: Routledge<br />

Moore, Robin. (1992). “<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Decline of Improvisati<strong>on</strong> in Western Art: An Interpretati<strong>on</strong> of Change”, In: <str<strong>on</strong>g>Internati<strong>on</strong>al</str<strong>on</strong>g> Review of the<br />

Aesthetics and sociology of Music. Vol. 23, 1:61-84<br />

Murphy, Michael. (2001). Introducti<strong>on</strong>. In: Musical C<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong>s of Nati<strong>on</strong>alism. Essays <strong>on</strong> the History and Ideology of European<br />

musical Culture 1800-1945. Editors: White, H., Murphy, M. Cork: Cork University Press

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